New additions to Tutor/Mentor library - 2025

Since mid 2022 I've posted new additions to the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC Library on a page like this. Each listing includes a link to the sub-section of the library where the link was posted. Those links are in alphabetical order.  Learn to use the "find in this section" line below each entry to find a wide range of related information.  New additions from 2024 are posted here.  New additions from 2023 are posted here.  New additions from 2022 are posted here.

7-16-2025 - BETTER DATA. BETTER POLICY: THE IMAPACT MAP
https://theimpactproject.org/
From the website: "The Impact Project builds open-source data tools that objectively show how government decisions affect our communities." Their first tool, The Impact Map, "shows the local impacts of federal workforce, funding, and other policy decisions."
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7-11-2025 - ELECTION REFORM IDEAS FROM UNITE AMERICA
https://www.uniteamerica.org/articles/elons-right-but-election-reform-is-the-real-game-changer
If you're frustrated with the two-party system in the USA, you're not alone.  Unite America offers many suggestions on "changing the rules so that every candidate can compete, every voter can participate, and more votes are meaningful." Take a look.
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7-10-2025 - THE STATES PROJECT AND FORUM - WORKING ON SOLUTIONS TO TODAY'S MOST PRESSING ISSUES
https://statesproject.org/
https://statesforum.org/
The States Project was launched during Trump's first presidency, and focuses on winning government majorities in state legislatures. Visit its website and find a wide range of information and resources.  The States Forum was launched in 2025.  It's website says, "The States Forum is dedicated to advancing the American Promise: that all people are created equal with the right to life,liberty, and the pursuit of  happiness, and that government secures these rights with the consent of the governed."  Both of these websites are important resources.
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7-10-2025 - THE JOURNALIST'S RESOURCE:  INFORMING THE NEWS
https://journalistsresource.org/
From the website: "The Journalist's Resource bridges the gap between academia and journalism, informing the news by empowering journalists to rely on evidence-based research throughout every step of the reporting and editing process."  This site fills a growing need as staff at news rooms across the country are getting smaller and smaller.   The site's not limited to just journalists. Anyone can browse and read research articles and become better informed about issues.
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7-10-2025 - AI TOOLS THAT ARE REPLACING POWER POINT
click here
This LinkedIn article by Ajit Kumar lists 10 tools that enable users to create presentations with AI in seconds.  
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7-9-2025 - DODGE (DEPT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY) CUTS BY CITY, STATE AND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT - INTERACTIVE MAP
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/doge-cuts-by-city-state-and-congressional-district/
This map of DODGE cuts in the Federal government is one of many resources on the website of The Center for American Progress.  
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7-9-2025 - 2028 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION INTERACTIVE MAP AND MORE
https://www.270towin.com/
The 270 to Win site ncludes maps of the United States with details upcoming elections.  
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7-9-2025 - EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVORS OFFERS ACADEMIC TUTORING AND ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
https://educationalendeavors.org/blog/
Educational Endeavors was started in Chicago in 2001 as an academic tutoring provider. They now have enrichment programs and test prep.  Their website says," All of their programs have been developed through thoughtful collaboration with our staff, sharpened by experience, and revised after trials."  The link points to their blog.
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7-8-2025 - A BLUEPRING FOR SCALING TUTORING AND MENTORING ACROSS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/23328584211042858
In this 2021 article the authors explore "how to make access to individualized instruction and academic mentoring more equitable by taking tutoring to scale as a permanent feature of the U.S. public education system."  Principle authors were Matthew A. Kraft and Grace T. Falken of Brown University. 
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7-8-2025 - LOVING CITIES INDEX - 2025 - SCHOTT FOUNDATION REPORT
https://lovingcities.schottfoundation.org/
The Schott Foundation's Loving Cities Index "measures the supports a city provides children and families across every aspect of life".  This link points to the 2025 report.   Click here for the 2018 Loving Cities report.  View the 2020 Loving Cities report at this link.
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7-8-2025 - ARCHIVE OF 10,000+ HISTORICAL CHILDREN'S BOOKS, ALL DIGITIZED AND FREE TO READ ONLINE
https://www.openculture.com/2025/06/enter-an-archive-of-10000-historical-childrens-books.html
This is one part of the Open Culture website, which claims to have "the best free cultural & educational media on the web".  This extensive archive of children's books is an example.
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7-8-2025 - VIZDEX - A LIBRARY OF BLOGS DEDICATED TO DATA VISUALIZATION
https://vizdexproject.com/
This site has an extensive, and growing, collection of personal and independent blogs and newsletters dedicated to datavisualization. You can sort by several topics.  Inspire your own work by learning from work done by others. 
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7-8-2025 - HARVARD UNIVERSITY TIES TO SLAVERY - ARTICLE IN "THE GUARDIAN"
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/jun/21/harvard-slavery-decendants-of-the-enslaved
The title of this article in The Guardian is "Harvard hired a researcher to uncover its ties to slavery. He says the results cost him his job: "We found too many slaves."  The article offers an in-depth review of US universities and the legacy of slavery, while it also focuses on Harvard's response to the research."  
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7-8-2025 - MENTOR TUTOR CONNECTION OF MOUNTAIN VIEW AND LOS ALTOS, CALIFORNIA
https://www.mentortutorconnection.org/
This program started in 1996 as "Partners for New Generations" and changed its name to Mentor Tutor Connection in 2014.  Its mission is to enhance the academic, social, and emotional growth of students in their community through meaningful connections with adult volunteer mentors and tutors."
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7-8-2025 - POWER MAPPING - LEARN TO USE CONCEPT MAPS TO IDENTIFY WHO HAS THE POWER TO FIX THE PROBLEM YOU WANT FIXED.
https://commonslibrary.org/power-mapping-to-design-a-winning-campaign-strategy/
This is an article from The Commons Social Change Library.  It describes a powerful planning and visualization skill, which it called "power mapping". The article recommends,  "Use it to figure out who has the most influence over the issue you are focused on and who is most likely to give you what you want."  This is a skill Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present) and Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present) have tried to master for many years. Here's one article from our blog. https://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2025/03/mapping-ideas-information-and-networks.html
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7-8-2025 - INDEPENDENT SECTOR'S ANNUAL REPORT: VALUE OF VOLUNTEER TIME
https://independentsector.org/research/value-of-volunteer-time/
For many years the Independent Sector has produced a report showing an estimated national dollar value for each volunteer hour.  Download the current report at this link.
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7-8-2025 - CHICAGO SPORTS ALLIANCE WORKS TO REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE
https://www.mccormickfoundation.org/news/chicago-professional-sports-franchises-come-together-to-address-gun-violence-for-eighth-consecutive-year/
This page on the Robert R. McCormick Foundation website shows how Chicago professional sports franchises are coming together to address gun violence for the eigth consecutive year.  
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7-7-2025 - OTHERING & BELONGING INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY - RACIAL DISPARITIES DASHBOARD
https://belonging.berkeley.edu/racial-disparities
From the website: "This project is designed to be an open resource repository on racial disparities in American society that are important, vital, and measurable.  We have nearly 80 different indicators with measured disparities between Black and white Americans"  Visit the website. 
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7-7-2025 - BRIGHTPOINT FOCUSES ON HELPING FAMILIES AND CHILDREN IN CHICAGO AND THROUGHOUT ILLINOIS
https://www.brightpoint.org/about-us/who-we-are/about-brightpoint-2/
This organization was Children's Home & Aid until rebranding in 2025.  View the "What we do" page to learn of their five areas of service. 
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7-7-2025 - BRIDGING COMMUNITIES, EVENTS AND INSIGHTS IN A FRAGMENTED WORLD - FROM THE WEAVING LAB
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bridging-communities-events-insights-fragmented-world-weavinglab-npp6c/
This article can be found on LinkedIn. It describes the network-building process, its challenges and its opportunities.  Add you own thoughts. 
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7-7-2025 - CHITOWN TUTORING -ACT TEST PREPARATION AND MORE
https://chitowntutoring.com/blog/
Read the blog articles on the ChiTown Tutoring site. Lots of helpful information. Browse the site and learn what help they can offer students in the Chicago region.
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7-7-2025 - EVERYTOWN LAW - DEDICATED TO ADVANCING GUN SAFETY IN THE COURTS AND THROUGH THE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS
https://everytownlaw.org/
https://everytownresearch.org/
From the website: "Everytown Law conducts independent, methodologically rigorous research, supports evidence-based policies and communicates this knowlege to the public", in many ways, including this website.  Browse the research page at https://everytownresearch.org/research/ to find an extensive body of information.
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7-7-2025 - CITY OF CHICAGO VIOLENCE REDUCTION DASHBOARD
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/vrd/home.html
From the website: "The Dashboard shares real-time data on violence trends in Chicago and its inequitable impact across the city, as well as critical information about the City's community-centered and trauma-informed response."   Visit this University of Chicago Crime Lab page and view a webinar that introduces the Dashboard. https://crimelab.uchicago.edu/2025/05/overview-of-the-city-of-chicagos-violence-reduction-dashboard/
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7-7-2025 - CITY OF CHICAGO'S VOP;EMCE REDICTOPM DASHBOARD - CREATED BY UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO URBAN CRIME LAB
https://crimelab.uchicago.edu/2025/05/overview-of-the-city-of-chicagos-violence-reduction-dashboard/
Visit this page and view the June 2025 webinar that provided an introduction to the City of Chicago's Violence Reduction Dashboard.  Browse the site to see related reports. 
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7-7-2025 - TOGETHER CHICAGO - FORMED IN 2017 TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY BUILDING THROUGH THE FAITH COMMUNITY
https://togetherchicago.com/
Together Chicago is a "collective impact" framework that focuses on economic development, education, violence reduction, gospel justice, and faith community mobilization.  
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7-7-2025 - CHICAGO YOUTH COLLECTIVE - NEW INTERMEDIARY LAUNCHING IN 2025
https://www.chiyouthcollective.org/blog
The Chicago Youth Collective seeks to "build bridges between families and opportunities".  Their website is not fully developed but you can read some of their blog articles. 
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7-7-2025  - REACH PATHWAYS™ - HELPS HIGH PERFORMING STUDENTS ADVANCE TO COLLEGE AND CAREERS
https://www.reachpathways.com/
REACH Pathways™ is a social enterprise built on the research-based curriculum of Chicago Scholars, a nonprofit that has helped over 6,500 students navigate college and career with outcomes 2-7 times the national average, leading to an estimated $6.8 billion in additional lifetime earnings. REACH Pathways™ was launched to scale access to opportunities and connect under-resourced students with companies and colleges nationwide.
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7-7-2025 - TUTOR CRUNCHER KNOWLEDGE HUB
https://tutorcruncher.com/blog
TutorCruncher is a software platform buit specificallly to support the professional tutoring industry.  Their Knowledge Hub is full of useful articles for many types of tutoring organizations. 
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7-7-2025 - LEADING OUR FUTURE: REIMAGINING LEADERSHIP IN ONTARIO'S NONPROFIT SECTOR
https://theonn.ca/publication/leading-our-future/
This statement introduced this Ontario Nonprofit Network publication:  "Nonprofits are being called on to do more with less in an impossible environment. With deepening polarization, an affordability crisis, and labour force shortages, it's time to reimagine leadership in our sector"  
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7-7-2025 - KNOWLEDGE ALLIANCE - PROMOTING USE OF RIGOROUS RESEARCH FOR EDUCATION POLICY
https://www.knowledgeall.net/
From the website: "The mission is to collectively elevate the creation and use of rigorous research and evidence for systems change, sustainable resources, equitable public education and access to opportunity for all." Follow their updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/knowledge-alliance/posts/
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7-7-2025 - AI - ARTICLE - "PEOPLE ARE LOSING LOVED ONES TO AI-FUELED SPIRITUAL FANTASIES"
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/ai-spiritual-delusions-destroying-human-relationships-1235330175/
This article is from Rolling Stone and raises another concern about AI.  
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6-26-2025 - IMPACT BORDERLESS DIGITAL (IBD) - AFRICAN MENTORING SUPPORT
https://impactborderlessdigital.com/
From the website: "Through mentorship and career development flora, IBD empowers youth with the knowledge, international exposure, and digital fluency they need to be emancipated global citizens with borderless influence for sustainable development."  Based in Nairobi, Kenya.
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4-28-2025 - INDEPENDENT SECTOR - TRACKING THE POLICY LANDSCAPE FOR THE CHARITABLE SECTOR - 2025
https://independentsector.org/policy/tracking-the-policy-landscape/
With so much disruption coming from the new Federal administration, as a result of the 2024 election, funding for the charitable sector is in a state of chaos.  The Independent Sector and partners are providing three trackers to monitor policy actions. 1) Tax and Federal Legislation Tracker;  2)  Litigation Tracker; 3) Executive Action Tracker.  Make sure your board, volunteers and donors are aware of this resource. 
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4-28-2025 - MAPPING JUSTICE - EMPOWERING YOUTH THROUGH GEOSPATIAL INNOVATION
https://www.trubel.co/
This is the flagship program of an organization called trubel&co, who's mission is to "champion diverse youth by integrating STEM education with civic innovation to tackle societal challenges. Through our flagship program, Mapping Justice, we empower students to use geospatial technology for social change, fostering data literacy, critical thinking, and community advocacy."
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4-28-2025 - COLLECTIVE FOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN STEM AND SOCIETY (CYESS)
https://cyess.org/
CYESS is an  initiative of the Afterschool Alliance which is "leveraging the potential of afterschool programs for civic engagement and STEM learning."  Browse the website to learn more.
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4-28-2025 - CHILDREN'S FUNDING PROJECT - SUPPORT FOR STRATEGIC  PUBLIC FINANCING 
https://childrensfundingproject.org/
The Children's Funding Project "helps communities maintain equitable, coordinated, and sustainable funding for comprehensive programs and services so that all children thrive." View video of April 2025 webinar to understand the support and resources they offer. https://childrensfundingproject.org/resource/public-financing-in-times-of-uncertainty/

Read the article on the Wallace Foundation website about the Children's Funding Project. https://wallacefoundation.org/resource/article/investing-youth-cradle-career
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4-28-2025 - GOOGLE MAPS MANIA - IS A BLOG SHARING GOOGLE MAPS CREATED SINCE 2005
https://googlemapsmania.blogspot.com/2008/10/blog-action-day-2008-poverty.html
This blog is a huge, rich archive showing hundreds of ways maps can be used.  I saw this link on BlueSky and searched to see if Tutor/Mentor Connection had ever been mentioned.  I found this 2008  post where I'd introduced our mapping work with a comment.   
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4-3-2025 - A BETTER CHICAGO - STATE OF OUR YOUTH 2025 REPORT
https://www.abetterchicago.org/reports-and-insights/state-of-our-youth-2025
This 2025 report provides extensive data showing the "Sate of Chicago Youth" and should be read by all who are concerned with the future of the city.  In the summary the authors wrote "Chicago is among the major cities that continues to experience uneven investments and development across neighborhoods, resulting in inadequate access to essential services and disparities in economic, education and health outcomes. The data in this report reveals how these historical patterns continue to have a disproportionate negative impact on communities of color."  Download the report from the A Better Chicago website.
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3-31-2025 - A 2025 UPDATE OF GENE BELLINGER'S SYSTEMS THINKING LIBRARY
click here
This site is related to the "And, It's all Connected" site.  It is named "Gene's 2nd Brain" which is (as he says) "where I attempt to organize everything I touch that seems meaningful. Well, at least to me."  This site uses an interactive concept mapping/visualization tool to organize hundreds, if not thousands, of links.  Spend some time becoming familiar with it. Re-visit often. Create your own version. No password needed.
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3-28-2025 - EVERY HOUR COUNTS - A NETWORK OF LEADING INTERMEDIARIES BUILDING AFTER SCHOOL SYSTEMS
https://www.everyhourcounts.org/
From the website: "Every Hour Counts is a network of organizations from across the country that is leading a movement to expand learning beyond school so that all young people can thrive."
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3-27-2025 - COUNSELLOR TALK - CREATIVE RESOURCES FOR COUNSELLORS, EDUCATORS AND MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
https://www.counsellortalk.com/blog
On this site, launched in 2025, two long-term psychologists and former school counsellors share a legacy of meaningful connections and creative counselling practices with the goal of inspiring a new generation of counsellors and educators. The blog is full of resources. 
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3-23-2025 - AMERICA'S VOLUNTEER-BASED U.S. GOV. DATA RESCUE PROJECT - 2025
https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/the-data-hoarders-resisting-trumps-purge
This article in The New Yorker describes an effort by hundreds of volunteers to save data that is being wiped by people working for the GOP leaders in Washington, DC. This is a massive effort to preserve history and public knowledge. Visit the Data Rescue Project website to learn more and get involved. https://www.datarescueproject.org/
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3-21-2025 - COMMUNITIES FOR JUST SCHOOLS FUND
https://www.cjsfund.org/
From the website: "Communities for Just Schools is a national collaborative that links philanthropy with the power of grassroots organizing to transform schools. It's a movement born to end the school-to-prison pipeline."
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3-19-2025 - CAREER COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC - PROMOTES ACHIEVEMENT IN STEM PROFESSIONAL CAREERS - HOSTS STEM CITY USA
https://intouch.ccgmag.com/page/pre-college-program
CCG website shows a wide range of programs, publications and events that promote achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math careers.  One program is STEM CITY USA, which is a virtual reality learning platform which you can see at https://stemcityusa.com/.    The link provided above points to the CCG pre-college program that provides middle and high school students the opportunity to learn about STEM careers and acquire skills.
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3-19-2025 - PICKLEBALL NOISE RELIEF - A GRASSROOTS EFFORT LAUNCHED IN 2023
https://www.pickleballnoiserelief.com/home
From the website: "Pickelball Noise Relief is a grassroots support network dedicated to addressing the issue of excessive noise from pickleball courts.  We aim to inform, educate, and empower individuals affected by pickleball noise, providing resources and strategies to mitigate its impact."  Take a look at the range of resources provided on this website.  It's a model that other causes might duplicate.
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3-18-2025 - A MIGHTY GIRL - DEDICATED TO RAISING SMART, CONFIDENT, AND COURAGEOUS GIRLS
https://www.amightygirl.com/blog
The website says "A Mighty Girls is the worlds largest collection of books, toys, movies, and music for parents, teachers and others dedicated to raising smart, confident, and courageous girls and, of course, for girls themselves."  This link points to the Mighty Girls blog.   Follow A Mighty Girls on Facebook and see how they share relevant information on a regular basis.  https://www.facebook.com/amightygirl
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3-14-2025 - VISUALLY RECORD A CONVERSATION
https://visualthinkery.com/project/visually-recording-a-conversation/
This article on the Visual Thinkery site provides steps for visually recording a conversation.  It's part of the creative process ideas shared on the site.
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3-12-2025 - SCHOLARSHIPS AND RESOURCES FOR MINORITY STUDENTS
https://www.publicservicedegrees.org/financial-aid/scholarships/minority-students/
This "Student Training & Education in Public Service" article includes a list of minority-focused scholarships and resources that focus on public-service degrees.
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3-7-2025 - THE EDUCATIONAL POWER OF FILMMAKING FOR YOUTH
https://octaneseating.com/blog/film-educational-benefits
NAVIGATING THE ART OF BOOK-TO-FILM ADAPTATION
https://octaneseating.com/blog/book-to-film-adaptations/
These are two visually illustrated blog articles on the website of a company that sells residential and theater seating!  Both have valuable tips that student and adult film-makers might learn from.  Take a look. 
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3-7-2025 - UNLOCKING THE MAGIC OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE: ESSENTIAL RESOURCES FOR PARENTS AND EDUCATORS
https://octaneseating.com/blog/childrens-literature/
This is a visually illustrated blog article on the website of a company that sells residential and theatrical seating.  It offers many useful tips for parents, teachers, tutors and mentors. 
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3-4-2025 - INCREASING STEM ENGAGEMENT THROUGH OPPORTUNITY LANDSCAPING - 2025 RESEARCH PAPER
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825000186?via%3Dihub
This paper on Opportunity Landscaping, co-authored by Nichole Pinkard, with Sheena E., Caitlin K. Martin, Yolanda J. Majors, PhD, & Natasha Smith-Walker, explores how we can better understand and design learning ecosystems to ensure equitable access to STEM and out-of-school learning opportunities.   An example of this work is the South Side STEM Opportunity Landscape described at https://www.southsidestemlandscape.org/
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2-28-2025 - BEYOND AID: WHY GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS A MARKET-CREATING SHIFT - 2-2025 ARTICLE
https://www.christenseninstitute.org/blog/beyond-aid-why-global-development-needs-a-market-creating-shift/
The long-standing global development model has been overly reliant on foreign aid.  That has decreased from 2019 to 2023 and now is being drastically cut by the new administration in Washington.  This article makes a case for developing market-creating innovations to alleviate poverty.  
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2-28-2025 - FOM BLACK BOYS TO BLACK MEN - WHAT DOES IT TAKE?
https://www.hattieschild.com/mentoring
Visit this website and learn from educator, author and mentor, Steve White. Use the curriculum in your own mentoring programs. 
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2-28-2025 - THE MIS-EDUCATION OF THE NEGRO - BY DR. CARTER. G. WOODSON
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mis-Education_of_the_Negro
This book was published in 1993 but remains a fundamental resource for understanding Black history. 
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2-27-2025 - OTHERING & BELONGING INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
https://belonging.berkeley.edu/resources
From the website: "OBI advances groundbreaking research, policy, and ideas that examine and remediate the process of exclusion, marginalization, and structural inequality -- what we call othering -- in order to build a world based on inclusion, fairness, justice, and care for the earth -- what we call belonging."  This link points to the resources page. 
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2-26-2025 - STEM LEARNING ECOSYSTEMS - CONNECTING LOCAL COMMUNITIES WITH A NATIONAL NETWORK OF PEERS AND STEM LEADERS
https://stemecosystems.org/
From the website: "Built on over a decade of research, the STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice is a first-of-its-kind global collaboration of 114+ communities growing STEM collaborations that prepare all people for emerging opportunities. More than 70 million learners find themselves going from cradle to career within the space of a STEM Learning Ecosystem."
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2-26-2025 - VISION FOR AMERICAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (VAST) - 2025
https://www.vastfuture.org/
This website shows the vision of individuals representing industry, academia, government, and the non-profit sector of a future state in which American science and technology can continue to serve America.  Planning started in 2024. 
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2-20-2025 - MELANIN MEETUPS - SHAPING THE AMERICAN BLACK COMMUNITY AND EXPERIENCE IN THE 21ST CENTURY
https://www.melaninmeetups.org/about
From the website: "The  mission of Melanin MeetUps is to Rewrite the Narrative. This means to create a better understanding of the African-American experience and overall story to create a more unifying identity due to the deliberate erasure of persons, culture, values, and beliefs from systems designed to do so."  Visit the site to learn more.
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2-20-2025 - FITFO NETWORK - "A NETWORK FOR NETWORKS"
https://www.fito.network/boosting-funding
This site was created in 2023, based on many years of previous experience. The network is made up of thousands of people, with leaders from Africa, India, South America and Europe.  It's goal is to help networks get the ideas, connections and resources each needs to do their work well.  One section focuses on boosting funding for networks. 
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2-20-2025 - FORWARD MOMENTUM CHICAGO - INSPIRES POSSIBILITIES THROUGH DANCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS
https://www.forwardmomentumchicago.org/
From the website: "Forward Momentum Chicago programs are designed to increase dance skills and awareness, and to foster creativity, critical thinking, and social-emotional learning. Forward Momentum Chicago offers a variety of dance experiences for all ages and ability levels."
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2-12-2025 - 'ORIGINAL SINS" - BOOK EXAMINES HOW EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO HURT BLACK AND INDIGENOUS STUDENTS
https://thetriibe.com/2025/02/eve-l-ewing-examines-how-the-education-system-is-designed-to-hurt-black-and-indigenous-students/
This link points to an interview of Eve L. Ewing, author of "Original Sins", published in Feb. 2025 in The Tribe. 
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2-6-2025 - KEVIN'S MEANDERING MIND - BLOG BY CONNECTED LEARNING EDUCATOR
https://dogtraxwrites.com/blogging4life/blogging4life-the-platforms/
Kevin Hodgson is a middle school teacher from Western Massachusetts who I've followed since 2014.  Several links on this blog list go to articles he wrote.  I point to his blog many times from the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC blog.  He launched a new blog site in 2025.   Check it out. 
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2-5-2025 - AUTHENTIC CONNECTION PLATFORMS: THE FUTURE OF DISINTEGRATING SOCIAL MEDIA - 2025 ARTICLE
https://www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/social-media-2/2025/02/authentic-connection/
This article on the Conferences that Work blog focuses on the demise of traditional social media as a place to connect and share ideas and the rise of smaller platforms, that are part of the Fediverse, a network of servers interconnected via a common protocol. Mastodon is one of these.
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2-4-2025 - 3 TOOLS TO HELP TEACH ABOUT BLACK HISTORICAL FIGURES IN A MODERN LIGHT
https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/64931/three-tools-to-help-teach-about-black-historical-figures-in-a-modern-light
This article on the KQED website offers tips for engaging children in learning about Black history throughout the year and beyond the surface level. Take a look.
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1-26-2025
LUV CITY - ENGAGES YOUTH IN MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION
ttps://luvcity.org/
From the website: "LUV City offers a 5-week Summer Institute where Chicago youth are immersed in workshops in filmmaking, editing, sound design, multimedia production, acting, storytelling and music production. Youth are invited to continue on with programming during fall, winter and spring semesters."
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1-21-2025 - LANDLORD MAPPER - NATIONAL LANDLORD DATBASE INITIATIVE
https://landlordmapper.org/chi/home/
Landlord Mapper is an initiative to advance research into urban property ownership networks. We seek to address the problem of ownership obscurity by leveraging data science techniques to uncover networks of taxpayer records. The goal is to provide tenants with easy access to information about landlords. We also seek to assist and collaborate with other researchers to improve the overall access to landlord data. The site uses network analysis and interactive GIS maps to share information about property owners in Chicago, Milwaukee.
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1-18-2025 -  SEGREGATION ACADEMIES: DECADES AFTER DESEGREGATION, PRIVATE SCHOOLS STILL DIVIDE US
https://www.propublica.org/series/segregation-academies
This ProPublica series includes "a Private School Demographics database, which ProPublica launched in 2025, that anyone, anywhere can use to look up a school and view the years of data we were relying on for our reporting." The research shows that "Hundreds of the private schools that opened for white children fleeing the arrival of Black students still operate across the South.  And they play a key role in persistent segregation." 
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1-18-2025 - BACKBONE LEADERSHIP IS DIFFERENT: THE SKILLS AND MINDSET SHIFTS NEEDED FOR COLLECTIVE IMPACT
https://collectiveimpactforum.org/resource/why-is-backbone-leadership-different/
This page on the Collective Impact Forum shares a new podcast discussion of how backbone leadership in collective impact efforts is different from traditional, more hierarchical leadership styles.  The site has links to reports and is the result of over 10 years of work. 
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1-18-2025 - DEEPER LEARNING ARTICLES ON TERRY ELLIOTT'S BLOG
Unflattening. Unfurling. https://impedagogy.com/wp/blog/2024/11/06/unflattening-unfurling-unflattening-nick-sousanis-unfurling-stuart-kaufmann/
Invisible Practice - https://impedagogy.com/wp/blog/2025/01/11/ye-will-know-them-by-their-practices/
These are links to two long articles on Connected Learning (clmooc) member Terry Elliott's blog. Both focus on deeper learning.  One includes podcasts created using Google Notebook LM's artificial intelligence product. These point to habits that teachers, tutors and mentors need to help students learn. 
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1-18-2025 - GOOGLE NOTEBOOK LM - AN AI-POWERED COLLABORATOR 
https://support.google.com/notebooklm/answer/15724458?hl=en
It's described as a tool that "helps you do your best thinking".  Look at the podcasts that I point to in this article to see ways this has been used in 2025. 
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The Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present) and Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present) have been
sending newsletters to a wide range of stakeholders in the youth development, tutor and mentor
ecosystem, since 1993.  The newsletters are intended as study guides, for all who are working
to help youth in high poverty areas move more safely through school and into adult lives, jobs and careers.

On the left side of this page you can open links to all 2024 newsletters. Links to each are also shown below.

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