work

Melisande Short-Colomb, 63, is a descendant of slaves sold by the Jesuits to fund Georgetown University. She's enrolled as a freshman there and plans to major in African-American studies.

Starting School At The University That Enslaved Her Ancestors

8:28am September 19, 2017

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talked to Mélisande Short-Colomb, whose family was once enslaved by Georgetown University. Now, at 63, Short-Colomb has enrolled as a freshman there.

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Eager to attract good help in a tight labor market, large employers say they are newly committed to maintaining health coverage for workers.

Big Employers Say They Will Continue To Offer Health Plans To Their Workers

3:05pm August 08, 2017

by Jay Hancock

Three years ago, only about a quarter of the nation's large employers were "very confident" they would offer health insurance to their workers in 10 years. That number has now risen to 65 percent.

Chairman and CEO Linda Johnson Rice speaks at Ebony magazine's Power 100 Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., last December.

#EbonyOwes: 99 Problems And Money Is One

8:17pm July 17, 2017

by Karen Grigsby Bates

A number of writers, editors, photographers and illustrators are still waiting to be paid by the magazine for work that was published in February. The owners say they will "honor [their] commitment."

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Interdisciplinary artist and TED Fellow, Damon Davis.

At TED This Week, Two Speakers Got To The Root Of Things

3:46pm April 28, 2017

by Nina Gregory

At the TED Conference in Vancouver this week, two Fellows, Devita Davison and Damon Davis talked about putting ideas to work to invigorate marginalized communities from within.

With Women 'Computers' In Spotlight, UNCG Explores Its Own History

2:56pm January 25, 2017

by Eddie Garcia

The Oscar nominated film

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Christopher Mensah, owner and tattoo artist at the Pinz-N-Needlez tattoo shop in Washington, D.C., creates the outline for Oshun Afrique's 35th tattoo.

For Tattoo Artists, Race Is In the Mix When Ink Meets Skin

4:35pm December 01, 2016

by Parth Shah

Skin tone is only part of the challenge for an oft-tattooed customer who wants to see herself reflected in the "human canvases" of tattoo artists.

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National

Slave Labor And The 'Longer History' Of The White House

5:52pm July 27, 2016

by NPR Staff

When Michelle Obama referred recently to slaves building the White House, she gave a nod a backstory that needs to be appreciated, says Clarence Lusane, author of The Black History of the White House.

Jason Olsen, a 39-year-old policy adviser for the Department of Labor, uses the Washington, D.C., Metro to commute to work three times a week. On the other days of the week, Olsen telecommutes from home to avoid the challenge of taking the Metro.

Workplaces Can Be Particularly Stressful For Disabled Americans, Poll Finds

9:14am July 13, 2016

by Yuki Noguchi

Many disabled adults want to work — and many do. But a survey shows that a workplace can be particularly stressful for them, and workplaces may not be doing enough to lower the stress.

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This presidential election, many workers and employers say political vitriol is carrying over into the workplace — making it a potentially hostile environment.

In 2016, Talking Politics Can Make Things Uncomfortable At Work

7:31pm June 20, 2016

by Yuki Noguchi

This presidential election, many workers and employers say political vitriol is carrying over into the workplace — making it a potentially hostile environment.

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One Silicon Valley startup that encouraged its employees to think about work 24/7 found they missed market signals, tanked deals and became too irritable to build crucial working relationships.

Many Grouchy, Error-Prone Workers Just Need More Sleep

11:31am April 26, 2016

by Yuki Noguchi

Sleep researchers say about 30 percent of employees at big firms are so tired they're making as many mistakes as if they were coming to work drunk. Some offices now have "napping pods."

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