Inequality

Most Children In Haitian Orphanages Aren’t Orphans — But US Missionaries Take Them Away From Their Families
Funded by millions of dollars in donations for their work in Haiti, Western church organizations operate scores of facilities in a shadowy but sprawling industry that often leaves children traumatized, abused — and sometimes dead.

Black Officers Have Tried To Sound The Alarm On The Police Department Overseeing Lauren Smith-Fields' Case For Years
The Lauren Smith-Fields case is just the latest in a string of troubling incidents for the department.

Why A Treatable Cancer Disproportionately Kills Black Women
Nearly half of Georgia’s counties lack an OB-GYN, according to a Human Rights Watch report.

Peloton Employees Say The Company Owes Them Money
Workers across the country allege the company didn’t always pay them for breaks and overtime.

I’ve Got Nothing Left To Give To End This Pandemic
I have done my part to prevent the pandemic from spiraling out of control — it didn’t matter. What more can you ask of us?

HelloFresh Workers Voted Against Unionizing Despite High Injury Rates, Low Wages, And A COVID Outbreak
The pandemic has lent momentum to the labor movement, but union losses at HelloFresh food-packing warehouses reveal the challenges of convincing some workers that the fight is worth the risks.

“Can You Imagine Waking Up Next To Her Every Day?”: A Chicago Judge Disparaged An Attorney On A Hot Mic
The recording, the lawyer said, “shows what some of us already know: that there's this chumminess that goes on behind closed doors and makes you wonder whether cases are being heard on the merits or for some other reason.”

They Fed America During Lockdown. Nearly Two Years Later, Many Grocery Workers Can’t Make Ends Meet.
Current wage rates for people in hourly jobs leave some unhoused, unable to buy food, or collecting cans to pay the bills.

How Was Your Housing Impacted After A Weather Disaster?
If your housing situation has been impacted by a wildfire, hurricane, storm, flood, or another climate-related natural disaster, BuzzFeed News would like to hear your story.

“My Human Rights Are Being Violated”: Fighting A Family Guardianship
People with disabilities often must speak up for “dignity of risk”: the right to make choices freely, good and bad. This is Marie's story.

8 Important Findings From BuzzFeed News’ Investigation Into Guardianships
Guardians who follow the rules can be very helpful for people with disabilities. But some people under guardianship have been abused, neglected, and killed.

The Pandemic Brought Our Family’s Harasser Out Of Retirement. Here’s How We Finally Caught Him.
Our terrifying experience came to an end — but it took a lot of time and resources others might not have access to.

Falling Through The Cracks of the Chinese American Dream
Low-wage workers in Chinese immigrant communities often lack access to the social safety nets intended to help people living in poverty — in part because of “model minority” stereotypes. Since the pandemic began, it's had disastrous consequences in New York City.

OnlyFans Creators Say This Agency Trapped Them In Exploitative Contracts And Published Nudes Without Consent
Clients said their contracts threatened six-figure penalties if they left, and account managers said they felt pressured to clock as many as 100 hours a week.

The Smithsonian’s #MeToo Moment
Many researchers dream of one day working at the Smithsonian’s facility in Panama. But 16 women scientists told BuzzFeed News that their experiences there were nightmares ruled by prominent men who exploited their powers.

For Black Activists, The Rittenhouse Verdict Signals A Scary Security Shift
With political operators, armed vigilantes, and police departments all cracking down on racial justice movements, Black organizers have developed security plans, anti-doxxing programs, and other tactics.

This Mom Who Has An OnlyFans Account Was Banned From Volunteering At Her Kids' School Because Of What She Does For A Living
"I love volunteering, so being told that I can no longer do that felt like one of the biggest joys in my life was just ripped away from me..."

Los Angeles School Officials Are Investigating The District’s Use Of Edgenuity
The review of the virtual classroom company’s contracts with the nation’s second-largest school district comes as educators across the country are reconsidering its role in their remote learning programs.

New Footage Shows Christian Hall’s Hands Were Up When Police Shot Him
The video has sparked calls from local officials for an independent investigation into the December 2020 police shooting.

A Black Man Charged With Murder Said He Shot At A Group Of White Teens in Self-Defense
For Kyle Rittenhouse, George Zimmerman, and others in high-profile homicide cases, claims of self-defense led to acquittals. Will the same be true for a young Black man who killed a white teen in Georgia?

How The Pandemic Severed One Of Southern Africa’s Main Economic Lifelines
With few options, some traders have turned to smuggling or sex work. “I work with what I have at the moment,” one woman said.

A Photographer Captures American Protests — And Iconic Images From Jan. 6
“I'm not the same photographer as I was before the pandemic.”

A Traveling Darkroom On The Syria–Turkey Border Is Encouraging Children To Make Photos
"People are always asking me, What are the effects of children affected by war, or refugee children? But it's always about happiness.”

This Virtual Classroom Company Made Millions During The Pandemic While Students Languished
Edgenuity offers to help schools pivot from “brick to click” during the pandemic, but to many parents, teachers, and students, the cost-saving program comes at the expense of a quality education.

How A Mission To Turn A Haitian Town Into A Surfing Destination Failed To Live Up To Its Promise
Surfing was a profitable enterprise in Jacmel, as locals rented out boards and hosted lessons. But the project’s recent struggles reflect the difficulty of obtaining resources in a country battered by a series of catastrophes.

Extreme Heat Has Killed Hundreds Of Workers. The US Government Is Finally Doing Something About It.
Extreme heat is now the leading weather-related killer in the US.

Carlton Waterhouse Is Fighting For Environmental Justice At The EPA — And Getting Called A “Racist”
Ahead of his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, the environmental lawyer has become a target of the far right’s bogus narrative around race.

“I Needed To Film Today And I Physically Can’t”: Online Sex Workers Are Burning Out
The platform’s brief prohibition of sexual content was unsurprising to many workers who often feel they’re treated as disposable and say their livelihoods have become increasingly precarious even as the site’s popularity has exploded.

I Couldn’t Tell My Family About My Abortion. Texas's Ban Targets The Support System I Relied On.
The law seeks to prevent abortions by imposing one of the cruelest restrictions of all: isolating pregnant people from support systems at a time when they need them more than ever.

UN Peacekeepers Fathered Dozens Of Children In Haiti. The Women They Exploited Are Trying To Get Child Support.
A landmark ruling in a Haitian court offers some hope to the families seeking child support, but the peacekeeper fathers won’t have to pay unless their home countries step in.