Perhaps the next pandemic will go a little bit better…

Editor’s warning: This article contains mentions of transphobia.

Happening in the World: Boris Johnson is the latest of twenty-four world leaders to call for an international treaty designed to aid countries in preventing and stabilizing pandemics. Countries would coordinate vaccination efforts, share data, and more, in an effort to bring about
“peace, prosperity, health and security.” (BBC)

Happening in the US: South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem issued two executive orders Monday night intended to limit participation in women’s and girl’s school sports teams to people assigned female at birth and able to prove it with official documentation. These orders come after South Dakota lawmakers’ failure to agree on revisions to a bill banning trans athletes from playing on teams aligning with their gender identity; lawmakers in other states have already passed similar bills this year attempting to take away the rights of trans people. (NPR)

Happening in New York: Starting today, all New Yorkers over the age of 30 are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines. About 30% of state residents have received at least one vaccine already, and the numbers will only increase as the state increases eligibility for New Yorkers over 16 starting April 6th. (Gothamist)

Happening in the Columbia Community: Tonight at 6:30 pm, the School of Professional Studies is hosting an interview of Jacqui Patterson, Senior Director of the NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program, by Claudia Dreifus, writer and lecturer. The two will discuss the link between civil rights and environmental justice and attendees are encouraged to submit questions beforehand. (event)

Poem: Lately I have been reading a lot of Amiri Baraka for class and the way he talks about love, language, and destruction is absolutely melting my brain (in a good way). Here is his poem “Like Rousseau.”

International cooperation <3 via Pixabay