thedenverpost--2020-12-26--Guest Commentary: Colorado’s COVID recovery plan must include public health insurance option

2020 has been so challenging that , for many families , planning for what comes next has been impossible .
It ’ s hard to think about next year when every ounce of energy is going into keeping the lights on , looking after vulnerable loved ones , and providing kids with a semblance of a decent and consistent education .
It ’ s unavoidable for people to think this way .
But what we can ’ t afford to do is govern this way .
Our state has been so focused on managing the day-to-day nightmare of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” world has felt more like an indulgence than a necessity .
And , many medical professionals continue to do extraordinary things each and every day but often within a system that has created more hurdles than help .
But there is hope .
With the vaccine distribution underway and accessible to most by the summer , hopefully soon , the worst of this pandemic will be behind us .
Life will gradually start looking more like it did before .
Of course , we ’ ll all celebrate when that happens , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a series of crises either created or made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic .
It ’ s time to start preparing for what is next .
One of the most pressing challenges we will face is a slow-rolling health care crisis .
At the state legislature we can meet this challenge head-on and help Coloradans recover from the pandemic by passing a public health insurance option for our state .
We saw cracks in our health care system during this crisis — let ’ s fix those cracks while improving everyone ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early on we required a doctor ’ s note in order to get tested thereby creating an instant barrier for so many Coloradans without a doctor .
I am ready to lead the charge for change when the legislature reconvenes .
We still don ’ t know how many Coloradans have gone without vital preventative health care during this pandemic because they either couldn ’ t get an appointment or had too high of a deductible to arrange for treatment .
We don ’ t know how many Coloradans are dealing with new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know how much future COVID-19 vaccines and treatments will cost or the proportion of those costs insurance companies will shoulder .
We don ’ t know what long-term health consequences people who have survived COVID-19 will face .
The benefit of a public health insurance option isn ’ t just that it will lower premiums across our state ( by approximately 9 % to 18 % , according to studies conducted last year ) .
We can also design it so that coverage for essential health care needs is guaranteed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all COVID-19 related care , including preventative methods like vaccines .
We can ensure that it covers Coloradans ’ mental health needs , and make it affordable for people who have lost their job and their employer-sponsored health coverage along with it .
We can build in convenient people-centric solutions like telehealth .
No one will have to utilize the public option who doesn ’ t want it — but even those who like their current individual or employer-sponsored coverage will benefit from it .
The public option will make the insurance market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to offer more benefits at lower premiums to get people to choose their private plans .
That ’ s especially beneficial in rural areas in our state , where many folks have only one private health care option to “ choose ” from right now .
There are many policy lessons for our nation to draw from the COVID-19 pandemic .
One of the saddest is how bad things can get when we construct a health care system that prioritizes increasing profit instead of increasing care .
Many medical professionals continued to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but often within a system that has created more hurdles than help .
We can ’ t control whether our federal government acts on that lesson .
But we can act on it here in Colorado — by passing a public option that helps Colorado focus on living life , not avoiding it because they may not be able to pay the bill .
Kerry Donovan represents Senate District 5 in the State Legislature and serves as Senate President Pro Tempore To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to submit by email or mail .

2020 has been so challenging that, for many families, planning for what comes next has been impossible. It’s hard to think about next year when every ounce of energy is going into keeping the lights on, looking after vulnerable loved ones, and providing kids with a semblance of a decent and consistent education.
It’s unavoidable for people to think this way. But what we can’t afford to do is govern this way. Our state has been so focused on managing the day-to-day nightmare of the pandemic that preparing for an “After COVID” world has felt more like an indulgence than a necessity. And, many medical professionals continue to do extraordinary things each and every day but often within a system that has created more hurdles than help.
But there is hope. With the vaccine distribution underway and accessible to most by the summer, hopefully soon, the worst of this pandemic will be behind us. Life will gradually start looking more like it did before. Of course, we’ll all celebrate when that happens, but we’ll also be met with a series of crises either created or made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s time to start preparing for what is next.
One of the most pressing challenges we will face is a slow-rolling health care crisis. At the state legislature we can meet this challenge head-on and help Coloradans recover from the pandemic by passing a public health insurance option for our state. We saw cracks in our health care system during this crisis — let’s fix those cracks while improving everyone’s health care. For example, early on we required a doctor’s note in order to get tested thereby creating an instant barrier for so many Coloradans without a doctor. I am ready to lead the charge for change when the legislature reconvenes.
We still don’t know how many Coloradans have gone without vital preventative health care during this pandemic because they either couldn’t get an appointment or had too high of a deductible to arrange for treatment. We don’t know how many Coloradans are dealing with new or worsening mental illness. We don’t know how much future COVID-19 vaccines and treatments will cost or the proportion of those costs insurance companies will shoulder. We don’t know what long-term health consequences people who have survived COVID-19 will face.
The benefit of a public health insurance option isn’t just that it will lower premiums across our state (by approximately 9% to 18%, according to studies conducted last year). We can also design it so that coverage for essential health care needs is guaranteed.
We can make sure the plan covers all COVID-19 related care, including preventative methods like vaccines. We can ensure that it covers Coloradans’ mental health needs, and make it affordable for people who have lost their job and their employer-sponsored health coverage along with it. We can build in convenient people-centric solutions like telehealth.
No one will have to utilize the public option who doesn’t want it — but even those who like their current individual or employer-sponsored coverage will benefit from it. The public option will make the insurance market more competitive, meaning insurance companies will have to offer more benefits at lower premiums to get people to choose their private plans. That’s especially beneficial in rural areas in our state, where many folks have only one private health care option to “choose” from right now.
There are many policy lessons for our nation to draw from the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the saddest is how bad things can get when we construct a health care system that prioritizes increasing profit instead of increasing care. Many medical professionals continued to do extraordinary things each and every day but often within a system that has created more hurdles than help.
We can’t control whether our federal government acts on that lesson. But we can act on it here in Colorado — by passing a public option that helps Colorado focus on living life, not avoiding it because they may not be able to pay the bill.
Kerry Donovan represents Senate District 5 in the State Legislature and serves as Senate President Pro Tempore
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-12-26--Vaccinated? Show us your app

Vaccinated? Show us your app

By Natasha Singer , The New York Times Co .
Among all the tools that health agencies have developed over the years to fight epidemics , at least one has remained a constant for more than a century : paper vaccination certificates .
In the 1880s , in response to smallpox outbreaks , some public schools began requiring students and teachers to show vaccination cards .
In the 1960s , amid yellow fever epidemics , the World Health Organization introduced an international travel document , known informally as the yellow card .
Even now , travelers from certain regions are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ card at airports .
But now , just as the United States is preparing to distribute the first vaccines for the virus , the entry ticket to the nation ’ s reopening is set to come largely in the form of a digital health credential .
In the coming weeks , major airlines including United , JetBlue and Lufthansa plan to introduce a health passport app , called CommonPass , that aims to verify passengers ’ virus test results — and soon , vaccinations .
The app will then issue confirmation codes enabling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is just the start of a push for digital COVID-19 credentials that could soon be embraced by employers , schools , summer camps and entertainment venues .
“ This is likely to be a new normal need that we ’ re going to have to deal with to control and contain this pandemic , ” said Dr. Brad Perkins , the chief medical officer at the Commons Project Foundation , a nonprofit in Geneva that developed the CommonPass app .
The advent of electronic vaccination credentials could have a profound effect on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy .
They could prompt more employers and college campuses to reopen .
They may also give some consumers peace of mind , developers say , by creating an easy way for movie theaters , cruise ships and sports arenas to admit only those with documented coronavirus vaccinations .
But the digital passes also raise the specter of a society split into health pass haves and have-nots , particularly if venues begin requiring the apps as entry tickets .
The apps could make it difficult for people with limited access to vaccines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit popular destinations .
Civil liberties experts also warn that the technology could create an invasive system of social control , akin to the heightened surveillance that China adopted during the pandemic — only instead of federal or state governments , private actors like employers and restaurants would determine who can and can not access services .
“ Protecting public health has historically been used as a proxy for discrimination , ” said Michele Goodwin , a law professor who directs the Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the real concern — the potential to use these apps as proxies for keeping certain people away and out.
” She added that tech developers often rush to deploy and scale innovations before governments have the chance to test and regulate them .
In the U.S. , for instance , the federal government plans to give out personal record cards to people receiving coronavirus vaccinations to remind them of their medical provider , vaccine manufacturer , batch number and date of inoculation .
But federal health agencies have not yet issued guidance on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open for companies and nonprofits to introduce COVID-19 health pass apps .
Neither the Department of Health and Human Services nor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention responded to requests for comment .
Nonprofits and tech companies developing COVID-19 health pass apps say their aim is to create credentials as trustworthy as the WHO ’ s paper yellow card .
And they argue that the smartphone apps — which people may use to retrieve their virus test results and immunizations directly from their heath providers — are more reliable than paper health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ To restart the economy , to save certain industries , I think you need a solution like this , ” said Eric Piscini , a vice president at IBM who oversaw the development of the company ’ s new health passport app .
IBM recently completed a pilot test of the app , called Digital Health Pass , with an employer , he said , and is in discussions with a major sports stadium .
Without such apps , Piscini said , “ people will limit their engagement in travel and entertainment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a security company that uses biometric technology to confirm people ’ s identities at airports and elsewhere , is already operating a COVID app .
Called Health Pass , the app has been adopted by some professional sports teams and insurers , where employees may use it to confirm their coronavirus test results .
Once vaccines become available , the company said , the app will be able to check users ’ immunizations as well .
But no COVID-19 health pass has received as much fanfare as the CommonPass app , developed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused on building technology for public use .
The group began developing software to help people retrieve and use their medical data well before the start of the pandemic .
But spikes in virus cases around the world this spring accelerated its work .
First , the group helped build a health pass app for some East African nations that aims to verify truck drivers with negative coronavirus test results , enabling them to pick up food shipments at ports and deliver them across borders to landlocked countries .
A few months later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Economic Forum to build a more global digital health pass system for COVID-19 .
Their first target : international air travel .
The resulting app , CommonPass , notifies users of local travel rules — like having to provide proof of a negative virus test — and then aims to verify that they have met those rules , enabling them to board international flights .
In October , United Airlines tested the app on a flight from Heathrow Airport in London to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey .
Peter Vlitas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a travel services company based in Manhattan , signed up for the United flight .
He said he first downloaded the app , which informed him that he needed to test negative for the coronavirus before traveling .
Next , he said , the app directed him to a rapid-testing center at the airport .
Soon after he took the test , the app displayed his negative test results and generated a confirmation code .
United and four other airlines plan to start using the CommonPass app in the coming weeks on some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to show their confirmation codes at airline check-in counters or departure gates .
Perkins said the Commons Project designed the app ’ s credentialing system to work for a broad audience .
If international air travelers who lack smartphones need to confirm their health status , he said , they could print their confirmation codes and show them at an airport much as they would a paper boarding pass .
But the great leap forward to 21st-century digital health credentials from 19th-century paper vaccination certificates represents much more than a technological shift .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ passport apps signal a troubling privatization of public health practices and caution that the technology comes with privacy risks .
“ The corporate part of it , the extent to which this is going to be privatized is quite new , ” said Michael Willrich , a history professor at Brandeis University and the author of “ Pox : An American History , ” a book on health control during 20th century smallpox epidemics .
“ It raises concerns about privacy , about the right to be free from everyday surveillance.
” App @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privacy risks and designed their systems to help mitigate them .
Even so , some tech executives are wary .
Zac Cohen , chief operating officer of Trulioo , an identity verification company , said society would be better off if app developers invested their considerable energy in pushing for the equitable distribution of coronavirus vaccines before pushing for apps to confirm that some people have been vaccinated .

The New York Times News Service Syndicate

By Natasha Singer, The New York Times Co.
Among all the tools that health agencies have developed over the years to fight epidemics, at least one has remained a constant for more than a century: paper vaccination certificates.
In the 1880s, in response to smallpox outbreaks, some public schools began requiring students and teachers to show vaccination cards. In the 1960s, amid yellow fever epidemics, the World Health Organization introduced an international travel document, known informally as the yellow card. Even now, travelers from certain regions are required to show a version of the card at airports.
But now, just as the United States is preparing to distribute the first vaccines for the virus, the entry ticket to the nation’s reopening is set to come largely in the form of a digital health credential.
In the coming weeks, major airlines including United, JetBlue and Lufthansa plan to introduce a health passport app, called CommonPass, that aims to verify passengers’ virus test results — and soon, vaccinations. The app will then issue confirmation codes enabling passengers to board certain international flights. It is just the start of a push for digital COVID-19 credentials that could soon be embraced by employers, schools, summer camps and entertainment venues.
“This is likely to be a new normal need that we’re going to have to deal with to control and contain this pandemic,” said Dr. Brad Perkins, the chief medical officer at the Commons Project Foundation, a nonprofit in Geneva that developed the CommonPass app.
The advent of electronic vaccination credentials could have a profound effect on efforts to control the coronavirus and restore the economy. They could prompt more employers and college campuses to reopen. They may also give some consumers peace of mind, developers say, by creating an easy way for movie theaters, cruise ships and sports arenas to admit only those with documented coronavirus vaccinations.
But the digital passes also raise the specter of a society split into health pass haves and have-nots, particularly if venues begin requiring the apps as entry tickets. The apps could make it difficult for people with limited access to vaccines or online verification tools to work or visit popular destinations. Civil liberties experts also warn that the technology could create an invasive system of social control, akin to the heightened surveillance that China adopted during the pandemic — only instead of federal or state governments, private actors like employers and restaurants would determine who can and cannot access services.
“Protecting public health has historically been used as a proxy for discrimination,” said Michele Goodwin, a law professor who directs the Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy at the University of California, Irvine. “That is the real concern — the potential to use these apps as proxies for keeping certain people away and out.”
She added that tech developers often rush to deploy and scale innovations before governments have the chance to test and regulate them.
In the U.S., for instance, the federal government plans to give out personal record cards to people receiving coronavirus vaccinations to remind them of their medical provider, vaccine manufacturer, batch number and date of inoculation. But federal health agencies have not yet issued guidance on third-party digital vaccination credentials, leaving it open for companies and nonprofits to introduce COVID-19 health pass apps. Neither the Department of Health and Human Services nor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention responded to requests for comment.
Nonprofits and tech companies developing COVID-19 health pass apps say their aim is to create credentials as trustworthy as the WHO’s paper yellow card. And they argue that the smartphone apps — which people may use to retrieve their virus test results and immunizations directly from their heath providers — are more reliable than paper health documents, which may be forged.
“To restart the economy, to save certain industries, I think you need a solution like this,” said Eric Piscini, a vice president at IBM who oversaw the development of the company’s new health passport app. IBM recently completed a pilot test of the app, called Digital Health Pass, with an employer, he said, and is in discussions with a major sports stadium. Without such apps, Piscini said, “people will limit their engagement in travel and entertainment because of lack of confidence.”
Clear, a security company that uses biometric technology to confirm people’s identities at airports and elsewhere, is already operating a COVID app. Called Health Pass, the app has been adopted by some professional sports teams and insurers, where employees may use it to confirm their coronavirus test results. Once vaccines become available, the company said, the app will be able to check users’ immunizations as well.
But no COVID-19 health pass has received as much fanfare as the CommonPass app, developed by the Commons Project, a nonprofit focused on building technology for public use. The group began developing software to help people retrieve and use their medical data well before the start of the pandemic. But spikes in virus cases around the world this spring accelerated its work.
First, the group helped build a health pass app for some East African nations that aims to verify truck drivers with negative coronavirus test results, enabling them to pick up food shipments at ports and deliver them across borders to landlocked countries. A few months later, the group partnered with the World Economic Forum to build a more global digital health pass system for COVID-19. Their first target: international air travel.
The resulting app, CommonPass, notifies users of local travel rules — like having to provide proof of a negative virus test — and then aims to verify that they have met those rules, enabling them to board international flights. In October, United Airlines tested the app on a flight from Heathrow Airport in London to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
Peter Vlitas, an executive at Internova Travel Group, a travel services company based in Manhattan, signed up for the United flight. He said he first downloaded the app, which informed him that he needed to test negative for the coronavirus before traveling. Next, he said, the app directed him to a rapid-testing center at the airport. Soon after he took the test, the app displayed his negative test results and generated a confirmation code.
United and four other airlines plan to start using the CommonPass app in the coming weeks on some international flights. Passengers may be asked to show their confirmation codes at airline check-in counters or departure gates.
Perkins said the Commons Project designed the app’s credentialing system to work for a broad audience. If international air travelers who lack smartphones need to confirm their health status, he said, they could print their confirmation codes and show them at an airport much as they would a paper boarding pass.
But the great leap forward to 21st-century digital health credentials from 19th-century paper vaccination certificates represents much more than a technological shift. Some civil liberties experts say the vaccine passport apps signal a troubling privatization of public health practices and caution that the technology comes with privacy risks.
“The corporate part of it, the extent to which this is going to be privatized is quite new,” said Michael Willrich, a history professor at Brandeis University and the author of “Pox: An American History,” a book on health control during 20th century smallpox epidemics. “It raises concerns about privacy, about the right to be free from everyday surveillance.”
App developers said they had seriously considered the privacy risks and designed their systems to help mitigate them.
Even so, some tech executives are wary. Zac Cohen, chief operating officer of Trulioo, an identity verification company, said society would be better off if app developers invested their considerable energy in pushing for the equitable distribution of coronavirus vaccines before pushing for apps to confirm that some people have been vaccinated.


thedenverpost--2020-12-26--Atlanta: The new influencer capital of America

By Taylor Lorenz , The New York Times Co. ATLANTA — It ’ s no secret Atlanta is one of the nation ’ s great culture capitals , home to many power brokers in music , fashion and the arts — a city that , since the 1980s , has produced some of the biggest names in rap , R & B and hip-hop , and over the last decade , seen explosive growth in its entertainment industry ( thanks , in part , to Georgia ’ s generous tax credits ) .
This mighty metropolis is also now where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important creators are living and working today .
Atlanta is where 15-year-old Jalaiah Harmon created the Renegade , a dance that took over TikTok in late 2019 and remains one of the app ’ s best-known viral trends .
It ’ s where Lil Nas X turned “ Old Town Road ” into not just a hit single but the biggest thing on the internet .
It ’ s where YouTube stars with followings in the multimillions record their videos and where some of TikTok ’ s biggest viral videos and trending challenges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TikTok Thursdays .
Atlanta ’ s creators are noteworthy for the ways in which they defy prevailing ideas about the influencer economy .
Like most people making content online , they ’ re hard working , focused and have a deep understanding of the internet .
But they show none of the entitlement or attitude that has come to characterize the better-known TikTok stars of Los Angeles .
There is drama — it ’ s the internet , after all — but also an overwhelming sense of community and camaraderie .
Another key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s creators are predominantly Black .
In Los Angeles , on the other hand , most influencer collectives have no or very few Black creators .
And despite creating and driving many of the internet ’ s biggest trends , Black creators receive fewer brand deals and are consistently paid less than their white peers .
But Atlanta ’ s new generation of entertainers is hoping to change that .
In the last three weeks , two all-Black Gen Z creator mansions , the Collab Crib and the Valid Crib , opened in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their members want to cement Atlanta as a hub for online talent and are hoping these homes will bring a level of legitimacy to their status within the larger creator ecosystem .
“ We ’ re trying to work together and build each other up as one , ” said Devron Harris , 20 , a member of the Valid Crib .
Over the past year , mansions full of young influencers have proliferated across the United States ( in Los Angeles , Dallas and Las Vegas ) and around the world ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spain and Russia ) .
Perhaps the best known is the Hype House , which formed last December and drove a creator-house boom in the Los Angeles area — the center , in popular imagination , of celebrity , trends and influencer culture .
“ We ’ re motivated by houses like the Hype House or the Sway House , ” said Omar Williams Colon , 19 , a member of the Valid Crib .
Their members , after all , have gone on to secure high-paying brand deals , sign with top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start their own product lines .
The Valid Crib began to take shape in the spring , while Georgia ’ s shelter-in-place order was in effect .
Its 20 creators connected online , trading messages over Instagram DM and Snapchat .
In July , the group met up in person and began renting Airbnbs , where they would collaborate as a group on videos they would then post to social media .
In November , they secured a lease on a seven-bedroom brick home on a quiet cul-de-sac about 20 minutes from downtown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suburban , with black-eyed Susans lining a small concrete path in the front yard .
The house is in the final stages of a renovation ; the stairs are still unfinished and the floorboards are being installed .
But over the past few weeks , the group ’ s members have been moving their stuff in .
( All of the common rooms are unfurnished , though their landlord is planning to provide some furniture soon . )
“ Right now our house is still loading , I ’ d say , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already poured a ton of effort into his own room , installing colorful rope lights around the ceiling and painting a geometric design on one of the walls .
“ We ’ re trying to put our own vibe and style into it so when people see it they know , ‘ Oh , that ’ s Valid Crib.
’ ” The Collab Crib , whose members live in an 8,500-square-foot mansion south of downtown , was conceived by Keith Dorsey , 32 , chief executive of Young Guns Entertainment , a talent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through his roster of talent and recruited the group ’ s eight members , a mix of up-and-comers and more established stars .
Many of them remain in disbelief about the opportunity to live and work together .
“ I ’ m still like , ‘ Am I dreaming ?
Is this really real right now ?
’ ” said Tracy Billingsley II , 25 , a Collab Crib member known online as Tray Bills .
Collectively , the members of these two houses are responsible for dozens of viral trends .
O @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Collab Crib , created dances to songs by DaBaby , Roddy Rich and Lil Yachty that all took off on TikTok .
His own single , “ Snappin , ’ ” has already appeared in 20,000 TikTok videos .
Valid Crib and Collab Crib creators are also already regularly featured on massive meme and Instagram accounts like Worldstar and the Shade Room ( “ Instagram ’ s TMZ , ” as The New York Times put it a few years ago ) .
D ’ Aydrian Harding , 19 , a member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own “ TikTok cult ” ( an open fandom , not an ideological group ) .
Though the followers and fame that have come with the work have been reaffirming , Billingsley said he found the freedom and power of being a creator to be the most appealing part of the job .
“ It ’ s the entrepreneurship aspect , ” he said , “ working for yourself , being your own boss .
A lot of people nowadays in our generation don ’ t want to work for somebody .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brands and really working for themselves .
That ’ s really the American dream now.
” Creators at the Collab Crib recently kicked off a 90-day blitz where they plan to each post at least three times a day on all platforms .
They write down follower-count goals and meet regularly to discuss metrics and brand deliverables .
“ At Valid Crib , it ’ s this or nothing , ” said Richard Bimpa , 19 .
“ There ’ s no going back , it has to go .
All of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s do or die at this point.
” Bimpa said he was currently posting five videos a day to TikTok and four to Instagram , in addition to teaching himself to edit YouTube videos .
Though the Valid Crib formed organically , Dorsey now manages both groups .
“ I have more executive control over Collab Crib and the structure of the house , logistics , planning and the overall concept of the house , ” he said .
“ When it comes to Valid Crib , they got their own house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let them control their own thing.
” But in light of the pandemic , he has also had to act as a public health adviser to both groups .
He made sure members of the Collab Crib tested negative for COVID-19 before moving in , and has tried to limit the number of visitors at the house for the time being ( though he hopes that , in the future , the houses can serve as a home base for the broader Black creator community ) .
His main focus , Dorsey said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flowing.
” But sponsorship has been a challenge .
While many creator houses have received easy cash and boxes of free products from brands , Dorsey faced an uphill battle looking for a backer for the Collab Crib .
Several brands dangled opportunities that failed to materialize , with one potential backer instead choosing to put money behind an all-white creator house .
A home furnishing company responded that the demographic wasn ’ t a fit for their brand and refused to even take a call .
Creators of color have seen this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Accounts like @ InfluencerPayGap call attention to the pay disparities between Black and white influencers .
Black creators are featured less frequently in brand campaigns .
They ’ ve described feeling tokenized and receiving inferior treatment at brand-sponsored events .
On TikTok , as on other social platforms , white creators profit off Black culture and , as writer Jason Parham recently wrote in Wired , “ steal the viral spotlight.
” “ Racism even plays into the algorithm and why Black creators tend to have smaller followings , ” said Chrissy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ founder of 2BG Consulting , a brand consultancy focused on diversity and inclusion .
“ A lot of brands have complained that there ’ s no Black creators with larger followings , but it ’ s like , have you ever considered that you are basically only engaging and following and giving likes and opportunities to white creators ?
It works both ways.
” Eventually , Dorsey got Dubsmash , a short-form video app with deep ties to the Atlanta creator community , to sign on as the Collab Crib ’ s primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mobile payment service .
Dubsmash is also helping the group negotiate brand deals and is providing media training and career mentorship .
Instagram chipped in some money contingent on the creators supporting Reels , its new short-form video feature .
The sleep products company Casper provided mattresses .
( The Valid Crib has received no outside funding , and members of the house split the rent by room . )
“ The Black creator community has been underacknowledged and underfunded , despite having made arguably the largest contributions to social media , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Dubsmash .
“ This moment feels long overdue and we ’ re so excited to see the creators ’ careers grow as a result of this.
” What the creators in Valid Crib and Collab Crib want is to fundamentally change the system and show that mainstream success can be found outside the Los Angeles bubble .
“ We ’ re starting a wave that isn ’ t there for people that look like us , ” Dorsey said .
“ We could have easily moved to LA , but we wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LA is trying to fight to get a seat at the table , while we ’ re in Atlanta building our own table.
” Some creators also feel that they ’ re treated more fairly outside of Los Angeles .
“ There are more opportunities as a Black male or Black female in Atlanta than you would get in LA , ” Harris , of the Valid Crib , said .
“ People are more willing to work with you even if you don ’ t have as many followers.
” Both houses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines and are hoping to forge deep partnerships in Atlanta ’ s music and entertainment industry .
They have become politically involved , too , encouraging their followers to register to vote in Georgia ’ s Senate runoff elections .
After the pandemic , they also plan to host more in-person events and meetups .
But these next few months will be pivotal .
Hype is transient on the internet , and without the right press or the amplification that comes with big brand partnerships , some houses fizzle .
Creators are acutely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ success , and those in Atlanta plan to churn out more and more content in coming weeks .
“ Hopefully a year from now we ’ ll be in a bigger house , ” Harris said .
“ More Valid Crib members are graduating high school , so hopefully they ’ ll move in.
” ( Not every member of a creator house lives with their collaborators . )
“ We want to be the biggest creator house on the East Coast , ” Billingsley said .
Theo Wisseh , 18 , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement .
“ We want to become one of those brands with one of the most die-hard fan bases where everything sells out in two minutes , ” he said .
Already , that base seems to be growing .
“ It ’ s the new Hollywood ; YouTube , Instagram , it ’ s taking over , ” said Malachi Collier , 19 , a Black creator who lives in Georgia and has been following what Dorsey and the Collab Crib and Valid Crib are building .
“ It ’ s another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why Atlanta is taking over .
”

By Taylor Lorenz, The New York Times Co.
ATLANTA — It’s no secret Atlanta is one of the nation’s great culture capitals, home to many power brokers in music, fashion and the arts — a city that, since the 1980s, has produced some of the biggest names in rap, R&B and hip-hop, and over the last decade, seen explosive growth in its entertainment industry (thanks, in part, to Georgia’s generous tax credits).
This mighty metropolis is also now where some of the internet’s most important creators are living and working today.
Atlanta is where 15-year-old Jalaiah Harmon created the Renegade, a dance that took over TikTok in late 2019 and remains one of the app’s best-known viral trends. It’s where Lil Nas X turned “Old Town Road” into not just a hit single but the biggest thing on the internet. It’s where YouTube stars with followings in the multimillions record their videos and where some of TikTok’s biggest viral videos and trending challenges began at a casual weekly meetup called TikTok Thursdays.
Atlanta’s creators are noteworthy for the ways in which they defy prevailing ideas about the influencer economy. Like most people making content online, they’re hard working, focused and have a deep understanding of the internet. But they show none of the entitlement or attitude that has come to characterize the better-known TikTok stars of Los Angeles. There is drama — it’s the internet, after all — but also an overwhelming sense of community and camaraderie.
Another key difference revolves around race. Atlanta’s creators are predominantly Black. In Los Angeles, on the other hand, most influencer collectives have no or very few Black creators. And despite creating and driving many of the internet’s biggest trends, Black creators receive fewer brand deals and are consistently paid less than their white peers.
But Atlanta’s new generation of entertainers is hoping to change that. In the last three weeks, two all-Black Gen Z creator mansions, the Collab Crib and the Valid Crib, opened in the city about 30 miles apart. Their members want to cement Atlanta as a hub for online talent and are hoping these homes will bring a level of legitimacy to their status within the larger creator ecosystem.
“We’re trying to work together and build each other up as one,” said Devron Harris, 20, a member of the Valid Crib.
Bursting the white-creator bubble
Over the past year, mansions full of young influencers have proliferated across the United States (in Los Angeles, Dallas and Las Vegas) and around the world (France, the U.K., Mexico, Spain and Russia). Perhaps the best known is the Hype House, which formed last December and drove a creator-house boom in the Los Angeles area — the center, in popular imagination, of celebrity, trends and influencer culture.
“We’re motivated by houses like the Hype House or the Sway House,” said Omar Williams Colon, 19, a member of the Valid Crib. Their members, after all, have gone on to secure high-paying brand deals, sign with top talent agencies, invest in startups and start their own product lines.
The Valid Crib began to take shape in the spring, while Georgia’s shelter-in-place order was in effect. Its 20 creators connected online, trading messages over Instagram DM and Snapchat. In July, the group met up in person and began renting Airbnbs, where they would collaborate as a group on videos they would then post to social media.
In November, they secured a lease on a seven-bedroom brick home on a quiet cul-de-sac about 20 minutes from downtown Atlanta. It’s charming and suburban, with black-eyed Susans lining a small concrete path in the front yard.
The house is in the final stages of a renovation; the stairs are still unfinished and the floorboards are being installed. But over the past few weeks, the group’s members have been moving their stuff in. (All of the common rooms are unfurnished, though their landlord is planning to provide some furniture soon.)
“Right now our house is still loading, I’d say,” Williams Colon said. He’s already poured a ton of effort into his own room, installing colorful rope lights around the ceiling and painting a geometric design on one of the walls. “We’re trying to put our own vibe and style into it so when people see it they know, ‘Oh, that’s Valid Crib.’”
The Collab Crib, whose members live in an 8,500-square-foot mansion south of downtown, was conceived by Keith Dorsey, 32, chief executive of Young Guns Entertainment, a talent management firm in Atlanta. He sorted through his roster of talent and recruited the group’s eight members, a mix of up-and-comers and more established stars. Many of them remain in disbelief about the opportunity to live and work together.
“I’m still like, ‘Am I dreaming? Is this really real right now?’” said Tracy Billingsley II, 25, a Collab Crib member known online as Tray Bills.
A new ‘American dream’
Collectively, the members of these two houses are responsible for dozens of viral trends. O’Neil Rowe, 19, of the Collab Crib, created dances to songs by DaBaby, Roddy Rich and Lil Yachty that all took off on TikTok. His own single, “Snappin,’” has already appeared in 20,000 TikTok videos.
Valid Crib and Collab Crib creators are also already regularly featured on massive meme and Instagram accounts like Worldstar and the Shade Room (“Instagram’s TMZ,” as The New York Times put it a few years ago). D’Aydrian Harding, 19, a member of the Valid Crib, founded his own “TikTok cult” (an open fandom, not an ideological group).
Though the followers and fame that have come with the work have been reaffirming, Billingsley said he found the freedom and power of being a creator to be the most appealing part of the job.
“It’s the entrepreneurship aspect,” he said, “working for yourself, being your own boss. A lot of people nowadays in our generation don’t want to work for somebody. A lot of people are establishing their own brands and really working for themselves. That’s really the American dream now.”
Creators at the Collab Crib recently kicked off a 90-day blitz where they plan to each post at least three times a day on all platforms. They write down follower-count goals and meet regularly to discuss metrics and brand deliverables.
“At Valid Crib, it’s this or nothing,” said Richard Bimpa, 19. “There’s no going back, it has to go. All of us are working hard and grinding. It’s do or die at this point.” Bimpa said he was currently posting five videos a day to TikTok and four to Instagram, in addition to teaching himself to edit YouTube videos.
The fight for funding
Though the Valid Crib formed organically, Dorsey now manages both groups. “I have more executive control over Collab Crib and the structure of the house, logistics, planning and the overall concept of the house,” he said. “When it comes to Valid Crib, they got their own house and negotiated their own deal. I let them control their own thing.”
But in light of the pandemic, he has also had to act as a public health adviser to both groups. He made sure members of the Collab Crib tested negative for COVID-19 before moving in, and has tried to limit the number of visitors at the house for the time being (though he hopes that, in the future, the houses can serve as a home base for the broader Black creator community).
His main focus, Dorsey said, is to “keep their promos flowing.” But sponsorship has been a challenge. While many creator houses have received easy cash and boxes of free products from brands, Dorsey faced an uphill battle looking for a backer for the Collab Crib. Several brands dangled opportunities that failed to materialize, with one potential backer instead choosing to put money behind an all-white creator house. A home furnishing company responded that the demographic wasn’t a fit for their brand and refused to even take a call.
Creators of color have seen this sort of discrimination from brands for years. Accounts like @InfluencerPayGap call attention to the pay disparities between Black and white influencers. Black creators are featured less frequently in brand campaigns. They’ve described feeling tokenized and receiving inferior treatment at brand-sponsored events. On TikTok, as on other social platforms, white creators profit off Black culture and, as writer Jason Parham recently wrote in Wired, “steal the viral spotlight.”
“Racism even plays into the algorithm and why Black creators tend to have smaller followings,” said Chrissy Rutherford, a digital creator and a founder of 2BG Consulting, a brand consultancy focused on diversity and inclusion. “A lot of brands have complained that there’s no Black creators with larger followings, but it’s like, have you ever considered that you are basically only engaging and following and giving likes and opportunities to white creators? It works both ways.”
Eventually, Dorsey got Dubsmash, a short-form video app with deep ties to the Atlanta creator community, to sign on as the Collab Crib’s primary backer along with Cash App, a mobile payment service.
Dubsmash is also helping the group negotiate brand deals and is providing media training and career mentorship. Instagram chipped in some money contingent on the creators supporting Reels, its new short-form video feature. The sleep products company Casper provided mattresses. (The Valid Crib has received no outside funding, and members of the house split the rent by room.)
“The Black creator community has been underacknowledged and underfunded, despite having made arguably the largest contributions to social media,” said Barrie Segal, head of content at Dubsmash. “This moment feels long overdue and we’re so excited to see the creators’ careers grow as a result of this.”
‘Atlanta is taking over’
What the creators in Valid Crib and Collab Crib want is to fundamentally change the system and show that mainstream success can be found outside the Los Angeles bubble.
“We’re starting a wave that isn’t there for people that look like us,” Dorsey said. “We could have easily moved to LA, but we wanted to trailblaze something new. Everyone in LA is trying to fight to get a seat at the table, while we’re in Atlanta building our own table.”
Some creators also feel that they’re treated more fairly outside of Los Angeles. “There are more opportunities as a Black male or Black female in Atlanta than you would get in LA,” Harris, of the Valid Crib, said. “People are more willing to work with you even if you don’t have as many followers.”
Both houses have plans to release merch and product lines and are hoping to forge deep partnerships in Atlanta’s music and entertainment industry. They have become politically involved, too, encouraging their followers to register to vote in Georgia’s Senate runoff elections. After the pandemic, they also plan to host more in-person events and meetups.
But these next few months will be pivotal. Hype is transient on the internet, and without the right press or the amplification that comes with big brand partnerships, some houses fizzle. Creators are acutely aware of the fleeting nature of online success, and those in Atlanta plan to churn out more and more content in coming weeks.
“Hopefully a year from now we’ll be in a bigger house,” Harris said. “More Valid Crib members are graduating high school, so hopefully they’ll move in.” (Not every member of a creator house lives with their collaborators.)
“We want to be the biggest creator house on the East Coast,” Billingsley said.
Theo Wisseh, 18, a member of Collab Crib, nodded in agreement. “We want to become one of those brands with one of the most die-hard fan bases where everything sells out in two minutes,” he said.
Already, that base seems to be growing.
“It’s the new Hollywood; YouTube, Instagram, it’s taking over,” said Malachi Collier, 19, a Black creator who lives in Georgia and has been following what Dorsey and the Collab Crib and Valid Crib are building. “It’s another outlet for our culture, which is why Atlanta is taking over.”


thedenverpost--2020-12-26--After a rocky fall, Colorado educators look to apply lessons learned during pandemic to spring semes

After a rocky fall, Colorado educators look to apply lessons learned during pandemic to spring semester

Colorado ’ s education system has endured immense stress this year , as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on school operations and exposed glaring inequities in communities ’ access to academic , technological , health , food , and housing resources .
Most of the issues facing public education — such as a shortage of substitute teachers and inconsistent WiFi service throughout the state — are not new , say educators and regulators .
But the pandemic has renewed the opportunity to learn from and address the problems in a big way , beginning in the spring semester .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is how siloed we are in approach to solutions , ” said Vernon Jones Jr. , executive director of Denver Public Schools ’ Northeast Innovation Zone .
“ That ’ s probably been the biggest revelation , is that these heavy lifts require us lifting together.
” One of the biggest challenges to address when school resumes next month is how students will learn .
Though different districts took different approaches in the fall , most experienced some degree of whiplash shifting students between in-person and online education in response to both COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broader community transmission .
Gov .
Jared Polis repeatedly advocated for schools to reopen for in-person learning , despite many leaders saying it ’ s near-impossible logistically given state-imposed quarantine guidelines .
Polis recently formed a task force to revisit those rules and others , in hopes getting kids back in classrooms in the New Year .
Denver Public Schools , for one , is planning to phase students back into face-to-face learning , starting with its youngest kids and eventually welcoming back middle and high schoolers by Feb. 1 — health conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County School District is taking a similar approach and hopes to have some in-person learning available to all students by March 1 .
While it ’ s up to school leaders to decide how , if at all , to reopen schools , Commissioner of Education Katy Anthes said the state plans to “ double down ” on helping them so do by providing personal protection equipment , updating safety protocols and advocating for staff access to the COVID-19 vaccine .
The pandemic has only exacerbated academic inequities and reopening schools is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
“ In some of our communities that are hit harder by the virus , that has meant it ’ s been harder for them to get back to in-person learning because their virus loads in their community are higher , their percent positivity is higher , ” Anthes said .
“ When you have that , then it ’ s harder to open schools .
It ’ s kind of a detrimental cycle that we ’ re really trying to prevent in the next semester.
” If the fall semester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have some remote learning in the spring , whether they opt to enroll virtually full-time or have to transition temporarily due to quarantine protocols .
When a student or teacher tests positive for COVID-19 , those determined to be close contacts must quarantine and continue learning from home , according to the state ’ s targeted quarantine rules .
Depending on each school ’ s disease prevention measures , an entire class or cohort may be required to quarantine .
In the fall , so many teachers were forced to quarantine that many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effectively host in-person classes .
Several schools closed entirely for two-week periods due to quarantine-related staffing issues .
That ’ s why it ’ s essential to continue refining digital platforms and how teachers use them , Jones said .
Both educators and students have become more proficient with technology , leveraging digital breakout rooms and chats to more deeply engage , he said .
But success next semester will hinge on providing more staff training and expanding connectivity to underserved areas of Denver and the rest of Colorado .
“ The challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all players to make sure that every delivery platform is good and that we ’ re not giving one group quality and another group less than that , ” Jones said , adding he hopes K-12 will continue to offer a fully online option much like higher education institutions .
Tamara Acevedo , deputy superintendent of academics at Denver Public Schools , agreed that focusing on an equitable experience for all students is vital this coming semester .
She ’ s working to ensure schools have consistent schedules and teachers have adequate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things , so students have similar experiences learning both in-person and virtually .
Academically , educators are trying to figure out how to make up for lost ground with the limited time they have left in the school year .
In DPS , that means narrowing the scope to prioritize critical content and encouraging teachers to weave in bits and pieces that may have been missed throughout spring instruction , Acevedo said .
That includes focusing heavily on social-emotional learning .
“ One of the things that has been important is supporting our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but also to practice what we call transformative social-emotional-academic learning , where social-emotional learning is embedded throughout instructional day , ” Acevedo said .
Think mindfulness exercises and helping students process anxiety , grief and other experiences related to the pandemic , she said .
Mental health likely will be a priority in districts across Colorado .
According to a recent survey by the Department of Education and the Colorado Education Initiative , 90 % of district leaders said teacher mental health is their top staff priority .
High schoolers ’ and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second and third highest among student priorities , behind only K-3 reading loss , the survey found .
Amie Baca-Oehlert , president of Colorado Education Association , said teachers are overwhelmed by new expectations during the pandemic , such as preparing lessons for both face-to-face and online formats , and possibly switching between the two at a moment ’ s notice .
That most districts don ’ t provide clear and transparent metrics to dictate when school buildings are safe to be open is only compounding the problem , she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For some , the work has tripled or quadrupled .
But most importantly I think we need to address what we ’ re hearing from a large portion of the workforce around depression , exhaustion and depletion , ” Baca-Oehlert said .
“ I ’ m very worried about the long-term impact this will have on our ability to retain teachers.
” The impacts are already being felt , as many teachers opt to retire , take time off or leave the profession .
Quarantine-related staffing issues forced many schools to shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have substitutes to fill in .
In the Denver , northwest Colorado and southwest Colorado regions , 0 % of respondents to the state education department ’ s survey said they had a sufficient pool of substitutes .
“ You start to see those cracks in the teacher shortage turn into bigger problems , ” Anthes said .
“ We absolutely need to follow the health and safety protocols because that ’ s critical and important to keep our staff safe — and we want schools to be open .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sometimes the math doesn ’ t work out.
” Not all the lessons to come from the unusual 2020-2021 school year have been negative .
Having a variety of learning formats , for example , inspired discussions about how districts can personalize learning for individual students , Anthes said .
“ That hybrid model , I think we ’ ve shown we can do it on a larger scale now , ” she said .
“ I hope we can pivot off of that and think about more personalized learning approaches for students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adaptable and resilient , pivoting to a new way of teaching on a dime .
That ’ s also given way to innovation , Acevedo said .
One first-grade teacher in DPS had students submit individual video questions to which she would record video answers , so they could access her responses even if class wasn ’ t in session .
Others are finding creative ways to teach the arts from a distance .
Baca-Oehlert ’ s daughter is learning to play clarinet , and she ’ s been amazed at how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have improved over the semester despite the band teacher conducting from a screen .
Innovation shouldn ’ t stop there , Jones said .
Given the stress families , teachers and administrators have been under this year , he believes taking a humane approach to education will benefit the system long-term .
This academic year isn ’ t like any other in recent history , so why are schools still operating largely like they have in the past ?
“ Folks are still stuck in the traditional school mindset , like we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and this is required for graduation , ” he said .
“ Let ’ s throw all that out the window and really talk about , what is the best thing for children to experience ?
”

Colorado’s education system has endured immense stress this year, as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on school operations and exposed glaring inequities in communities’ access to academic, technological, health, food, and housing resources.
Most of the issues facing public education — such as a shortage of substitute teachers and inconsistent WiFi service throughout the state — are not new, say educators and regulators. But the pandemic has renewed the opportunity to learn from and address the problems in a big way, beginning in the spring semester.
“What COVID has really exposed to us is how siloed we are in approach to solutions,” said Vernon Jones Jr., executive director of Denver Public Schools’ Northeast Innovation Zone. “That’s probably been the biggest revelation, is that these heavy lifts require us lifting together.”
One of the biggest challenges to address when school resumes next month is how students will learn. Though different districts took different approaches in the fall, most experienced some degree of whiplash shifting students between in-person and online education in response to both COVID-19 cases that cropped up in classrooms and broader community transmission.
Gov. Jared Polis repeatedly advocated for schools to reopen for in-person learning, despite many leaders saying it’s near-impossible logistically given state-imposed quarantine guidelines. Polis recently formed a task force to revisit those rules and others, in hopes getting kids back in classrooms in the New Year.
Denver Public Schools, for one, is planning to phase students back into face-to-face learning, starting with its youngest kids and eventually welcoming back middle and high schoolers by Feb. 1 — health conditions permitting, the district said. Douglas County School District is taking a similar approach and hopes to have some in-person learning available to all students by March 1.
While it’s up to school leaders to decide how, if at all, to reopen schools, Commissioner of Education Katy Anthes said the state plans to “double down” on helping them do so by providing personal protection equipment, updating safety protocols and advocating for staff access to the COVID-19 vaccine. The pandemic has only exacerbated academic inequities and reopening schools is the first step to closing those gaps, she said.
“In some of our communities that are hit harder by the virus, that has meant it’s been harder for them to get back to in-person learning because their virus loads in their community are higher, their percent positivity is higher,” Anthes said. “When you have that, then it’s harder to open schools. It’s kind of a detrimental cycle that we’re really trying to prevent in the next semester.”
Increasing challenges
If the fall semester was any indication, students likely will have some remote learning in the spring, whether they opt to enroll virtually full-time or have to transition temporarily due to quarantine protocols.
When a student or teacher tests positive for COVID-19, those determined to be close contacts must quarantine and continue learning from home, according to the state’s targeted quarantine rules. Depending on each school’s disease prevention measures, an entire class or cohort may be required to quarantine.
In the fall, so many teachers were forced to quarantine that many district leaders said it was impossible to effectively host in-person classes. Several schools closed entirely for two-week periods due to quarantine-related staffing issues. That’s why it’s essential to continue refining digital platforms and how teachers use them, Jones said.
Both educators and students have become more proficient with technology, leveraging digital breakout rooms and chats to more deeply engage, he said. But success next semester will hinge on providing more staff training and expanding connectivity to underserved areas of Denver and the rest of Colorado.
“The challenge is before schools and districts, parents, all players to make sure that every delivery platform is good and that we’re not giving one group quality and another group less than that,” Jones said, adding he hopes K-12 will continue to offer a fully online option much like higher education institutions.
Tamara Acevedo, deputy superintendent of academics at Denver Public Schools, agreed that focusing on an equitable experience for all students is vital this coming semester. She’s working to ensure schools have consistent schedules and teachers have adequate resources for live instruction, among other things, so students have similar experiences learning both in-person and virtually.
Academically, educators are trying to figure out how to make up for lost ground with the limited time they have left in the school year. In DPS, that means narrowing the scope to prioritize critical content and encouraging teachers to weave in bits and pieces that may have been missed throughout spring instruction, Acevedo said. That includes focusing heavily on social-emotional learning.
“One of the things that has been important is supporting our educators to have dedicated social-emotional learning time, but also to practice what we call transformative social-emotional-academic learning, where social-emotional learning is embedded throughout instructional day,” Acevedo said. Think mindfulness exercises and helping students process anxiety, grief and other experiences related to the pandemic, she said.
Mental health likely will be a priority in districts across Colorado. According to a recent survey by the Department of Education and the Colorado Education Initiative, 90% of district leaders said teacher mental health is their top staff priority. High schoolers’ and middle schoolers’ mental health ranked the second and third highest among student priorities, behind only K-3 reading loss, the survey found.
Amie Baca-Oehlert, president of Colorado Education Association, said teachers are overwhelmed by new expectations during the pandemic, such as preparing lessons for both face-to-face and online formats, and possibly switching between the two at a moment’s notice. That most districts don’t provide clear and transparent metrics to dictate when school buildings are safe to be open is only compounding the problem, she said.
“Our educators are taking on tremendous workloads. For some, the work has tripled or quadrupled. But most importantly I think we need to address what we’re hearing from a large portion of the workforce around depression, exhaustion and depletion,” Baca-Oehlert said. “I’m very worried about the long-term impact this will have on our ability to retain teachers.”
The impacts are already being felt, as many teachers opt to retire, take time off or leave the profession. Quarantine-related staffing issues forced many schools to shut down in the fall because they didn’t have substitutes to fill in. In the Denver, northwest Colorado and southwest Colorado regions, 0% of respondents to the state education department’s survey said they had a sufficient pool of substitutes.
“You start to see those cracks in the teacher shortage turn into bigger problems,” Anthes said. “We absolutely need to follow the health and safety protocols because that’s critical and important to keep our staff safe — and we want schools to be open. When you put both those things together, sometimes the math doesn’t work out.”
Some bright spots
Not all the lessons to come from the unusual 2020-2021 school year have been negative. Having a variety of learning formats, for example, inspired discussions about how districts can personalize learning for individual students, Anthes said.
“That hybrid model, I think we’ve shown we can do it on a larger scale now,” she said. “I hope we can pivot off of that and think about more personalized learning approaches for students and families.”
Educators also have proven adaptable and resilient, pivoting to a new way of teaching on a dime. That’s also given way to innovation, Acevedo said.
One first-grade teacher in DPS had students submit individual video questions to which she would record video answers, so they could access her responses even if class wasn’t in session. Others are finding creative ways to teach the arts from a distance. Baca-Oehlert’s daughter is learning to play clarinet, and she’s been amazed at how the squeaks and squeals of the reed instrument have improved over the semester despite the band teacher conducting from a screen.
Innovation shouldn’t stop there, Jones said. Given the stress families, teachers and administrators have been under this year, he believes taking a humane approach to education will benefit the system long-term. This academic year isn’t like any other in recent history, so why are schools still operating largely like they have in the past?
“Folks are still stuck in the traditional school mindset, like we have to have this many minutes of this and this is required for graduation,” he said. “Let’s throw all that out the window and really talk about, what is the best thing for children to experience?”


thedenverpost--2020-12-26--$64,000 air ambulance tab highlights hole in Colorado surprise billing law

When a doctor told Toni Stammler her 4-week-old son Milo needed urgent surgery because only one of his lungs was functioning , there was barely time to pack a bag — let alone try to shop around .
“ In that moment , I honestly thought my baby could die , ” she said .
“ In a situation like that , I don ’ t think any mother should have to think about that , about what is this going to cost.
” An air ambulance carried Stammler and Milo from Montrose to Centennial .
Milo did well after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado , and Stammler and her husband Peter expected their insurance would cover much of the cost , since they ’ d already spent most of the $ 10,000 annual out-of-pocket maximum their plan required .
Then the bill came in the mail .
It was nearly $ 82,000 .
The Stammlers ’ insurance , through Peter Stammler ’ s job in the Montrose School District , had covered the vast majority of costs for Milo ’ s care at Children ’ s Hospital Colorado and for the ground ambulance rides to and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Toni Stammler said .
Their insurance and the air ambulance company , Guardian Flight , hadn ’ t reached a previous agreement on rates , but the insurer offered to pay about $ 18,000 of that bill .
That left the Stammlers on the hook for almost $ 64,000 .
The flight was in late August 2019 , and it took until November 2020 to resolve the bill , Stammler said .
The Montrose School District didn ’ t respond to questions about the insurance plan .
A spokeswoman for Guardian Flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals to protect their privacy , but the company is working with multiple insurers on agreements .
Patient advocates negotiate with insurance companies , government payers and others to try to cover a bill , and then work with patients to cover any balance , she said .
“ When patients need critical transport because of a life-threatening injury or illness and ground transportation is not an option , doctors , nurses or first responders will request air medical services .
Without regard for a patient ’ s ability to pay , air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s notice to help patients , ” she said .
Last year , Colorado passed a bill limiting the “ surprise bills ” patients receive when they get medical care from someone who hasn ’ t reached an agreement with their insurance company .
Most providers , including doctors and hospitals , already can ’ t bill patients for what their insurance didn ’ t cover if they received care in an emergency .
That law doesn ’ t apply to emergency flights , because states are barred from regulating air transportation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative .
“ Our protections can ’ t apply to air ambulances because they ’ re regulated by the ( Federal Aviation Administration ) , ” he said .
“ There ’ s nothing that can be done at the state level.
” There could , however , be federal relief in two years .
The $ 900-billion coronavirus relief package Congress passed on Monday included a provision forbidding “ surprise ” bills from hospitals , doctors and air ambulances .
But President Donald Trump has threatened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stimulus checks most Americans would receive increased from $ 600 to $ 2,000 .
If the bill does become law , most providers won ’ t be able to bill patients directly for out-of-network care starting in 2022 .
Instead , the provider and the patient ’ s insurance company will have to settle the bill through arbitration .
Ground ambulances are exempt .
Rep. Joe Neguse , a Democrat from Lafayette , had introduced a narrower bill last year that would only ban surprise bills from air ambulances .
He had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill in 2021 , but the provision in the relief bill addressed the issue .
“ Eliminating surprise billing for air ambulance services will ensure that our rural and mountain communities can obtain the emergency care they need without being buried in bills for medical care they may not have agreed to or received unknowingly , ” he said .
“ Action on surprise billing is long overdue , and this agreement will protect all Coloradans , by ensuring fairness in disputes between insurers and providers.
” The most recent data , from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 70 % of air ambulance flights in 2017 were out-of-network , meaning the company operating the helicopter didn ’ t have a contract with the patient ’ s insurance company .
It ’ s not clear what percentage of people who used an air ambulance received a surprise bill , but those who did could face substantial costs : a study published in April in Health Affairs found half of patients who received an out-of-network bill for an air ambulance ride were charged more than $ 21,000 .
Air ambulance companies estimated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to run a flight in 2016 , depending on the team members needed and other factors , according to the GAO .
The cost can vary substantially , based on equipment needed and other factors , the Guardian Flight spokeswoman said .
Guardian Flight is owned by KKR , a private equity firm whose air ambulance subsidiaries charge some of the highest prices in the industry , according to a 2020 report from the Brookings Institute .
Even if families were inclined to shop around during an emergency , much of the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company , so there ’ s no choice for patients who can ’ t take a ground ambulance , Fox said .
The Stammlers ’ insurance company offered Guardian Flight a contract where they would pay $ 45,000 per flight , but Guardian turned it down .
After negotiations broke down , Guardian Flight offered to reduce the bill to $ 20,000 if they could pay in two weeks , or $ 33,000 spread over the next six years , Stammler said .
Neither was financially feasible for a teacher and a stay-at-home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill is more than my husband makes in a year , ” she said .
Without specific legal protections , the best thing patients can do is push their insurer to pay as much as possible , Fox said .
Some may also be able to negotiate a lower bill with the air ambulance company , he said .
“ With the protections looming , it may provide a bit firmer footing for consumers to negotiate , but the delay will still pose challenges for individuals hit by those air ambulance surprise bills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guardian Flight agreed to accept their insurance ’ s offer of $ 45,000 for their flight , which Stammler thinks is because of their efforts to enlist support from hospitals and elected officials .
“ If you don ’ t know the right people to contact , you might get stuck with this , ” she said .
“ People shouldn ’ t even have to figure out how to solve this .
”

When a doctor told Toni Stammler her 4-week-old son Milo needed urgent surgery because only one of his lungs was functioning, there was barely time to pack a bag — let alone try to shop around.
“In that moment, I honestly thought my baby could die,” she said. “In a situation like that, I don’t think any mother should have to think about that, about what is this going to cost.”
An air ambulance carried Stammler and Milo from Montrose to Centennial. Milo did well after the surgery at Children’s Hospital Colorado, and Stammler and her husband Peter expected their insurance would cover much of the cost, since they’d already spent most of the $10,000 annual out-of-pocket maximum their plan required.
Then the bill came in the mail. It was nearly $82,000.
The Stammlers’ insurance, through Peter Stammler’s job in the Montrose School District, had covered the vast majority of costs for Milo’s care at Children’s Hospital Colorado and for the ground ambulance rides to and from the airports in Montrose and Centennial, Toni Stammler said. Their insurance and the air ambulance company, Guardian Flight, hadn’t reached a previous agreement on rates, but the insurer offered to pay about $18,000 of that bill.
That left the Stammlers on the hook for almost $64,000. The flight was in late August 2019, and it took until November 2020 to resolve the bill, Stammler said. The Montrose School District didn’t respond to questions about the insurance plan.
A spokeswoman for Guardian Flight said she couldn’t discuss specific individuals to protect their privacy, but the company is working with multiple insurers on agreements. Patient advocates negotiate with insurance companies, government payers and others to try to cover a bill, and then work with patients to cover any balance, she said.
“When patients need critical transport because of a life-threatening injury or illness and ground transportation is not an option, doctors, nurses or first responders will request air medical services. Without regard for a patient’s ability to pay, air medical services are deployed at a moment’s notice to help patients,” she said.
Possible legislative fix
Last year, Colorado passed a bill limiting the “surprise bills” patients receive when they get medical care from someone who hasn’t reached an agreement with their insurance company. Most providers, including doctors and hospitals, already can’t bill patients for what their insurance didn’t cover if they received care in an emergency.
That law doesn’t apply to emergency flights, because states are barred from regulating air transportation prices, said Adam Fox, deputy director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative.
“Our protections can’t apply to air ambulances because they’re regulated by the (Federal Aviation Administration),” he said. “There’s nothing that can be done at the state level.”
There could, however, be federal relief in two years.
The $900-billion coronavirus relief package Congress passed on Monday included a provision forbidding “surprise” bills from hospitals, doctors and air ambulances. But President Donald Trump has threatened to veto the bill because he wanted the stimulus checks most Americans would receive increased from $600 to $2,000.
If the bill does become law, most providers won’t be able to bill patients directly for out-of-network care starting in 2022. Instead, the provider and the patient’s insurance company will have to settle the bill through arbitration. Ground ambulances are exempt.
Rep. Joe Neguse, a Democrat from Lafayette, had introduced a narrower bill last year that would only ban surprise bills from air ambulances. He had said he intended to introduce a similar bill in 2021, but the provision in the relief bill addressed the issue.
“Eliminating surprise billing for air ambulance services will ensure that our rural and mountain communities can obtain the emergency care they need without being buried in bills for medical care they may not have agreed to or received unknowingly,” he said. “Action on surprise billing is long overdue, and this agreement will protect all Coloradans, by ensuring fairness in disputes between insurers and providers.”
Pushing insurers to pay
The most recent data, from a Government Accountability Office report, found about 70% of air ambulance flights in 2017 were out-of-network, meaning the company operating the helicopter didn’t have a contract with the patient’s insurance company.
It’s not clear what percentage of people who used an air ambulance received a surprise bill, but those who did could face substantial costs: a study published in April in Health Affairs found half of patients who received an out-of-network bill for an air ambulance ride were charged more than $21,000.
Air ambulance companies estimated it cost $6,000 to $13,000 to run a flight in 2016, depending on the team members needed and other factors, according to the GAO. The cost can vary substantially, based on equipment needed and other factors, the Guardian Flight spokeswoman said.
Guardian Flight is owned by KKR, a private equity firm whose air ambulance subsidiaries charge some of the highest prices in the industry, according to a 2020 report from the Brookings Institute.
Even if families were inclined to shop around during an emergency, much of the state is only served by one air ambulance company, so there’s no choice for patients who can’t take a ground ambulance, Fox said.
The Stammlers’ insurance company offered Guardian Flight a contract where they would pay $45,000 per flight, but Guardian turned it down. After negotiations broke down, Guardian Flight offered to reduce the bill to $20,000 if they could pay in two weeks, or $33,000 spread over the next six years, Stammler said. Neither was financially feasible for a teacher and a stay-at-home mom, she said.
“This bill is more than my husband makes in a year,” she said.
Without specific legal protections, the best thing patients can do is push their insurer to pay as much as possible, Fox said. Some may also be able to negotiate a lower bill with the air ambulance company, he said.
“With the protections looming, it may provide a bit firmer footing for consumers to negotiate, but the delay will still pose challenges for individuals hit by those air ambulance surprise bills,” he said.
Ultimately, Guardian Flight agreed to accept their insurance’s offer of $45,000 for their flight, which Stammler thinks is because of their efforts to enlist support from hospitals and elected officials.
“If you don’t know the right people to contact, you might get stuck with this,” she said. “People shouldn’t even have to figure out how to solve this.”


thedenverpost--2020-12-26--Puppy scams have spiked in the pandemic

Puppy scams have spiked in the pandemic

By Christine Hauser , The New York Times Co. Sylvia Lopez , who was laid off from her job this year because of the pandemic , saw an adorable pug puppy named Ted online .
For $ 400 , a price advertised as a promotion , she bought the puppy and then paid more than $ 800 to have it flown from Virginia to her home in Texas , where she and her family were in quarantine .
Thousands of dollars later , after additional fees and a crate payment , the emails from the “ breeder ” and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Voicemail and text messages were not returned .
Ted never arrived , and Lopez ’ s requests for a refund were met with silence .
“ I was a trusting fool , and I paid the price for it , ” said Lopez , 63 , who provided emails and electronic records of the transactions .
“ I thought , ‘ OK , this is going to be very simple .
I pay money ; I get the dog.
’ “ But that did not happen , ” she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Consumer groups say experiences like Lopez ’ s have become more common this year as more Americans seek to foster , adopt and buy dogs and cats as they isolate at home .
In November , the latest month for which it had complete figures , the Better Business Bureau received 337 complaints from people about such scams , compared with 77 in November 2019 .
Scammers are notorious for preying on people who are vulnerable during natural disasters , but the isolation of the pandemic has created fertile ground for those looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comfort of four-legged companions , mostly puppies , consumer advocates say .
Many use social distancing mandates to explain why buyers can not see dogs in person before committing .
“ The pandemic has given scammers a new tool in their arsenal , ” the Better Business Bureau said in a report this month about the rise in puppy scams .
In what it called a “ COVID-19 bump , ” the bureau ’ s Scam Tracker , a forum for victims to report how they have been cheated , showed a spike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states were imposing restrictions on Americans ’ movements .
The majority of the reports are for undelivered puppies , especially for Yorkshire terriers and French bulldogs , but kittens account for about 12 % of the complaints , the bureau said .
Lopez was among the victims who filed a complaint .
On Nov. 16 , about two months after she started the process of buying Ted , she sent an email to the breeder , who had given her name as Amanda .
“ I am writing to you because at this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pug puppy you were supposed to fly to me , ” Lopez wrote .
“ I request humbly that you refund to me the $ 400.00 I sent to you through Zelle.
” She said she never received a reply or a refund .
Total losses from pet scams this year are projected to reach $ 3.1 million , the Better Business Bureau said , reflecting a steady increase since 2017 , when consumers reported $ 448,123 in losses .
The scammers ’ tactics are evolving .
Many now use mobile payment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wire transfers .
They often use fake online forms to process credit card information .
Then , when the cardholder gets an error message , they ask for electronic funds and often use the credit card information to fund their scams , the bureau said .
The Federal Trade Commission , which has been warning about online puppy scams for years , also said that the coronavirus had provided scammers with a new pretext to charge extra fees for virus-related “ regulations.
” Some ask for money for special climate-controlled crates , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccines .
Others ask for money for a COVID-19 “ permit , ” according to Petscams.com , which tracks fraudulent puppy websites .
Fraudsters also illustrate their sites with stock images of puppies and commonly tell buyers they can not pick up the pet because of COVID-19 restrictions .
Scammers often go to elaborate lengths to appear legitimate , advertising their dogs as being registered with the American Kennel Club to “ entice ” a customer , said Brandi Hunter , a spokesperson for the club .
She said potential buyers could contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also recommends using Google ’ s image search function to see if a puppy appears on several websites .
Hunter said consumers should avoid money-wiring services and be wary of conversations that happen only by text and situations in which money is requested right away .
“ Puppy scams are prevalent around the holidays and generally involve someone who has no puppies at all , who is playing on the emotion of getting a new puppy to scam people out of money , ” Hunter said .
This month , Daniela Harvis and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breeder in Virginia to buy a miniature Australian shepherd puppy named Huck as a Christmas present for their 11-year-old son , Lucas .
After a series of text messages requesting payment , Harvis used Zelle to pay $ 750 .
She was told a “ nanny ” would accompany the dog to Kennedy International Airport and then to their home on Long Island , New York .
She thought that the arrangement and language sounded off .
Also , a texted video of “ Huck ” did not resemble the photograph on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man called and said that he had the dog in a crate and that she had to pay an additional $ 950 for “ refundable ” pet insurance .
Her offer to drive to Virginia to pick up the dog herself was rebuffed .
“ At this point I knew , ” she said .
“ I said to him , ‘ Give me my money .
I don ’ t think there is any dog.
’ ” She never heard back .

By Christine Hauser, The New York Times Co.
Sylvia Lopez, who was laid off from her job this year because of the pandemic, saw an adorable pug puppy named Ted online. For $400, a price advertised as a promotion, she bought the puppy and then paid more than $800 to have it flown from Virginia to her home in Texas, where she and her family were in quarantine.
Thousands of dollars later, after additional fees and a crate payment, the emails from the “breeder” and the recommended “courier company” abruptly stopped. Voicemail and text messages were not returned. Ted never arrived, and Lopez’s requests for a refund were met with silence.
“I was a trusting fool, and I paid the price for it,” said Lopez, 63, who provided emails and electronic records of the transactions. “I thought, ‘OK, this is going to be very simple. I pay money; I get the dog.’
“But that did not happen,” she said. “It is a very emotional letdown.”
Consumer groups say experiences like Lopez’s have become more common this year as more Americans seek to foster, adopt and buy dogs and cats as they isolate at home. In November, the latest month for which it had complete figures, the Better Business Bureau received 337 complaints from people about such scams, compared with 77 in November 2019.
Scammers are notorious for preying on people who are vulnerable during natural disasters, but the isolation of the pandemic has created fertile ground for those looking to exploit people who are seeking the comfort of four-legged companions, mostly puppies, consumer advocates say. Many use social distancing mandates to explain why buyers cannot see dogs in person before committing.
“The pandemic has given scammers a new tool in their arsenal,” the Better Business Bureau said in a report this month about the rise in puppy scams.
In what it called a “COVID-19 bump,” the bureau’s Scam Tracker, a forum for victims to report how they have been cheated, showed a spike in pet fraud reports in April as states were imposing restrictions on Americans’ movements.
The majority of the reports are for undelivered puppies, especially for Yorkshire terriers and French bulldogs, but kittens account for about 12% of the complaints, the bureau said.
Lopez was among the victims who filed a complaint.
On Nov. 16, about two months after she started the process of buying Ted, she sent an email to the breeder, who had given her name as Amanda.
“I am writing to you because at this point in time I have not received the pug puppy you were supposed to fly to me,” Lopez wrote. “I request humbly that you refund to me the $400.00 I sent to you through Zelle.”
She said she never received a reply or a refund.
Total losses from pet scams this year are projected to reach $3.1 million, the Better Business Bureau said, reflecting a steady increase since 2017, when consumers reported $448,123 in losses.
The scammers’ tactics are evolving. Many now use mobile payment apps like Zelle and CashApp, replacing wire transfers. They often use fake online forms to process credit card information. Then, when the cardholder gets an error message, they ask for electronic funds and often use the credit card information to fund their scams, the bureau said.
The Federal Trade Commission, which has been warning about online puppy scams for years, also said that the coronavirus had provided scammers with a new pretext to charge extra fees for virus-related “regulations.”
Some ask for money for special climate-controlled crates, “reimbursable” pet insurance and nonexistent coronavirus vaccines. Others ask for money for a COVID-19 “permit,” according to Petscams.com, which tracks fraudulent puppy websites.
Fraudsters also illustrate their sites with stock images of puppies and commonly tell buyers they cannot pick up the pet because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Scammers often go to elaborate lengths to appear legitimate, advertising their dogs as being registered with the American Kennel Club to “entice” a customer, said Brandi Hunter, a spokesperson for the club.
She said potential buyers could contact the club for verification. The club also recommends using Google’s image search function to see if a puppy appears on several websites. Hunter said consumers should avoid money-wiring services and be wary of conversations that happen only by text and situations in which money is requested right away.
“Puppy scams are prevalent around the holidays and generally involve someone who has no puppies at all, who is playing on the emotion of getting a new puppy to scam people out of money,” Hunter said.
This month, Daniela Harvis and her husband reached out to an apparent breeder in Virginia to buy a miniature Australian shepherd puppy named Huck as a Christmas present for their 11-year-old son, Lucas.
After a series of text messages requesting payment, Harvis used Zelle to pay $750. She was told a “nanny” would accompany the dog to Kennedy International Airport and then to their home on Long Island, New York.
She thought that the arrangement and language sounded off. Also, a texted video of “Huck” did not resemble the photograph on the website.
The next day, a man called and said that he had the dog in a crate and that she had to pay an additional $950 for “refundable” pet insurance.
Her offer to drive to Virginia to pick up the dog herself was rebuffed.
“At this point I knew,” she said. “I said to him, ‘Give me my money. I don’t think there is any dog.’” She never heard back.