Much like last year, 2022 was challenging. COVID-19 continues to spread and kill thousands every month, but the U.S. government has abandoned substantive efforts to curb its spread. Millions have been affected by inflation, while the wealthiest continue to grow richer. The Dobbs ruling overturned Roe v. Wade, which has been catastrophic for our reproductive rights and health. Violence against marginalized people, especially LGBTQIA+ communities, is increasing as white supremacist and far-right groups continue their state-sanctioned attacks. Title 42 deportations have continued under President Joe Biden, the number of migrants held in detention centers has almost doubled, while Afghan refugees remain unsure of their futures in the U.S. Topping it all off, social progress towards meaningful, material equity and community safety has stalled.
Prism reported on these issues throughout the year, but we also highlighted solutions that address root causes while continuing to sharpen our coverage around reproductive justice and rights, climate justice, abolition, and the nation’s wave of workers’ rights movements. Our work continues our vision for collective liberation and justice, and Prism’s most-read pieces of 2022 reflect what resonated most deeply with our readers.
In multiple states, rapists can sue their victims for parental custody by Nayanika Guha
Rape survivors say they need stronger laws restricting rapists’ parental rights to keep themselves and their families safe
Criminalizing abortion isn’t just about controlling ‘women’s bodies’ by Sherronda J. Brown
In the fight for reproductive justice, it’s time to recognize that white supremacy and capitalism are just as much our antagonists as patriarchy
How misinformation about medical reporting requirements fueled Lizelle Herrera’s criminalization for abortion by Tina Vasquez
An “aura of illegality” around self-managed abortion and confusion about anti-abortion laws transform some health care providers into agents of state surveillance
The new mega jail coming to NYC’s Chinatown is a physical reminder of anti-Asian hate by Rohan Zhou-Lee
Protesters and organizers have emphasized that the Chinatown mega jail would harm the local residents and those held within its walls
Laws targeting free speech about abortion would put journalists in the line of fire by Ashton Lattimore
The National Right to Life Committee’s model law targeting websites that “encourage” abortion are part of a long history of suppressing speech—including news coverage—that centers on marginalized people in the U.S.
Police don’t stop crime, but you wouldn’t know it from the news by Kinjo Kiema
Police don’t stop or prevent crime, but police propaganda in U.S. media pushes another narrative
The violence we’re used to and the violence we need by William C. Anderson
The state maintains its oppressive systems through violence disguised as law, and only through counterviolence can we dismantle those systems
More people are dying of COVID under Biden than Trump, and it didn’t have to be this way by Steven W. Thrasher
Despite Biden’s campaign promises, the administration has abandoned COVID precautions and infrastructure, leading to a higher COVID death count than under Trump
Robb Elementary School teachers and students prepare for the new year amidst school closing by Alexandra Martinez
The 550 students, faculty, and staff will temporarily move to new schools in Uvalde, Texas, while Robb Elementary School is torn down and rebuilt
Lauren Smith-Fields and the Black TikTokers who made sure we knew her name by Tamar Sarai
The tragic death of the 23-year-old Black woman only came to national attention after Black content creators highlighted Lauren’s story
