Past Contributions

• The Texas Legislature’s sole Black freshman had big plans for her first session. She ended up mostly playing defense.

  by Marissa Martinez June 2, 2021

  Rep. Jasmine Crockett pushed bills to reform policing, expand voting options and loosen drug laws in the state. But she made waves for her passionate dissent. Full Story 

• Amid a pandemic with unequal impact, a proposal for a new Office of Health Equity died in the Texas Senate

  by Marissa Martinez May 28, 2021

  Democratic lawmakers wanted to replace a defunded agency by creating a new office that would look at health inequities across the state. But after Republicans pulled it into ongoing debates about transgender rights and critical race theory, the bill died in the Senate. Full Story 

• What it’s like to be a doctor in training in the middle of a pandemic

  by Marissa Martinez May 20, 2021

  After years of studying how to practice medicine, they quickly learned how to treat COVID-19 patients, relay difficult news to loved ones and manage their own mental health during a pandemic. Full Story 

• Texas announces Pfizer vaccine now available to adolescents as young as 12 years old

  by Marissa Martinez Updated: May 13, 2021

  Parental consent is required for vaccinating children in this age group, either orally or in writing, though the guardian does not necessarily need to be present for the shot itself. Full Story 

• Resuming in-person learning at Texas schools last fall accelerated spread of COVID-19, study says

  by Marissa Martinez Updated: May 11, 2021

  The researchers said the additional cases they tracked after students began returning to schools represented 12% of the state’s total cases during the eight weeks after reopening and 17% of deaths. Full Story 

• COVID-19 variant cases are on the rise in Texas. Here’s what you need to know.

  by Marissa Martinez May 3, 2021

  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says vaccines and other preventive measures like social distancing and mask-wearing should protect people from variants. Full Story 

• COVID-19 vaccine demand drops in Texas, though less than a quarter of population is fully vaccinated

  by Marissa Martinez, Juan Pablo Garnham and Mandi Cai April 23, 2021

  Local health officials reported shorter lines and less demand at vaccination sites, and warned that there's still much work to be done to make Texans safe from the virus. Full Story 

• Marvin Scott III died in Texas police custody. His family will protest until the officers involved are arrested.

  by Marissa Martinez and Shelby Tauber April 13, 2021

  Though seven of the sheriff’s officers have been fired after initially being put on administrative leave and another resigned while under investigation, the family and protesters say they don’t plan to stop until the officers have been charged with a crime. Full Story 

• As Texas expands COVID-19 vaccination eligibility, racial disparities persist among Black, Hispanic residents

  by Marissa Martinez and Sami Sparber March 19, 2021

  White Texans are being vaccinated at nearly twice the rate of Hispanic Texans and more than six times the rate of Black Texans, according to state data. Full Story 

• Unmasked: Across Texas, elation and caution as COVID-19 restrictions end after a year

  by Karen Brooks Harper, Duncan Agnew and Marissa Martinez Updated: March 10, 2021

  A newly "open" state will likely look very different in rural towns and suburban neighborhoods compared to more populous areas and coronavirus hot spots, residents and business owners say. Full Story