‘Somebody is out here doing something’: Portraits of protest in Arkansas

Across the state, from Bentonville to Crossett, thousands of Arkansans have taken to the streets in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and to protest police brutality. Some are seasoned organizers. Some are first-time protesters. Some have served on task forces, met with elected leaders, received death threats. They are racially diverse, and they span generations. And they have decided, despite a pandemic that put them at risk when gathering, to keep coming out. Here are a few of their stories.

Get Shift Done: new program employs displaced restaurant workers at food banks

On March 20, the Arkansas Foodbank had to suspend its volunteer operations as part of statewide efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and the organization began seeking ways to fill that gap — even in the face of a swiftly escalating demand for food aid. Enter Get Shift Done, a platform that contracts service industry workers in need of a paycheck to come in and box up food for hunger relief organizations. 

The Arkansas Nonprofit News Network is an independent, nonpartisan news organization dedicated to producing journalism that matters to Arkansans. Our work is re-published by partner newsrooms across the state.