In the midst of the pandemic, a new foster care model based on community living and known as a "children's village" has opened up to foster youth on the Cheyenne River Reservation. It's a collaboration between the tribe and an organization called Simply Smiles -- with members of the tribe leading the way by sharing traditional knowledge at a critical time.  This story was reported with support from USC’s Center for Health Journalism.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information ..read more

Alua Arthur is a death doula in Los Angeles, California, where she helps people prepare for death emotionally, spiritually, physically, and even logistically. She says the pandemic itself has a lot in common with the end-of-life experience.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information ..read more

Bianka Rodriguez is a transgender woman and activist in El Salvador who says the pandemic has hit the trans community especially hard -- and that even government aid programs discriminate against trans people.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information ..read more

Tanzina Vega is a journalist, host of The Takeaway, and a new mother. She gave birth to her son at the end of January--and not long after found herself raising a newborn alone while in quarantine.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information ..read more

Natalia 'Saw Lady' Paruz had been busking in the New York City subway for over 20 years until the pandemic forced her out -- leaving her without a place to do what she loves most. This story was reported by Drew Schwartz.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information ..read more

Rayan is a journalist in Kashmir, India’s only Muslim-majority territory, where a political lockdown imposed in August 2019 was starting to lift when COVID struck in March. We spoke with Rayan for a shorter dispatch back in April, and wanted to hear more.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information ..read more

Jordan Danielle experienced a mental health crisis that started in Philadelphia--but because of the pandemic, it took her two hospital admissions, an unwanted hospital release, and a solo train ride across state lines to get the care she needed.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information ..read more

Gabriel is a US citizen who immigrated to Stockholm, Sweden with his wife and kids because he believes it gives his family better quality of life. But with so much at stake in the US election, he decides to return so he can vote in person.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information ..read more

Joel’s daughter was born through IVF to a surrogate mother in Ukraine, in the middle of the pandemic. Because of travel restrictions, Joel ended up flying to Belarus alone and walking over the border into Ukraine to be there for the birth.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information ..read more

Introducing a new podcast, VICE News Reports. Episode 1: Alternative Medicine, Politicized. As India’s health professionals battle the spread of COVID-19, some political leaders claim traditional medicine systems can cure the coronavirus. VICE’s Senior Staff Writer Pallavi Pundir reports on how nationalistic furvor for traditional medicine, fake credentialed doctors, and misinformation are gaining momentum in India and making matters worse. New episodes of VICE News Reports drop every Thursdays. Subscribe, rate and review here: apple.co/vicenewsreports All the views, ideas, comments, opinio ..read more