Criminal background checks are frequently used as selection criteria to determine if an applicant qualifies to rent a home. This, even though the Fair Housing Act prohibits denying a property based on arrest records. "It was difficult. It made me feel discriminated against. I had the deposit, the money to move and they did not accept me," says an affected prisoner. This story is part of the 'Second Chances' project.

Talking about the importance of Latino representation in “top-tier” cabinet positions: “We need to have substantive representation for better decision-making,” says Sonja Diaz, founding director of the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative and founding member of the alliance for Latinx Leadership and Policy.

The push for the coronavirus vaccine is in its final stretch as former U.S. presidents - and president-elect Biden - vow to help boost trust by taking the shot publicly. Meanwhile, states are struggling to keep hospitals afloat, and California inching closer to another wider lockdown.

Federal officials are recommending that Mexican immigrants who live in the U.S., not travel back to their native country during the holiday season because of the high number of coronavirus infections on both sides of the border.

Several counties in California are once again under threat and rapidly growing mass evacuations are underway as several people are reported missing and at least two firefighters have already been injured. Here's the latest.

There is intense debate across the country over equitable vaccine distribution: “We need very strong national guidelines and national programs in terms of distribution," says Dr. Camara Jones, former president of the American Public Health Association. She adds health care workers as well as workers in meatpacking plants, transportation, and grocery stores all need to considered.