This Week in Policy & Public Interest News: 12 Stories You Need to See

A roundup of the week's most newsworthy policy and public interest press releases from PR Newswire, including DoD findings in hearing loss litigation and a look at how travel companies are affecting wildlife.

NEW YORK, March 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help journalists covering the policy and public interest industries stay on top of the week's most newsworthy and popular releases, here's a roundup of stories from the week that shouldn't be missed.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

1. NCMEC Launches New Service That Can Help You "Take It Down"
   Take It Down is available now and allows users from around the world to submit a report that can help remove online nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit photos and videos depicting a child under 18 years old.
2. AnitaB.org Announces 2023 PitcHER(™) For Women and Non-Binary Entrepreneurs, in Special Collaboration With Backstage Capital
   "For too long, women and other intentionally excluded people have been marginalized in the VC space, with limited access to funding and support. But with the combined force of PitcHER and Backstage Capital, we are poised to break down those barriers and create real opportunities so that everyone has an equal chance to thrive," said Brenda Darden Wilkerson, President and CEO of AnitaB.org.
3. SeaWorld Conservation Fund Celebrates 20 Years of Marine Animal Conservation; Makes 22 New Grants in 2022
   Various marine animal species directly benefiting from these 2022 grants include coral reefs, dolphins, manatees, penguins, seals, seabirds, sea turtles and whales.
4. Department of Defense Data Reveals No Hearing Loss Among Vast Majority of Plaintiffs in Combat Arms Earplug Litigation
   These data reinforce the need for parties to work together to reach a reasonable resolution, based in data and scientific evidence, that does right by veterans entitled to compensation and puts an end to this litigation.
5. U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Tobacco Industry's Challenge to Los Angeles County Law Ending Flavored Tobacco Sales
   "This decision is a tremendous victory for kids and public health," said Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
6. New Report Reveals Major Travel Companies are Failing Wildlife
   Airbnb is among the current leaders in protecting wild animals. Airbnb, which previously worked with World Animal Protection to develop its animal welfare policy, received the second-highest overall score of 67%.
7. American Weed Company Set to Take Capitol Hill by Storm in Support of Cannabis Reform for Veterans
   The founders of Veteran-owned and operated American Weed Co. will travel to Washington, DC next week for meetings with lawmakers. Their mission: legalize weed for every veteran nationwide. And they have the backing of a former Republican Speaker of the House.
8. University of Maryland Celebrates Naming of Thurgood Marshall Hall
   At the end of Black History Month 2023, UMD honors the first African American U.S. Supreme Court justice by naming the home of its School of Public Policy after Thurgood Marshall.
9. New Deloitte and RMI Collaboration Seeks to Accelerate Systems Transformation to Help Address Climate Change
   Deloitte's Sustainable Systems Initiative catalyzes systems change through collaborations with leading companies, NGOs, academic institutions, and government agencies.
10. Habitat for Humanity's Global Village and Discovery Center to become 6-acre community music and art park
    Habitat for Humanity International and the One Sumter Economic Development Foundation today closed on a deal that will give way to Americus' largest community park.
11. Vote Run Lead Celebrates Women's History Month by Launching VRLHQ to Help Women Run for Office - and WIN!Vote Run Lead Celebrates Women's History Month by Launching VRLHQ to Help Women Run for Office - and WIN!
    Erin Vilardi, CEO of Vote Run Lead, said, "According to a national Vote Run Lead poll, 85 percent of women respondents and 71 percent of men said that our country would be better if more women were elected. But learning how to run for office has obstacles. Vote Run Lead wants to ensure that women have the tools they need to run for office and win — and make a difference in their communities."
12. Hard Rock Heals Foundation Teams Up with Jordin Sparks and Women Who Rock to "Rock Women's Health" All March Long
    Hard Rock Cafes around the world will mark the month-long occasion with a series of iconic performances, limited-edition merchandise and special food & beverage items, benefitting the nation's largest research institute dedicated to women's health, Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation. 

Read more of the latest policy-related releases from PR Newswire and stay caught up on the top press releases by following @PRNpolicy on Twitter.

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