Natalie Venegas

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Here you will find my published stories covering multiple beats in both local and national news including crime, education, politics, healthcare, and social justice.

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Lawsuit claims El Paso religious recovery leader abused men in court-mandated care

KFOX14/CBS4

By: Natalie Venegas

Medical Examiner rules migrant’s death at Camp East Montana a homicide

KFOX14/CBS4

By: Natalie Venegas

NEWSWEEK

Trump Administration Reverses Course, Will Restart Legal Aid for Migrants

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reversed a recent order preventing legal aid groups from providing services to immigrants in federal detention centers and immigration courts.

The initial move, in which a DOJ memo told legal providers to "stop work immediately," appeared to be one of several made by the new administration to enact tough-on-immigration policies promised by the new president.

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ADWEEK

Planned Parenthood Responds to Supreme Court Ruling With Galvanizing Ad, 'Force of Nature'

When Justice Samuel Alito’s opinion draft for overturning Roe v. Wade leaked last month, an outpour of urgency was seen across the country—more specifically, calls for resources, support, protests and justice reached new heights.

In response to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last Friday, Planned Parenthood launched a new spot titled “Force of Nature” to aid in the fight for safe access to abortions and reproductive health. Anticipating the result, Planned Parenthood worked for months with its agency, Virtue—powered by VICE—to conceptualize and execute the impactful spot.

The one-minute spot follows the analogy of a storm sweeping across the nation as it depicts several different people going about their day.

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El Paso food banks brace for increased demand as federal shutdown threatens SNAP benefits

El Paso families relying on food stamps are facing uncertainty as the federal government shutdown continues, potentially cutting off their benefits.

The government shutdown, now in its fourth week, will result in the loss of funding for several federal programs as they are expected to end on Saturday, Nov. 1, with Congress not making progress toward reopening the government.

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Texas Republicans Ban Women From Using Highways for Abortion Appointments

Lubbock County, Texas, joins a group of other rural Texas counties that have voted to ban women from using their roads to seek abortions.

This comes after six cities and counties in Texas have passed abortion-related bans, out of nine that have considered them. However, this ordinance makes Lubbock the biggest jurisdiction yet to pass restrictions on abortion-related transportation.

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Justice for Migrant Women's Latina Pay Gap Data Now Includes Part-Time Workers 

Across many industries, including marketing and advertising, the gender pay gap remains a looming issue—especially for Latina women. In response, Justice for Migrant Women, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing migrant women’s rights through advocacy, marks every Dec. 8 as Latina Equal Pay Day.

As a way to advocate and spread awareness, Justice for Migrant Women launched the “Viva La Mujer Que Lucha” (“Long Live the Woman Who Fights”) social campaign based on data from a report called “Changemakers: Latinas Working to Close the Pay Gap.” According to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Latinas are paid, on average, 54 cents for every dollar made by white, non-Hispanic men.

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New Mexico attorney general reopens Epstein Zorro Ranch investigation

The New Mexico Department of Justice said on Thursday it will reopen a criminal investigation into the late Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch after reviewing information recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice.

The DOJ recently released millions of documents on Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender who died in federal custody in 2019, and those he was associated with.

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Luigi Mangione: Nearly 30 Percent ‘Understand’ Anger at UnitedHealthcare

Nearly 30 percent of registered voters believe the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson​ was wrong, but "understand" Luigi Mangione's, the suspect charged with Thompson's murder​, alleged anger at the health insurance company, according to a new poll.

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Women's Health Brands Are Baring All and Unapologetically Fighting Censorship

When it comes to the anatomy, health and sexual wellness of people with vaginas, discussions around true representation and its correlating imagery remain fairly taboo—and at times, totally censored—within marketing and media.

For wellness and sexual health brands, the issue of censorship largely impacts folks looking to connect with platforms that discuss natural phenomena like menstruation, breastfeeding and pleasure. While many brands are eager to educate and open up a dialogue about female bodies (for anyone with this anatomy regardless of gender) through products and creative content, social media platforms have a long history of creating strict policies that lead to removed posts or even banishment.

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