Lead Analyst, Social Policy

Gracie Adams

Gracie Adams is a junior at Park Hill High School. She is involved in the speech and debate team at her school, is a policy fellow for Encode Justice, and plans to study environmental science in college. In her free time, she enjoys writing and reading.

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All articles by the author

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Policy Briefs by the author

Criminal, Medical, or Recreational? Drug Legalization in the United States

Social Policy

February 27, 2022

The debate over drug legalization has been a contentious issue since the 1970s. With more states taking progressive stances and legalizing marijuana and other drugs for medical and recreational purposes in the past several years, this issue has grown rapidly. Many people would like the United States federal government to take action to legalize marijuana broadly, and begin decriminalizing other narcotics. Most proposed federal policy right now focuses on marijuana legalization, through acts like the MORE act, the CAO act and the HOPE act. All of this policy is highly controversial. However, with legislation from both parties moving toward legalization, many advocates for drug reform are hopeful for progress in the near future.

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I Plead the Second: Gun Rights Legislation in the US

Social Policy

October 9, 2022

Since the ratification of the Constitution in 1788, the rights codified in the Bill of Rights have been fiercely protected by the American people. However, interpretations of those rights often differ as people, society, and governmental structure changes. One of the most fraught amendments is the Second Amendment, which preserves the right to bear arms. While the debate over gun rights and restriction is not likely to be resolved in the near future, ongoing efforts to protect the lives of American citizens and limit gun violence may change the way our rights are protected.

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A Big Step Backwards

Social Policy

May 1, 2022

The gay rights movement in the US has been gaining traction for the past several decades. From the overturn of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 to allowing trans athletes to compete in athletics, major strides have been made. However, these steps forward do not guarantee the protection of gay rights, as is demonstrated in the anit-queer legislation widely called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. This bill has the potential to do significant harm to students, and may not be the most effective way to protect children from damaging content.

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Her story: Roe v. Wade and the Future of Privacy Rights

Social Policy

June 12, 2022

In the 50 years since the landmark ruling of Roe v Wade, abortion has been a hotly contested issue.

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Going Nowhere Fast? Public Transportation in the US

Social Policy

March 13, 2022

Public transport doesn’t grab many headlines, but it is a significant social policy issue. In many places it is underprovided relative to the actual level of demand, which accounts for environmental issues and community needs. Existing public transport often ends up reflecting or reinforcing socio-economic inequalities due to the way it is funded. Privatization is unlikely to be a good solution here, as in this industry markets tend not to yield the desirable outcomes. Governments, both local and federal, could help address the demand for cheap, clean, and high-quality public transport, through a mixture of direct interventions and subsidies or tax incentives.

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Huddled Masses Yearning to Breathe Free: Mass Incarceration in the United States

Social Policy

February 13, 2022

Mass incarceration has been a part of the United States for decades. However, incarceration increased under President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, and has not significantly decreased since then. This requires the government to spend hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to house inmates and creates unsafe conditions in prisons. Various elected officials and advocacy groups have proposed alternatives to mass incarceration, but none of these options have been successfully adopted yet.

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Raising Them Right: Public Early Education in America

Social Policy

February 6, 2022

Ever since Johnson’s presidency, early childhood education has been a relevant policy issue in the U.S. government. Despite the ongoing conversation, no policy option has achieved the support necessary to be implemented. As the cost of private childcare and early education continues to rise, the need for public funding grows. The Biden administration is attempting to solve the problem through a $400bn provision in the Build Back Better bill, but has faced significant resistance from both other legislators and states themselves.

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Race-Based Admissions: A Multifaceted Examination

Social Policy

May 14, 2023

Race-based admissions at universities exemplify the intricate and evolving nature of affirmative action policies, with these universities encountering legal battles to shape the guidelines considering race within admissions. These debates and experiences have far-reaching implications for the future of affirmative action policies by shaping the landscape of diversity and inclusion in higher education. This exerts a considerable influence on the admissions practices and opportunities for underrepresented groups, with the ongoing evolution of affirmative action policies underscoring the pursuit of creating equitable and inclusive educational environments.

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Right to Privacy vs. Right to Life: the Fight over Abortion Laws

Social Policy

November 26, 2021

Since Roe v. Wade in 1973, abortion has remained a contentious topic for citizens and policymakers alike. Texas and Mississippi have both recently passed laws placing limits on the rights of women to obtain an abortion. The constitutionality of both bills has been called into question, especially after the Supreme Court agreed to rule on the Mississippi law a few months ago, and the Texas law more recently. These Supreme Court cases have the potential to overturn Roe v. Wade and trigger dozens of highly restrictive “tigger” laws all across the country. Despite being the less restrictive of the two laws, it is also possible for the Supreme Court to overturn Mississippi’s abortion law while not impacting Texas’. Because of the personal impact these laws have for so many people, it is important to understand similarities and differences between the bills.

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Right to Privacy vs. Right to Life: the Battle Continues

Social Policy

May 1, 2022

Since the founding of America, legislative battles over rights have existed. From voting rights, to the rights of African American citizens, to child labor laws. The most recent arena of this debate is over a woman’s right to an abortion. Over the past few years, states have been passing increasingly restrictive policies. Much of this policy has been blocked by courts in the past, but with the Supreme Court’s current conservative leaning, it is anticipated that state legislatures will increase policy efforts.

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Voting Rights: Popularity Contests and Civil Liberties

Social Policy

December 10, 2021

Voting rights have been an important part of U.S. legislation ever since the American Revolution. Over the years they have been changed, through state or national legislation or through constitutional amendments. Recently, these voting rights have become a prevalent issue as states try to restrict who can vote in an effort to limit voter fraud. In response to these restrictive laws, national representatives have worked to pass policy expanding and protecting the right to vote. These bills—the John Lewis Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4) and the Freedom to Vote Act (H.R. 1)—are both hotly contested, especially by Republicans in the Senate. However, supporters argue that passing at least one of these bills is the only way to truly protect democracy.

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Artificial Intelligence in Education: A Holistic Evaluation

Social Policy

August 3, 2023

AI has grown from a concept to a full-blown field, proving to develop the most in computer science. AI learning is the ability to solve more and more complex scenarios. Recently, we have seen Generative AI like Chat-GPT come into question in education. Students are using AI for good and bad uses, which has brought concern to educators on how they can effectively manage AI in education. This brief evaluates the relatively new role of AI in education and what policies can address questions and concerns in education.

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Banned Books: Are Schools Erasing History?

Social Policy

January 2, 2023

Starting with movements from religious leaders, the censorship of media has been debated for all of American history. Including discussions of race, gender, sexuality, and obscenity, the banning of books in the U.S. has continued in various school districts and libraries. The First Amendment’s right to free speech has attempted to combat the effects of censorship, specifically with books, but efforts to keep books with various values have prevailed.

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Make Housing Affordable Again

Social Policy

January 16, 2022

Housing has always been a central social issue. This is even more true in the ongoing economic uncertainty after the pandemic. However, housing prices have only continued to increase over the last decade, meaning that fewer Americans are able to own a home. Making housing affordable is a necessity, and the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act (AHCIA) would provide necessary support and safety nets for those most impacted by rising housing prices and protect vulnerable members of our communities.

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Race-Based Admissions: As It Happened

Social Policy

August 26, 2023

This brief delves into the intricacies of the current Affirmative Action Supreme Court Cases. It evaluates the legal battles of Harvard and UNC and how the Court decided on the fate of race in college admissions. The brief also explains the far-reaching implications of the ruling and how the future of college admissions will change.

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An Evaluation of Gerrymandering in the US

Social Policy

January 24, 2024

This brief delves into the intricacies of the Gerrymanding policies in the United States, particularly what they mean. The brief also explains the far-reaching implications of the policies and how they have evolved across the board.

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The Changing Landscape of the U.S. Education System

Social Policy

March 2, 2024

This brief summarizes the effects of factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the growth of technology on K-12 education, and the implications of these changes on the future of the U.S. education system. This brief also delves into the policies that have been enacted to recover from the pandemic, and what further changes should be made.

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Gun Legislation in the U.S.

Social Policy

May 22, 2024

With an increase of mass shootings occurring in the U.S., gun control advocates and many Americans push for stricter, more effective legislation that protects U.S. citizens from the prominent threat of gun violence. This policy brief summarizes the state of mass shootings in the U.S., current legislation, and policy proposals and its supporters.

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President Biden’s Efforts for Women’s Health

Social Policy

August 4, 2024

With a history of broad underrepresentation in health care, women have awaited more federal efforts to increase their representation within research and clinical work. This policy brief summarizes the state of women’s health in the U.S. and President Joe Biden's current initiatives to address these disparities.

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Evolution of Standardized Testing in the U.S.

Social Policy

October 6, 2024

Standardized tests, including the ACT and SAT, examine a student's academic performance, most notably for college entrance. With changes made to testing policy due to COVID-19, students decide whether to send their test scores to colleges, or sit for the tests in the first place. This policy brief summarizes the current state of standardized testing in relation to college admissions, highlighting discussion about testing inequalities and how COVID-19 has transformed testing requirements across the U.S.

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