Press

The Washington National Cathedral hired its first female stonemason this year. She joins a team overseeing the installation of stone tablets that symbolize the cathedral’s mission to be a sacred gathering place where all Americans see themselves reflected. Bella Major has the story from the PBS News Student Reporting Labs.

Last year, Congress passed a measure to find and protect historic Black cemeteries nationwide. But the money to do the work hasn’t been allocated. Some aren’t waiting for lawmakers to act. Earlier this summer, dozens of people came together to help preserve a pair of cemeteries in Washington. From the News Hour’s Student Reporting Labs journalism training program, Claire Baek reports.

Rising waters due to climate change and erosion are diminishing the landmass of Tangier Island, Virginia, a tiny speck of land in the Chesapeake Bay, and threatening a centuries-old culture fostered by the island’s isolation. PBS News Student Reporting Labs’ Sabrina Tomei reports on how the community is trying to restore their land and preserve their history and traditions.