Barrier Breaking
U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, the first Black woman to chair the House science committee, talks racism and COVID-19 disparities.
Arya Sundaram
Arya Sundaram is a reporting fellow at the Texas Observer and hails from North Carolina. Her immigration and criminal justice journalism has appeared in the Atlantic, the Guardian, and the Texas Tribune. You can contact her at [email protected]
Articles by Arya Sundaram
Clogged Toilets, Snow Inside: How the Winter Storm Exacerbated Problems in Texas Lock-Ups
After the near-total collapse of the state’s electric grid, many jails and prisons lacked heat and running water.
How Texas Courts Went Virtual
The administrator responsible for moving hearings online during the COVID-19 pandemic talks about the future of Zoom court.
Payday and Car Title Lenders in Texas Won More Than $45 Million in Pandemic Aid
Despite trapping people in a cycle of debt, predatory lenders in the Lone Star State raked in millions meant to help people get their financial footing.
Will the Texas Legislature Stop Police from Arresting People for Fine-Only Offenses?
After years of failed attempts, Texas lawmakers are again trying to curb petty arrests that disproportionately target people of color.
The Oil and Gas Industry Still Hasn’t Reckoned with #MeToo
Groping. Catcalling. Crude texts. We spoke to women in the oil industry who say they faced sexual harassment and were punished for speaking out.
Local Organizers Explain the Republican Surge in South Texas
Democrats have long taken Latino voters for granted, while Republicans have worked to fill that organizing void.
How Texas Jails Avoid Investigations of Inmate Deaths
Every Texas jail death is supposed to be investigated. But a recent case shows how facilities skirt the law and avoid scrutiny.