Michelle Chen

Contributing Writer

@meeshellchen

Michelle Chen is a contributing writer for The Nation.

SCOTUS

The Supreme Court’s War on Class-Action Lawsuits The Supreme Court’s War on Class-Action Lawsuits

In the Epic Systems case, the Supreme Court made it that much harder for workers to seek collective justice.

Jun 4, 2018 / Michelle Chen

Girl walks past Houston oil refinery

How Kids and Families Pay the Real Cost of Health Inequality How Kids and Families Pay the Real Cost of Health Inequality

When families can’t take paid time off to care for a sick child, the social costs can be overwhelming.

May 31, 2018 / Michelle Chen

Elderly inmates

By 2030, 1 in 3 US Prisoners Will Be Over 50 By 2030, 1 in 3 US Prisoners Will Be Over 50

The criminal-justice system is failing to deal with our aging prison population in a humane way.

May 29, 2018 / Michelle Chen

Kentucky teachers protest inside Capitol builing

Regardless of How the Supreme Court Rules in ‘Janus,’ Labor Needs to Get More Militant Regardless of How the Supreme Court Rules in ‘Janus,’ Labor Needs to Get More Militant

The teachers in West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Kentucky show us that successful labor action can happen in any environment.

May 23, 2018 / Michelle Chen

Bhairavi Desai

New York’s Taxi System Is Broken—Can This Workers’ Plan Fix It? New York’s Taxi System Is Broken—Can This Workers’ Plan Fix It?

The New York Taxi Workers Alliance wants to standardize pay, secure healthcare, and otherwise make cab driving a sustainable career.

May 22, 2018 / Michelle Chen

Want to See How Biased Broken Windows Policing Is? Spend a Day in Court

Want to See How Biased Broken Windows Policing Is? Spend a Day in Court Want to See How Biased Broken Windows Policing Is? Spend a Day in Court

In New York City, the overwhelming majority of misdemeanor arraignments are of people of color.

May 17, 2018 / Michelle Chen

Tobacco farm worker Zimbabwe

The Child Labor in Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Fields The Child Labor in Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Fields

A global demand for tobacco is fueling this scourge.

May 15, 2018 / Michelle Chen

How Unequal School Funding Punishes Poor Kids

How Unequal School Funding Punishes Poor Kids How Unequal School Funding Punishes Poor Kids

Our system for funding education is broken, and it’s hurting society’s most vulnerable.

May 11, 2018 / Michelle Chen

Central American migrant caravan

A War on Women at the US Border A War on Women at the US Border

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is trying to undo precedent that allows asylum protection for domestic-violence survivors.

May 8, 2018 / Michelle Chen

133.9 Million Americans Live in Areas With Unhealthy Levels of Air Pollution

133.9 Million Americans Live in Areas With Unhealthy Levels of Air Pollution 133.9 Million Americans Live in Areas With Unhealthy Levels of Air Pollution

And Scott Pruitt’s EPA could usher in even worse.

May 3, 2018 / Michelle Chen

x