Should undocumented workers, who are long-term residents of the United States, be allowed to vote? There are movements in Boston, New York and other cities to allow them to vote. Six Maryland communities already allow the practice. Chicago lets legal immigrants vote for school-board members. The stalled immigration-reform bill is set to reappear in the Senate by the end of this week, but will it meet the same fate as before? Some other bills, including a spending bill and an energy bill, may have to pass first, according to a New York Times article. Read more.

(See also: How Would Your Presidential Candidate Vote on Immigration? and Immigration Debate Rages On, Senate Vote Could Kill Reform)

Beautillions for Blacks Boost College Preparation

Coming-of-age balls are becoming the new trend among young black men preparing for college. The Links, a Washington, D.C.-based social-networking group, has been hosting beautillions for 50 years and has influenced other black communities that fear that negative media portrayal is contributing to low college-entry numbers. 'A lot of people are just fed up with the way that black men are portrayed in the media,' said Janet Walker, head of The Links. To further promote education, ball participants often leave the event with scholarships and contacts. Besides educational benefits, what else is drawing young black males to this traditionally white ceremony? Read more.

The Great Autism Schism

Mega-charity Autism Speaks is publicly divided over whether autism can be linked to vaccinations. The neurological disorder, which affects one out of every 150 children in America, has been linked by some to a synthetic mercury preservative in vaccines. Autism Speaks founder Bob Wright and his daughter Katie are feuding over whether these vaccinations can truly be blamed for causing the disease. Katie Wright, who appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in support of the connection, believes more should be done by the foundation to address the environmental link. "Katie Wright is not a spokesperson" for the organization," Autism Speaks stated. The foundation also said that her "personal views differ from ours." The family fissure has bled into cyberspace and many are speaking out with strong sentiments. What are people saying? Read more.

Univision Takes on Politics

Can Univision pull off an all-Spanish presidential political debate? Recently, the network invited all of the 2008 hopefuls in the first all-Spanish language debate. Two Democrats quickly accepted: Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, who is half Latino, and U.S. Sen. Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut. As a New York Times article revealed, all 18 presidential candidates say they speak another language. In an effort to encourage Latinos to vote, the network has recently launched a campaign pushing undocumented workers to apply for citizenship. Network officials believe helping the 8 million legal permanent residents who are eligible to apply, most of whom are Latinos, will inspire them to  vote. The network airs public-service announcements throughout its regular programming schedule, giving viewers details on application requirements, locations and costs. Univision reporters quiz viewers on the citizenship exam. On Fridays, Univision broadcasts live from a citizenship-drive location, where volunteers charge $25 to help with lengthy applications. Read more.

Church of England Accused of Racism

Little has been done to confront "institutional racism" within the Church of England, according to a report revealed in the Sunday Telegraph. The report, set to be completed by the church's General Synod next month, found that black and Asian clergy members are unlikely to reach high office in the Church of England, and minorities are often undervalued in parish churches. The Rev. Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the chair of the committee that produced the report, blames the parish clergy as part of the problem. "Whether consciously or unconsciously, they are not encouraging black people who are in their churches to come forward." A spokesperson for the Church of England said no official comment could be made on the report's contents until it is released, reports The Chicago Tribune.

Ministers Fear Effects of Hates Crimes

Minister Harry Jackson of the Hope Christian Church in Maryland is speaking out against the Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. Jackson and more than 30 ministers say the law could prevent the clergy from preaching against immoral acts. "We believe there is an anti-Christian muzzle-the-pastor kind of feeling behind this kind of law," says Jackson. "I need to be able to preach that adultery, fornication, straying from the way of the Lord is wrong." Jackson says he's mostly concerned that ministers, including him, could be charged under the act for preaching that being gay is immoral. Advocates of the bill, which would increase penalties for attacks on gays, say Jackson's position is nonsense. Read more.

New Jersey Transgender Law Takes Effect

A New Jersey law banning discrimination against transgender people took effect yesterday. The law, passed in December, makes it illegal for landlords to evict a tenant based on gender status and also prevents companies from refusing to hire people if they are GLBT people, of ambiguous gender, or do not fit traditional masculine and feminine gender stereotypes. New Jersey is the ninth state to protect against gender discrimination. Which other states are GLBT-friendly and which ones plan to follow suit? Read more.

(See also: New Hampshire Legalizes Civil Unions for Same-Sex Couples