Juan Flores

There's no doubt that it's been a tough year. A global pandemic, political division, social unrest, wildfires and more have inundated people's lives.

Sang Hoang ('20) says he has had enough. The University of California, Merced alumnus is tired of seeing countless attacks on Asian Americans, which have only increased amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Farmworkers can learn more about their labor rights and workplace safety protections as a mobile informational caravan makes multiple stops across the Central Valley this weekend.

Every American knows we celebrate freedom on the Fourth of July, but very few people know what Juneteenth celebrates, or even recognize the date. A Harris Poll conducted last June found 22% of Americans said they were "very aware" of the date, while 33% said they were "not at all aware."

A UC Merced professor is collaborating with faculty from UCLA and the University of Illinois in a study that aims to find how people might best deal with COVID-19 at home.

The fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has been felt around the world. COVID-19's grip has affected people's mental health and sense of what was once normal, prompting them to turn to new and familiar behaviors to help cope.

Global arts Professor Yehuda Sharim's 2019 documentary "Songs That Never End" continues to garner attention both on and off the screen. The film, along with two of his previous works — "We Are in It" (2016) and "Seeds of All Things" (2018) — were the subjects of in-depth reviews by colleagues from other University of California campuses.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are human-made chemicals that for decades have been used in a variety of products, including food packaging materials, nonstick cookware, furniture, carpets and firefighting foams. However, research has shown that these substances can contaminate the environment and affect people's health.

As news headlines continue to focus on seeing the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, the coronavirus continues to spread across the globe. As of May 18, California has recorded more than 3.6 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, resulting in over 61,500 deaths, according to the California Department of Public Health.

California is getting a closer look at exactly how workers in high-risk industries across the state have borne the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic. For the first time, UC Merced's Community and Labor Center (CLC) has analyzed the increase in the number of pandemic-era deaths of working-age people.