Latest news with #Kaczorowski
Associated Press
03-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Mastercard: L.A. Wildfire Diaries: Stories of Relief, Recovery and Resilience
Starting on January 7, a series of ferocious wildfires erupted in the Los Angeles area, burning more than 40,000 acres and causing roughly $14.8 billion in damages. Within a month, two teams of specially trained Mastercard employees hit the ground to support the American Red Cross's relief efforts, serving thousands of people from all walks of life whose homes and businesses had been reduced to smoking rubble. 'We all have stories to share, and they are what drive us every day,' says Deann Donohue, an O'Fallon, Missouri-based vice president in the company's Public Sector Center of Excellence who deployed with the first team of volunteers. 'It's providing supplies to the husband whose wife passed the year before who is hoping to find her urn. It's listening to the fire brigade medic whose parents called him to say news reporters were standing in front of his place as it was burning down.' Mastercard launched its disaster relief corps with the American Red Cross in 2019, with 53 employees trained in all aspects of aid distribution, disaster assessment and shelter operations. Today, Mastercard has 687 employees ready to help, some of whom have deployed multiple times, including to Hurricane Helene in North Carolina last year, Hurricane Ian in Florida in 2022 and the western Kentucky tornadoes in 2021. In the deployment's spare moments, Donohue and Joe Kaczorowski, a senior vice president for Risk Analytics based in Purchase, New York, shared dispatches from their time in Los Angeles. Day 1: Getting the assignment It's a stark 2 a.m. wake-up for the Purchase-based volunteers, including Kaczorowski, to make the flight out to Los Angeles. A group of 20 volunteers from different offices across the U.S. are doing the same for this first deployment; another dozen employees will fly out next week to relieve them. Upon arrival, the volunteers join the Red Cross disaster response operation's stand-up meeting to hear the game plan for the week ahead. 'I've already received comments about how they like the energy and collaboration we bring to the mission,' Kaczorowski writes. 'So it's exciting to feel welcomed here.' At the hotel, it's bittersweet to meet new volunteers and see familiar faces from both Red Cross and Mastercard offices. Some of these same volunteers were from the Hurricane Helene response in western North Carolina last fall. 'I remember from my very first deployment resettling Afghan refugees in Texas that a woman told me that people talk about time differently in the Red Cross,' Kaczorowski writes. 'It's not, 'How many years have you been involved?' It's 'How many deployments have you done?' It's really inspiring to see the shift in the concept of time within our own Mastercard team with so many having done multiple deployments now.' Day 2: On the ground With more than four active fires, the recovery work scatters volunteers across the county. Donohue is stationed at UCLA Research Center close to the Palisades Fire, where FEMA and other organizations are offering services ranging from temporary housing to mental health care to help reprinting Social Security cards and birth certificates. Across the city, Kaczorowski is stationed at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium shelter, which is serving as a Red Cross sanctuary for those in need. The Mastercard team is focused on consolidating residents from multiple ballrooms into a single ballroom to make operations more efficient and ensure an accurate count of shelter residents. That means trying to find those assigned to the cots and, if they've already found a new place to move, formally checking them out of the shelter, bagging what is left behind and storing the items in case they return for them. The enormous ballroom serving as the infirmary also is emptying out, requiring another consolidation. 'This involved everything from moving crates of belongings, to wheeling people in hospital beds to the new location and helping them set things up in the new room,' Kaczorowski writes. 'Overall, once we got going, there was very little down time.' Day 3: A heavy heart Today, Donohue is at an Altadena grocery store, one of the only buildings left standing in the community. She is handing out PPE kits for those re-entering their neighborhood. 'It was emotionally harder today; most residents were going back to just ashes but were looking for anything left,' she writes. Kaczorowski is taking on a new role at a new station in the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and spends the day using his Mastercard expertise to help with data and reporting, tracking volunteer assignments and rental cars for the Red Cross. 'We talked about challenges, and I even got to see how they thoughtfully handled interactions with distraught clients who came to talk to them.' Days 4 and 5: Lifted spirits Donohue is back in Pacific Palisades, and it's the city's first rainy day since the fires started. She spends the day at the Palisades Recreation Center, a brick building left standing in the middle of ashes, where she meets a couple who grew up in her neighborhood back in St. Louis. 'We laughed and cried together — she said it was one of the first times being back that she was able to smile, and it truly touched me.' Kaczorowski goes back to consolidating shelter spaces that had started to clear out when the day is happily interrupted by the arrival of rock icon Neil Young, who has arrived to play 'Heart of Gold,' uplifting the shelter one string at a time, and his wife, actress Daryl Hannah, who brings along two miniature horses. 'Everywhere I look,' Kaczorowski writes, 'I see our team doing little things all over to create comfort and build bonds — both within the team, but especially with the residents.' Day 6 – The first deployment ends, but the impact is lasting As a new team of Mastercard employees makes its way to California, the first team's members are wrapping up their last deployment day, reflecting on their time. Donohue is reminded why she volunteers: 'As I spend the week listening and being present for those impacted, I've realized just how important the Red Cross and their volunteers are. It's helping the brother-in-law of a man with dementia who drove in from out of state to start paperwork for resources, and giving water and hugging the couple looking to see if their daughter's grave was still standing around the corner. It's about supporting each other in times of need.' Similarly, Kaczorowski is overwhelmed with appreciation for having the opportunity to give back. 'Volunteering with disaster relief is not for the faint of heart — but the reward for me was more than worth every minute. I met so many amazing people, from all walks of life, all over the U.S. and all with one purpose and passion — to give back. We will be bonded for life, and I can't wait to serve with them all again.'
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UPenn could face civil rights violation after trans athlete ban
(NewsNation) — The University of Pennsylvania is among three colleges under investigation for a potential civil rights violation for allowing a transgender woman to compete in women's sports. It follows President Donald Trump's executive order banning transgender women from competing in women's sports, where noncompliant schools will be investigated for Title IX violations. The investigation is a win for former UPenn swimmer Margot Kaczorowski, who first spoke to NewsNation on the issue in 2022. Kaczorowski, who was a teammate of Lia Thomas, is suing UPenn, Harvard, the Ivy League and the NCAA, accusing them of violating Title IX regulations by allowing Thomas, who Kaczorowski calls 'a trans-identifying male swimmer,' to compete in women's races. 'Captain America' actor named grand marshal for Daytona 500 According to Kaczorowski, instead of listening to her and other teammates' concerns with Thomas' participation, the UPenn administrators directed them to seek counseling and support from UPenn's counseling and psychology and LGBTQ center. 'We were forced to use the same locker rooms as Thomas when we were not told ahead of time that it would be the case,' Kaczorowski told NewsNation. 'There were countless girls who lost out on various opportunities to race and compete. … I just feel very strongly that no girl should ever lose out on an opportunity because of male advantages and just believe women deserve equal rights,' she added. Kaczorowski said Trump's executive order is 'a great first step in the right direction towards having a national consensus on the issue.' Super Bowl losers get this ring instead The three female plaintiffs, including Kaczorowski, are not seeking money. What they want is a judge to declare Thomas was ineligible to compete in women's races and vacate Thomas' records. 'We were being silenced that entire year and made to be fearful that if we were to speak the truth, that our lives would be ruined … and I want the records to come off the board. I want the real record-holders to be put back on the women's record board.' The NCAA sent NewsNation a statement saying they wouldn't comment on pending litigation but wanted to reiterate they support women's sports and Title IX going forward. 'College sports are the premier stage for women's sports in America, and while the NCAA does not comment on pending litigation, the Association and its members will continue to promote Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women's sports and ensure fair competition in all NCAA championships,' it said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
08-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Penn swimmers who lost to trans woman Lia Thomas sue over 2022 event and Title IX; school faces Trump inquiry
Three former women's swimmers at the University of Pennsylvania have filed a lawsuit seeking to remove Lia Thomas' records from the record books, a suit that comes in the wake of President Trump's administration's recent rollbacks of protections allowing transgender athletes to compete on sports teams aligned with their gender identity. The suit dated Tuesday was filed in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts on behalf of Grace Estabrook, Ellen Holmquist and Margot Kaczorowski. The nearly 90-page suit claims the student-athletes' Title IX rights were violated by Penn, the Ivy League, NCAA and Harvard University when they allowed Thomas, a transgender woman, to use the women's locker room and compete in women's events. Thomas racked up notable achievements in Division I women's swimming in the 2022 NCAA season, coming in first in the 500-meter freestyle at the Swimming and Diving Championships that year. She had other first-place finishes in events at the Ivy League Championships held that year at Harvard's Blodgett Pool. Before she began transitioning in 2019, Thomas competed on the men's swimming eam and followed NCAA and Ivy League rules for the process. Thomas had support from the Ivy League and Penn at the time, along with several teammates. But other athletes penned an anonymous letter asking the NCAA to bar Thomas from competing on the women's team. Fox Business posted a clip Thursday showing Kaczorowski on "Varney & Co." discussing the suit. Kaczorowski claimed to host Stuart Varney that the women's swimming team had an impression before the season Thomas wouldn't be using the same locker room. "We just kind of walked into a situation where we weren't told anything and we were told that Lia couldn't be ostracized, so we either could choose to go into a family-style locker room in the hallway or something by ourselves, or just suck it up," she told host Stuart Varney. The suit says Holmquist, one of the plaintiffs, missed the Ivy League Championships by one spot that she would have had if Thomas did not compete in the women's event. Thomas finished first in the 500 freestyle, 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle according to the suit. The suit was backed by the conservative Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS) and the plaintiffs are represented by sports attorney Bill Bock. ICONS and the suit repeatedly refer to Thomas as "a man" and "male" despite her gender identity. On Wednesday, Mr. Trump signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from women's sports. NCAA has since updated its participation policy, limiting competition in women's sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth only. Under the latest rules, student-athletes are able to compete and practice in men's sports regardless of their gender identity, CBS News reported. Varney asked Kaczorowski to react to that news. "We still want to hold those institutions who wronged us accountable and we want to get Lia's name off the record board," she said. When asked to comment, a spokesperson for the NCAA provided this statement. College sports are the premier stage for women's sports in America, and while the NCAA does not comment on pending litigation, the Association and its members will continue to promote Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women's sports and ensure fair competition in all NCAA championships. A representative for Thomas had not responded to a request for comment as of Saturday. This article will be updated if a response is received. Spokespeople for Penn did not respond to requests for comment. Thomas has also been the subject of false articles claiming she was stripped of her "medals" or collegiate accolades and that those were transferred to Riley Gaines, another former Division I swimmer who has lobbied against trans athletes. Unlike the Olympics, which awards medals to the top finishers in competitions, the NCAA awarded trophies at the events where Thomas had her strongest showings. Penn, San Jose State and Massachusetts organization under investigation, Education department says In addition to the executive orders, Trump's Education Department is opening reviews into two universities and one high school sports organization that allowed trans athletes to compete on women's teams. The agency is opening reviews of San Jose State University volleyball, the University of Pennsylvania's swimming program and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. The Education Department said it proactively opened the new cases over suspected violation of Title IX, a 1972 law barring sex discrimination in education. Opening an inquiry isn't meant to indicate a finding of wrongdoing, according to department policy. Additionally, the agency said it is reviewing athletics policies at a number of other schools. It reflects the Education Department's shift in civil rights priorities as it aligns with Trump's agenda to target antisemitism and gender identity issues. The investigations also build on Trump's anti-transgender campaign rhetoric, which pledged to end "transgender insanity." Advocates for transgender students condemned the executive order Trump signed Wednesday. "Contrary to what the president wants you to believe, trans students do not pose threats to sports, schools or this country, and they deserve the same opportunities as their peers to learn, play and grow up in safe environments," said Fatima Goss Graves, CEO of the National Women's Law Center. Trump's executive order also prompted the NCAA to change its participation policy on Thursday, limiting competition in women's sports to athletes assigned female at birth only. It's unusual for the Education Department to investigate past violations of new policy, or to investigate without first receiving a complaint. San Jose State is being scrutinized over a player's participation on the women's volleyball team. A lawsuit filed by players against the Mountain West Conference argued letting her compete poses a safety risk, but San Jose State has not confirmed it has a transgender woman volleyball player. The team's season ended Nov. 30. University president Cynthia Teniente-Matson said San Jose State will fully engage with the investigation and comply with the law as it continues to "act within our authority to uphold the values that define us as an institution." The investigation at Penn focuses on Thomas, who graduated in 2022. According to the Education Department, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association allowed a transgender athlete to compete on a girls' high school basketball team, prompting an opposing team to forfeit after three players were reportedly injured. The department did not identify the schools or give further details. Athletic associations typically don't receive federal money from the Education Department, and it was not immediately clear what authority the agency had to investigate the Massachusetts league. The department is taking exception with a policy in the association's handbook saying students "shall not be excluded from participation on a gender-specific sports team that is consistent with the student's bona fide gender identity." The league invoked that policy last year after a girls' basketball team in Lynn forfeited a game against a team with a transgender athlete. Three players were reportedly injured during the game, and the team was already down four to begin with, according to local media reports. The MIAA said it has historically complied with federal and state laws and is seeking legal guidance on its next steps. "We are especially interested in determining this investigation's impact on teams currently playing the winter season and on our upcoming tournaments," the association said in a statement. Lawyers who advise schools on Title IX say the Trump administration is taking an unusually aggressive approach by initiating its own investigations. Bonnie Young, a partner at Fox Rothschild, said such investigations typically aren't publicized until they're concluded. "The enforcement landscape is changing rapidly with the new Administration and the flurry of executive orders," Young said in an email. "Each day reveals new and bolder enforcement actions to bring public and private entities into compliance with the Administration's objectives." Title IX has been at the center of a political tug-of-war in recent years. Under former President Joe Biden, new federal rules expanded the law to protect transgender and LGBTQ+ students. A federal judge overturned Biden's rules this year, calling them an overstep. The Trump administration has been using Title IX to push against schools that provide accommodations for transgender students. Last month the Education Department opened another investigation into Denver public schools after an all-gender restroom replaced a girl's restroom while leaving another exclusive to boys. In his order, Trump directed federal agencies to "rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities." The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights can move to cut federal money for institutions that violate civil rights, but only if it's approved by a judge and if the office fails to negotiate a resolution.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former UPenn swimmer celebrates Trump's women's sports order, says Lia Thomas saga was 'dark time'
Female athletes and advocates are celebrating President Donald Trump's latest executive order, which bans transgender women from participating in girls' and women's sports. Supporters say the decision restores fairness and safety in athletics, while critics argue it unfairly targets and discriminates against transgender individuals. Margot Kaczorowski, a former University of Pennsylvania swimmer, was among the first to speak out. She and several other Ivy League athletes have filed a lawsuit, claiming they experienced emotional distress after competing alongside Lia Thomas, a transgender woman and former teammate. "It was a very dark time," Kaczorowski said in an interview on "America's Newsroom." "We were forced to be in the locker room with Thomas, and multiple girls on the team had expressed feeling uncomfortable with that." Trump Education Dept To Probe Sjsu, Upenn For Potential Title Ix Violations After Trans Athlete Scandals According to Kaczorowski, the school administration told the team that Thomas' participation was "non-negotiable." Those who were unhappy with the situation were offered counseling services or advised to meet with the LGBTQ+ center. Read On The Fox News App "Kind of implying that we had something wrong with us for believing that it was wrong," she said. "I just always grew up under the guise of thinking this could never happen. Yes, of course, women deserve fairness and respect…. To have that kind of stripped away was a shock." Their lawsuit alleges that UPenn administrators "invited the women to a talk titled 'Trans 101,'" which led the women to believe that "if a woman on the team had any problem with a trans-identifying male being on her team, that woman has a psychological problem and needed counseling." Riley Gaines, host of OutKick's "Gaines for Girls" podcast and a prominent advocate for banning transgender women from female sports, stood behind Trump as he signed the order on Wednesday. Gaines has frequently shared her discomfort with sharing a locker room with Lia Thomas during the 2022 NCAA Championships. She described it as "one of the most violating experiences you could possibly imagine." Reflecting on her presence at the White House during the signing, the podcast host told Fox's Sean Hannity, "I just feel vindicated… Every day since January 20th, I have been just overwhelmed by God's mercy that we certainly do not deserve." Former NCAA swimmer Paula Scanlan echoed those sentiments during an appearance on "The Ingraham Angle." "It was the greatest day of my life," Scanlan said, though she called it "bittersweet" that an executive order was necessary to address the issue. The executive order, titled the Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports Executive Order, prohibits individuals assigned male at birth from competing in female sports divisions or using women's locker rooms and restrooms in schools. It also directs federal agencies to work with sports governing bodies to enforce these rules beyond schools, including at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. "Women's sports will be only for women," Trump declared before signing the order at the White House, surrounded by dozens of female athletes and advocates who had lobbied for the measure. "The war on women's sports is over."Trump Executive Order On Protecting Women's Sports Draws Response From Ncaa However, the order has sparked immediate backlash from LGBTQ+ rights groups and civil liberties organizations, who argue that it unfairly targets a vulnerable population and perpetuates harmful stereotypes about transgender people. "This administration's latest inaccurate and incoherent piece of paper smears an entire group of Americans," the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) said in a statement. "Every American should demand that so-called leaders stop attacking vulnerable people and start doing their jobs solving actual problems." Opponents also point out that there is limited evidence of transgender women dominating women's sports, and that many transgender athletes face significant barriers to accessing competitive opportunities. "My administration will not stand by and watch men beat and batter female athletes," Trump said during the signing. "We're just not going to let it happen. It's going to end, and it's ending right now. And nobody's going to be able to do a damn thing about it."Original article source: Former UPenn swimmer celebrates Trump's women's sports order, says Lia Thomas saga was 'dark time'
Fox News
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Former UPenn swimmer celebrates Trump's women's sports order, says Lia Thomas saga was 'dark time'
Female athletes and advocates are celebrating President Donald Trump's latest executive order, which bans transgender women from participating in girls' and women's sports. Supporters say the decision restores fairness and safety in athletics, while critics argue it unfairly targets and discriminates against transgender individuals. Margot Kaczorowski, a former University of Pennsylvania swimmer, was among the first to speak out. She and several other Ivy League athletes have filed a lawsuit, claiming they experienced emotional distress after competing alongside Lia Thomas, a transgender woman and former teammate. "It was a very dark time," Kaczorowski said in an interview on "America's Newsroom." "We were forced to be in the locker room with Thomas, and multiple girls on the team had expressed feeling uncomfortable with that." According to Kaczorowski, the school administration told the team that Thomas' participation was "non-negotiable." Those who were unhappy with the situation were offered counseling services or advised to meet with the LGBTQ+ center. "Kind of implying that we had something wrong with us for believing that it was wrong," she said. "I just always grew up under the guise of thinking this could never happen. Yes, of course, women deserve fairness and respect…. To have that kind of stripped away was a shock." Their lawsuit alleges that UPenn administrators "invited the women to a talk titled 'Trans 101,'" which led the women to believe that "if a woman on the team had any problem with a trans-identifying male being on her team, that woman has a psychological problem and needed counseling." Riley Gaines, host of OutKick's "Gaines for Girls" podcast and a prominent advocate for banning transgender women from female sports, stood behind Trump as he signed the order on Wednesday. Gaines has frequently shared her discomfort with sharing a locker room with Lia Thomas during the 2022 NCAA Championships. She described it as "one of the most violating experiences you could possibly imagine." Reflecting on her presence at the White House during the signing, the podcast host told Fox's Sean Hannity, "I just feel vindicated… Every day since January 20th, I have been just overwhelmed by God's mercy that we certainly do not deserve." Former NCAA swimmer Paula Scanlan echoed those sentiments during an appearance on "The Ingraham Angle." "It was the greatest day of my life," Scanlan said, though she called it "bittersweet" that an executive order was necessary to address the issue. The executive order, titled the Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports Executive Order, prohibits individuals assigned male at birth from competing in female sports divisions or using women's locker rooms and restrooms in schools. It also directs federal agencies to work with sports governing bodies to enforce these rules beyond schools, including at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. "Women's sports will be only for women," Trump declared before signing the order at the White House, surrounded by dozens of female athletes and advocates who had lobbied for the measure. "The war on women's sports is over."TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER ON PROTECTING WOMEN'S SPORTS DRAWS RESPONSE FROM NCAA However, the order has sparked immediate backlash from LGBTQ+ rights groups and civil liberties organizations, who argue that it unfairly targets a vulnerable population and perpetuates harmful stereotypes about transgender people. "This administration's latest inaccurate and incoherent piece of paper smears an entire group of Americans," the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) said in a statement. "Every American should demand that so-called leaders stop attacking vulnerable people and start doing their jobs solving actual problems." Opponents also point out that there is limited evidence of transgender women dominating women's sports, and that many transgender athletes face significant barriers to accessing competitive opportunities. "My administration will not stand by and watch men beat and batter female athletes," Trump said during the signing. "We're just not going to let it happen. It's going to end, and it's ending right now. And nobody's going to be able to do a damn thing about it."
