Alyssa Pastrana was 21 years old when she died of an accidental fentanyl overdose at her home in Abilene.
Lauren Santucci
Lauren Santucci is a multimedia fellow at the Texas Tribune. Santucci is a visual journalist with the goal of humanizing social issues through personal stories. She received her masters in photojournalism and documentary filmmaking from Ohio University this year and holds an undergraduate degree in international relations and art history from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Santucci's work has been published by FRONTLINE PBS, NPR, The Guardian, and more. Her photography has also exhibited at Photoville in Brooklyn and the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Posted inEnergy
“I’m still trying to recover”: Some Texans are still bearing the brunt of the 2021 winter storm
Last February’s winter storm left millions of Texans without power for days in subfreezing temperatures. Watch how one family whose home suffered extensive damage is preparing for the next round of cold weather.
Posted in
Demographics
Video: Afghan refugees resettling in Texas find help despite strained resources
Texas expects to resettle the second-highest number of Afghan refugees in the United States.
Posted in
Texas Abortion Restrictions
Video: With abortions restricted in Texas, many leave the state to seek care at crowded Kansas clinic
About half the patients at Trust Women’s Wichita clinic come from out of state.
Posted inHealth care
Video: South Texans adapt to near-total abortion ban with Plan B pills and trips out of state
In South Texas, poverty and immigration status compound the obstacles facing pregnant people seeking abortions.
Posted in
Immigration
Asylum-seeking families and children made up nearly half of July border crossings: “This is young mamas and daddies trying to save their families”
Migrant crossings on the U.S.-Mexico border reached a 21-year high in July. This video takes you to the epicenter: Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, where more crossings are happening than in any other region in the country.
Posted inDemographics
“How are we different than other kids?”: A transgender student wrestler fights legislative efforts to restrict participation in school sports
If passed, Texas’ anti-transgender legislation will require student athletes to play on school sports teams that don’t align with their gender identity.
Posted in
Economy
With federal eviction ban expiring July 31, community organizers help Texans apply for rent relief
As the safety net for Texas tenants behind on rent begins to disappear, a 19-year-old Houston organizer helps Hispanic residents apply for emergency financial assistance.