Good morning newsrooms!

Here's your USD News Connect — where each week the University of San Diego public affairs team offers expert voices to speak on stories impacting our community. If you're interested in the stories below, or need experts for any other topic you might be working on, don't hesitate to reach out to us at press@sandiego.edu.*

Ahead of Summer, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative Launches New Heat Risk Map 

With summer kicking off on the 21st, and the risk of more hot days on the horizon, how are cities preparing for heat waves? The San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative (SDRCC) at USD, alongside Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Center for Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation at UCSD, is launching the San Diego Heat Risk Explorer (Explorer), the first interactive localized heat risk map of San Diego County. This data can be used to help communities identify the drivers of heat risk and help cities make informed decisions that can reduce heat risk for their communities. The Explorer will be unveiled with a live demo on June 17th at the SDRCC's next meeting in San Ysidro. *RSVP if you would like to attend.

Juneteenth and its San Diego History

Juneteenth celebrates when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned of their freedom from slavery. As we celebrate Juneteenth on June 19th, what is San Diego’s history with the now federal holiday? Kyle Brooks, assistant professor of theology and religious studies, can discuss the significance of Juneteenth, how San Diegans have been celebrating for decades and what locals can do to learn more about the history of Juneteenth in our community. *Brooks is available to speak June 16-18. The university is closed on Friday.  

Melania Trump Launches New Investment Accounts Program for Foster Kids

Recently, First Lady Melania Trump shared a new program called "Fostering the Future" that would create savings accounts for foster children. Amy Harfeld, National Policy Director and Senior Staff Attorney for the Children's Advocacy Institute at USD's School of Law, has been advocating for foster youth and protecting social security/disability benefits owed to them for years. Harfeld can discuss what this program means for foster children and what needs to be done to ensure foster youth are set up for success once they leave the foster care system. 

For all media inquiries, email our team at

press@sandiego.edu.

* Please note that times of availability will vary according to professors' schedules.