Ahead of Juneteenth, Americans express complex and often opposing views about race and equality. — Stories this week: Just one in five believe that the criminal justice system treats all people equally Proximity and concern about COVID still looks different by race and ethnicity Many feel threatened or disadvantaged on the basis of their race Pride and Father’s Day polling: Young Americans more likely to support companies promoting equality for LGBT+ people

This summer is set to be a busy one as more Americans begin to make plans to travel and enjoy the great outdoors. — Many say that it’s important to live in the moment as the reopening progresses, and a majority agree that they value friends, family and leisure time more now. Stories this week: Americans’ travel plans pick up How will 2021 travel spending compare to previous years? How Americans value their friends…

Americans are venturing out little by little and growing more confident, but barriers to fully vaccinating the nation remain. — Stories this week: Parents are more hesitant about COVID-19 vaccine Parents still have mixed feelings about the vaccine for kids The last pandemic Mother’s Day? Fathers are most confident about job security Transitioning out of survival mode As the New York region speeds towards reopening, residents adjust their COVID risk calculus

Ahead of Mother’s Day, it’s clear the toll the pandemic has had on families, particularly mothers. That’s making all eager (but cautious) to leave the home this summer. — Stories this week: After a hard year, mothers are feeling more hopeful Family summer plans Fear of COVID still conditions what Americans plan to do this summer Young Americans more likely to receive Johnson & Johnson jab After a hard year, mothers are feeling more hopeful

Confidence in the future of the economy soars to the highest point in 19 years, but is the nation approaching a “vaccine wall?” — Americans are confident that a return to full economic strength is just around the corner, but the signals suggest that progress on vaccinations may begin to get bumpier. Data highlights of the past week: Expectations have never been higher Americans are optimistic that tomorrow will be better than today, with measures of future outlook around personal finances, the economy and employment…

Does the pace of vaccination indicate the U.S. will be back to normal soon? — The US has passed a new milestone in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic — more people have received the first dose of the vaccine (27 million and counting) than the total number of test-positive coronavirus cases (26 million and counting). …

Can President Biden’s calls for unity help bridge the partisan divide and sway Americans who have not accepted Trump’s loss? — Upon taking office, President Joe Biden faces a nation divided. His approval ratings, the consequence of a 70-point partisan divide, serve as a reminder that the polarization of the Trump era is poised to spill over into the next. However, this partisan disagreement has not completely chipped away at Biden’s…

America’s alternate versions of reality run far deeper than beliefs around election legitimacy. — An event like the storming of the U.S. Capitol does not occur in a vacuum. The underlying forces and belief systems that culminated in a mob descending on the halls of Congress have been building for some time. The fault lines in the nation’s understanding of what is fact and…

Many still believe that the coronavirus was developed in a laboratory in China. — A schism in Americans’ understanding of the threat that the coronavirus pandemic represents appeared early on in the crisis and has lingered throughout the year. This divide is deeply engrained across partisan lines, with Democrats consistently indicating the highest levels of concern about the pandemic. By contrast, less than half…