Erika Beras

Reporter

SHORT BIO

Erika Beras is a former reporter at Marketplace. She has covered wealth & poverty, aging and other beats for Marketplace's programs.

Latest Stories (345)

Sometimes, doctors and residencies don't match

Apr 26, 2021
"Matching" with a residency program is like a game of musical chairs, with more medical school grads than residency slots.
Despite the country's growing need for physicians, many would-be doctors are having difficulty matching into residency programs.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

Gymnast Simone Biles leaves Nike for Athleta

Apr 23, 2021
The Olympic gold medalist's move to the smaller activewear company focused on women may be a sign of new standards for sponsorships.
Athleta provides a platform that aligns with Simone Biles' priorities, like advocating for women in sports.
Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

USDA extension of free lunches gives schools something to count on

Apr 22, 2021
An estimated 12 million children in the United States don't always have enough to eat.
Some schools districts ended up feeding fewer students overall than when all schooling was in person. With many students returning to in-person school, this will no doubt change during the 2021-2022 school year.
Jon Cherry/Getty Images

Waves of giving follow racial equity crises

Apr 5, 2021
Billions of dollars were donated to social justice causes in 2020. Deciding where and when to allocate resources can be hard.
In the months following George Floyd's death, people donated billions of dollars to social justice and racial equity groups.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Finding enough airline pilots to hire after the pandemic might be tough

Apr 2, 2021
It’s not easy or affordable to become a pilot, so it's often out of reach for low-income students.
The number of pilots needed for the expected air travel boom may not be available.
Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images

Diaper banks have been struggling to keep up with demand

Mar 30, 2021
Diaper banks provide free diapers and often other infant supplies to parents who need them. This year, they're busier than ever.
Kids use anywhere from five to 12 diapers a day (or more) for the first three years of their lives. That’s an expense of at least $80 a month. And that doesn’t include wipes.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Slack's walkback of its new DM feature is a sign of user power

Mar 25, 2021
Within hours of launching Connect DMs, Slack changed the new feature in response to users' concerns about potential abuse.
One expert says that Slack responding to critics within a few hours means prolonged beta testing may be a thing of the past.
Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images

Google plans to invest $7 billion in real estate nationwide

Mar 18, 2021
CEO Sundar Pichai says the expansion plan is part of the company's efforts to diversify its workforce racially and geographically.
One of the reasons Google says it's branching out into new locations is to make connections with new communities.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Financial aid applications are down. Does that mean fewer college students?

Mar 18, 2021
The pandemic seems to be causing students to put off applying for financial aid, which may mean they're putting off college.
Applications are down 9% compared to this time last year, said MorraLee Keller with the National College Attainment Network. She said some of the decline may be due to uncertainty.
designer491 via Getty Images

How smokers have boosted state tax revenue during the pandemic

Mar 16, 2021
Some states got an unexpected bump from tobacco taxes. The number of people smoking has declined steadily, except in 2020.
A fair amount of money gained from "sin taxes" on products like tobacco helps fund antismoking campaigns.
China Photos/Getty Images