Dear friends,
There is an unbreakable link between education and activation, because once we better understand what’s going on, we know what to do and why we need to do it.
StoryCorps, the folks who bring us stories to build social connections and “create a more just and compassionate world,” have collected some great stories about teachers in honor of Teacher Appreciation Day.
Check out some StoryCorps stories about teachers.
Perhaps you saw the alarming news that the US Treasury could run out of money and default on our debts as soon as next month. The debt ceiling must be raised, but if you’re not really sure what the debt ceiling is or why there’s a debate or what this means, let a regular mom explain it to you.
Watch the video on the debt ceiling and then contact your member of Congress to demand they raise the ceiling. The video and action are from Moms Rising.
Yesterday, I wrote about the nefarious efforts to derail civics education in the state of Texas. In the long run, I believe that efforts to squash civics education will ultimately backfire, in the same way that censorship of books does.
It’s nice to see young people proving me right. Note: This does not make it okay to snuff out civics education.
Sunrise climate activists in Texas are behind a municipal charter proposal in El Paso that would
prohibit the use of city water for extraction projects outside city limits, such as in the Permian Basin, which makes up roughly 40% of all US oil production.
On May 6, El Paso voters will vote on “Proposition K” and the Environmental Voter Project is on the phone to turn out voters.
Get involved with the Environmental Voter Project and support their work!
An email today from Third Act — the experienced Americans who are putting our time and resources into cleaning up the messes we will otherwise leave behind — reported that two of the four big US banks that have been the target of Third Act protests for funding the climate crisis have contacted the group to discuss their investment policies. Very mature, and very necessary.
Some of the folks from VOCAL-NY and Third Act outside Citibank headquarters last week.
Get involved with Third Act and use your life experience, skills and resources to build a better tomorrow.
Over the weekend, young queer organizers responded to the Montana legislature’s vote to censure Representative Zooey Zephyr by throwing an outdoor lovefest. As Garrett Bucks observed
A movement can’t disrupt calcified power structures if it doesn’t first make the people harmed by those power structures feel loved and connected. We can build a great deal with a strong community.
You can support the organizers by donating to Queer Joy Missoula.
Bucks also wrote about Zephyr’s lawsuit against Montana Republicans. His sister is one of the co-plaintiffs. He reminds us that his sister, like most people,
is an incredibly busy parent for whom “politics” often feels distant, uninspiring and impenetrable. She is not in the habit of joining State Representatives in suing Republican legislative supermajorities. Quite frankly, so much of this— the media attention, the polished statements, the inevitable trolls in the comments— feels really scary to her.
Most of us are scared and busy and would rather not have to stand up and fight, but the love for one another that brings us together and the education we get in the process is what makes us fully human.
Sign the petition from the Montana Federation of Public Employees to call on Montana Speaker Matt Regier to stop silencing dissent.
Last week was National Library Week and I forgot to celebrate — because every day is library day. Still, I have been remiss because I have not introduced you to Mychal Threets, or mychal3ts as he’s known on Instagram.
This young librarian embodies the values of love, learning, and transformation; he shares amazing real-life stories from his work in a public library.
If you're not on Instagram, ask a young person to help you.
with love,
L