Hi, all, and happy Monday!
Hope you had a great weekend and got a bit of a mental health break.
I went to see a production of “Into the Woods” at the Ahmanson Theater on Saturday. I’d heard people gushing about it and needed to get off of my computer (and out of the heat) for a few hours, so decided to buy a last minute cheap ticket and go by myself.
I knew absolutely nothing about the musical and had fairly low expectations, but I must say I was very pleasantly surprised. It was fantastic, and turned out to be just the thing I needed at this moment in time. I’d been feeling weighed down by the week’s climate events—talk about a giant in the woods!—and so enjoyed the wonderful diversion.
Strangely to me, I found myself in tears during the final song. When I was trying to figure out why afterwards I realized that the entire musical is about facing down terrifying things, especially in the name of your children. It’s also about the strange and wonderful alliances that get forged when existential threats arise, and how those alliances can accomplish together what no single person could do alone.
No wonder it made me cry.
If you happen to live in Los Angeles I can’t recommend going highly enough. The performances are just stellar. It’s a dark musical, but we’re living in dark times, and the hope this production is able to convey despite its frank acknowledgement of the “monsters” we face is deeply moving.
Speaking of hope, let’s go find some through our actions right now.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I just learned that Samuel Alito’s wife leased land to an oil and gas company while Justice Alito ruled for oil and gas companies in the biggest environmental case of this term. I am furious. What is it going to take for the Senate to do something about this deeply corrupt court? This is a crisis and the Senator should act like it. Push for investigations, call for ethics reforms, call for court expansion, call for term limits. We need drastic measures. This court is broken.
[If Democrat add:] Also, I want the Senator to oppose all of the conservative “culture war” amendments in the House version of the NDAA. Absolutely unacceptable—do not vote for them. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m calling to urge the Congressmember to oppose the effort by 23 House members to gut SNAP benefits and divert Inflation Reduction Act funding for climate-smart agriculture to wealthy farmers in Grain Belt states. These cuts would cause small, independent farmers in 30 states to lose out on hundreds of millions of dollars of much-needed assistance. These are the very farmers who are doing the most to combat climate change by reducing agricultural emissions which are quickly approaching 30% of all US emissions.
Please stand up for people and the planet by working to ensure this terrible plan doesn’t become law. Thanks. [H/T Climate Action Now app and more info here]
Extra Credit ✅
The US Department of Health and Human Services is evaluating a proposed rule that would prevent states from obtaining private health information “for a criminal, civil, or administrative investigation into or proceeding against any person in connection with seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating reproductive health care … outside of the state where the investigation or proceeding is authorized” and “is lawful in the state where it is provided.”
Republican Attorneys General are trying to stop AG Becerra from implementing the rule. Alan Unell, from whom this action comes, has more in his newsletter. Let’s read his short explainer and then fight back.
How? Let’s send an email to Secretary Becerra at xavier.becerra@hhs.gov and say something like the below:
Subject: HHS Rule Protecting Medical Patient Records from Law Enforcement
Secretary Becerra,
My name is [name] and I live in [city, state]. Please implement the rule that protects patient records of those seeking abortion or gender affirming care from law enforcement who want to prosecute them or their doctors or those who help them. This campaign of terror and intimidation has got to stop.
Thank you.
Get Smart! 📚
Please join Alliance For Justice, an amazing organization focussed on court reform, on Wednesday, July 19 at 2pm EDT for a conversation about the role of art in organizing and activism.
Alliance for Justice President Rakim H.D. Brooks will join author Ken Grossinger, podcast host and activist DeRay Mckesson, and Prairie Rivers Network Executive Director Maggie Bruns to discuss Grossinger’s new book, Art Works: How Organizers and Artists are Creating a Better World Together.
They will discuss historical and current examples of art and activism, how the organizing world can better incorporate art, and how we can all create a better world.
You can sign-up to join the conversation here.
Chop Wood, Save the Planet! 🔥
According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, 30% of food is wasted globally across the entire supply chain. Wasted food alone accounts for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the emissions of the aviation and shipping sectors combined.
Join the folks from the Climate Action Now App and their panel of experts to get a clear view of the problem and its solutions, and then use the app to advocate for effective public policy. Special attention will be paid to food waste provisions of the 2023 Farm Bill.
Wednesday, July 19, at 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET
Registration required
Give 💰!
I’m putting this here even though it’s not technically a fundraiser because it’s directed to those who might consider becoming monthly donors to NOPE Neighbors’s excellent fund, Organize for Democracy.
You’re invited to a small ZOOM gathering this Weds 7/17, 7-8 PM EDT to learn how community organizing in swing states demonstrably impacted Democratic wins in 2020 and 2022 and what plans are forming for winning 2024. Join NOPE to engage with Evan Kost, Director of Investor Strategy for America Votes, the nationwide coordinating hub of grassroots work for the progressive community.
Please RSVP HERE by today.
Can’t make it? Please consider making a donation to NOPE’s fantastic (and extremely strategic) Organize for Democracy ActBlue slate.
Win Races! 🗳
Vote Save America is holding a social media training on Wednesday, July 19th at 8pm ET/7pm CT to teach volunteers to create mobilizing content to share with Ohioans ahead of the August 8th special. If you somehow don’t know anyone in Ohio, you’ll also be creating content to recruit friends to come phonebank!
The biggest hurdle to victory in this election is the awareness gap—many pro-choice Ohioans don’t even know that there’s an election, and even if they do, it might not be immediately obvious how important it is. Your help is needed to bridge that gap.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[to your two Senators] [H/T] [Quick send text SIGN PWMDIO to 50409]
I’m furious that Sen. Tommy Tuberville's tantrum over the Defense Department's policy of covering travel expenses for service members seeking abortions has now blocked more than 270 military promotions.
Now, as the U.S. supplies cluster bombs to Ukraine, the Marine Corps is without a Senate-confirmed leader for the first time in 150+ years. If Tuberville doesn't knock it off soon, the Army and Navy will be in a similar position.
This tantrum is costing servicemembers and their families. People are taking on work they are not being compensated for; it could impact their retirement benefits; it has created financial and logistical burdens for troops’ families. The school year begins in less than a month and parents are unable to make decisions about housing. It's truly ridiculous.
Our troops and their families don't deserve this disrespect. Our country cannot afford it. We don't have time for Tuberville’s selfish and irresponsible antics. Tell him to knock it off or encourage the Majority Leader to change the rules to go around him. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Into the woods is one of my very favorite Suntime musicals. Children will listen brings me to tears every time and the princes singing agony is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. And everything in between is pretty great too.
Thank you for pointing us to postcard writing. A hardy small,group,of Maine islanders just sent ~500 stamped, addressed, written, underlined cards to Ohio voters urging them to vote NO on Issue 1 August 8.