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For Kids: Support, Don’t Report
Action for Kids: Get Familiar With a Story Unlike Your Own
Join Revolutionary Humans 25 Actions of Kindness.
“Did you know? You can’t actually move through the world with true kindness without considering and appreciating perspectives outside your own. A lot of people are successful at being polite but not necessarily thoughtful and kind.
Today, look up a story, a blog post, an article, etc. written by or about a person in a marginalized group that YOU personally need to know more about it. How can you advocate for kindness towards and justice for all if you have no idea what others are up against?
For kids, share with them an age-appropriate version of what you find and balance any hardship tales with a positive perspective, too.
Don’t stop here. Daily actions are intentionally brief but the real challenge here is to continue seeking stories outside of your own. Know WHO you’re advocating for- we’re not acronyms, we’re people!“
– Bellamy via Revolutionary Humans
[Image& text via Bellamy of Revolutionary Humans: “Kindness as an action. 25 ways to make an impact. Get familiar with a story unlike your own” Via RevolutionaryHumans.com]
> Support Bellamy’s work here. <
Pick one: Quick Action
Thanks to our Quick-Action Coordinator, Shannon Brescher Shea, author of Growing Sustainable Together, for organizing these for us!
Tell Congress to stop glorifying guns & ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines now
via Moms Rising
Military-style semi-automatic assault weapons are the firearms of choice for mass shooters, used in mass shooting tragedies. There is absolutely no good reason for such weapons designed for the battlefield to be in civilian hands.
Tell EPA: Advance climate justice. Speed up and strengthen America’s power plant pollution rules
via Chesapeake Climate Action Network
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fallen WAY behind on several key rules to reduce fossil-fuel power plant pollution! These chronic delays have real-life health impacts on the American people, especially to low-income groups and communities of color. This petition calls on them to end the delays on climate, strengthen the soot standard for power plants, take action on coal ash, and implement cumulative impact analysis in permitting.
Demand Biden say no to LNG expansion
via Action for the Climate Emergency (group focused on empowering youth in climate justice)
The LNG (liquefied natural gas) industry made record profits last year. Meanwhile, an estimated 60% of Americans live paycheck-to-paycheck, struggling to make ends meet against rampant inflation and booming energy bills.
Tell the FDA: Use All Available Emergency Powers to Protect Access to Mifepristone Now
Via TakeItBack.org and Native Organizers Alliance Action Fund
Trump-appointed District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas suspended the FDA’s approval of one of the drugs in medication abortion, mifepristone, and set in motion what could result in a nationwide ban to take effect 7 days later if the ruling is not put on hold by the 5th Circuit Court or the U.S. Supreme Court pending appeal. The ruling even covers states like California, Michigan and Kansas where reproductive rights were recently affirmed by voters and also makes mailing mifepristone a federal crime. (This appears to have a hard deadline, but court actions often end up delayed, so could be a long-term thing too, depending on how it goes.)
ACT NOW: Condemn Tennessee House’s unjust expulsion of Reps. Jones & Pearson
Via Common Cause and Sunrise Movement
2 elected Tennessee lawmakers, Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson, have been expelled from the state House – for nothing more than chanting in solidarity with gun safety protestors. Adding insult to injury between the party line votes to expel these two young Black legislators, a few GOP lawmakers flipped their votes to prevent a third potential expulsion of Rep. Gloria Johnson, who is white.
Support Healthier School Meals
MomsRising.org
The Biden-Harris Administration is currently accepting public comments on a proposed rule to make nutrition standards for school meals healthier.
The proposed standards, which align with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), will lead to healthier food for the many schoolchildren who rely on school meals to learn and grow.
Urge Congress: Permanently expand SNAP benefits!
via Feeding America
At least $2.5 billion in monthly emergency food benefits are expiring nationwide, leaving millions of people facing a sudden financial cliff. Enrolled families with children will lose an average of $223 in monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and households with seniors will lose an average of $168.
Tell U.S. pharmacies: Provide abortion care to your customers!
via Ultraviolet
Walgreens has said that its pharmacies will not dispense or mail abortion prescriptions in states where Republican attorneys general have threatened lawsuits, including states where abortion is legal. Tell U.S. pharmacies to not give in to GOP bullying and protect their customers’ right to abortion care!
Legislate humane farming laws
via Ekō (formerly SumOfUs)
A new California law drastically increases the minimum space farms must give several different animals, both for animals farmed in the state and animal products imported into the state. Governments around the world should follow California’s lead. (I’d imagine this is pretty long-standing too.)
Tell the Secretary of Education you oppose book bans in public schools
via Moms Rising
Age-appropriate books about diverse communities, history, and LGBTQ+ families and communities are being challenged and banned across the nation. Tell Dr. Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education, that you oppose censorship and book bans in public schools.
Tell Congress to protect WIC and Child Care Block Grants to prevent childhood malnutrition
via Moms Rising
WIC (the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program) has experienced a 12% increase in child participation since 2020 and the program is expected to serve 6.5 million pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and young children in fiscal year 2024.
Urge Congress to support and increase funding for WIC and CCDCG (Child Care & Development Block Grant), important food and child care programs that lift up kids and families and our economy.
Georgians: Protect Healthcare for Trans Youth
via ASAN
We need your help! Send a message to Governor Brian Kemp, RIGHT NOW, and urge him to veto this attack on transgender youth, their families, and the medical community as a whole!
Senate Bill (SB) 140, a bill to restrict access to surgical procedures and hormone therapy related to gender-affirming care for transgender minors, has passed through the House and the Senate. It now heads to the Governor’s desk for either his signature, veto, or inaction until it automatically becomes law. The bill cites the fact that transgender people are more likely to be autistic or to have other developmental disabilities as a reason to ban gender-affirming care for all minors, effectively weaponizing stigma and bias against Autistic youth to target trans kids.
North Dakota: Stop Police From Beating Indigenous Youth
via NDN
“My child was picked up and slammed face-first onto the concrete by a school officer on what was supposed to be a fun night. Despite the fact that there was a crowd of people yelling at the officer to stop, and despite the fact that the officer’s violence left my child with a concussion, who is now being charged with ‘assaulting’ the officer.”
Take Action Now: Demand removal of onsite security and police from Rapid City, South Dakota Schools.
Tell the Biden Administration Not to Bring Back Trump’s Asylum Ban
via ACLU
“The Biden administration is taking comments from the public about its plan to bring back an asylum ban—a new version of one of the most anti-asylum seeker policies of the Trump era.”
Tell Congress: We need to address the youth mental health crisis
via Moms Rising
“The mental health crisis among children and adolescents was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it also highlighted the vulnerability of the mental health safety net system. It’s absolutely clear that the need for mental health screening, diagnostics, and evidence-based therapeutic services for families and children from infancy through adolescence is greater than ever. However, the United States was already failing to meet these needs even before the pandemic, especially for youth of color. But have no fear! There’s a way to change this issue so that our children’s mental health has a brighter future. ”
Protect WIC!
via Moms Rising
“With rising food costs, and increased program participation, it is more critical than ever that we strengthen WIC to provide pregnant people, new moms, infants, and toddlers with the nutrition assistance, formula, and breastfeeding counseling they so desperately need.”
Pass the Black Maternal Health Momnibus
via Moms Rising
“The United States is the most dangerous place to give birth among high-income countries. Black women are bearing the brunt of this crisis, losing their lives at 3 to 4 times the rate of white women due to maternity-related causes, independent of age, economic background, or education. Recent CDC data show that the majority of these deaths are preventable. Federal action is needed! The Momnibus is a robust package of evidence-based bills that we have momentum on—President Biden has already signed one bill into law, but Congress must pass the entire Momnibus.”
Ask Congress to address the youth mental health crisis
via Moms Rising
To develop effective solutions to the mental health crisis, Congress must provide effective resources to federal agencies to establish a comprehensive system of care to address mental and behavioral health needs for infants, children, and adolescents.
Additional Actions
Grownups: Believe Small Requests
Any decent ally understands that we’re supposed to ‘listen & believe’ targeted folks on what support looks like for us. But what does that actually look like in practice?
Listen to Anger & The Spectacle free episode to find out.
Heads up and a content warning: The episodes get off-the-rails goofy and explicit as the season progresses.
This is not a mild-mannered parenting podcast, and you will need headphones if listening with kiddos or anyone of decency within earshot.
Grownups: 2-click action for disability rights & keep us out of institutions
Text SIGN PUKNNW to 50409 or share this link to send a letter to your US senators
From ASAN:
“Many people with disabilities and aging adults rely on home- and community-based services (HCBS) to do things like get dressed, take care of our families, work, and participate in our communities…Right now, thousands of people can’t get the support they need… Tell Congress that we want to see them put in the work to keep us all safe and in our communities, and include at least $150 billion for HCBS in the next reconciliation package.”
Since most in our community have kids to care for, zero time, and social anxiety, I’ve created a simple resistbot petition & script spinning off ASAN’s step-by-step guide if you don’t have time for ASAN’s in-person advocacy training.
Text SIGN PUKNNW to 50409 or share this link to send a letter to your US senators
#FreeBlackMamas
“At National Bail Out, we have provided supportive services to everyone we’ve bailed out since 2017. Many of the Mamas and caregivers we bail out end up in cages because the state has failed to provide housing, employment opportunities, and health care. Most people are in cages because they are poor, Black, and in a time of crisis, whether it is a mental health crisis, an addiction crisis, an economic crisis, or an accumulation of crises. Instead of treating people with dignity and addressing the underlying cause of the crisis, our government responds to Black people in crisis by criminalizing and incarcerating us.“
Donate $15 to National Bail Out
Workshop & Trainings
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For Caregivers: Join The Summer Caregiver Collective
Via Raising Luminaries
Our Summer Parent Activist Collectives are virtual, seasonally-oriented 6-week experiments where radically progressive parents reflect, assess, and take action to make a laser-beam impact all year round.
Unlike single-issue workshops and online groups, we work together in small, private, interdependent cohorts to process & reflect, take accountability, and create specialized plans of action for the change we want to see.
It’s fun. You will like it. Come join us.
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For Kids: Support, Don’t Report
via Project Nia
In this Abolitionist Caregiver Space, we’ll talk about having conversations with kids about family policing and mandated reporting.
May 18, 2023: 6 – 7:30 pm EST. Free | Register here
Queenie’s Crew, a program of Project NIA, is engaging children in learning to building communities of care without prisons or policing. In this Abolitionist Caregiver Space, we’ll hear from Erin Miles Cloud about her experience talking to her kids about family policing and pod mapping to identify supportive people and resources for kids to talk about their experiences with harm. We’ll invite dialogue and discussion among parents and caregivers navigating these conversations in their own families and communities.
Join us to meet other abolitionist caregivers and learn more from each other about how we build safety together!
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For Adults: Revitalizing Food Systems
via Seeding Sovereignty
Learn about the impacts of the climate crisis and the solutions and strategies carried on through indigenous land stewardship traditions.
Free | Register here.
May 25, 2023: 4pm PST/5pm MST/7pm EST. Join us as we learn about the history of land, water, and seed, the threats and challenges of the climate crisis, and the movement of Acoma’s youth led food systems revitalization.
June 22, 2023: 4pm PST/5pm MST/7pm EST: Learn about the history of colonial violence, disruptions, and policy that has continuously attempted to erode and whitewash indigenous food sovereignty in Acoma Pueblo. We will also hear the stories and work of Acoma’s movement of youth and elders’ to revitalize the Pueblo’s seeds, agricultural knowledge, worldviews,and practices.
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Stay Curious, Stand Brave & Smash The Kyriarchy
You are amazing and maaagic. I appreciate the fact that you’re on this planet, raising awesome kiddos and leading this next generation of kind, clever and generous leaders.
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