After interviewing more than three dozen BIPOC elders 50 to 80 years of age, we found most low and moderate-income elders are struggling desperately. Their living conditions, in public senior housing, assisted living, and not-quite-affordable market housing is very often deplorable: These are tiny living spaces, no storage, often dirty/stained, and with infestations (at no fault of their own), with poor air quality, and absolutely no green spaces. The health of these elders had become compromised, suffering from joint problems, asthma, hypertension, depression, anxiety, loneliness, despair, and at times, suicidal ideation. Not due so much to their age, but due to the deplorable living conditions, and lack of relationship or community. The above conditions can manifest as Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, along with manifestations of physically terminal and debilitating illnesses. This should not be, and we want to remedy this forgotten population and create community, relationships, and healthy living environments for them. When Gov. Healey spoke about opening state-owned land to build affordable housing, the Grandmothers’ Village Project attempted to schedule a meeting with her. Twice she canceled the meeting and the third time she just didn’t bother to respond. Viewing her posts on social media, I often wondered if she will only meet with an organization if there is a press photo opportunity. If this is true, it’s very sad that she will not meet with her constituents without the photo op! What needs to happen: We need a new and vibrant method of building affordable housing in Massachusetts. This housing should be off-grid electrified using solar, hydrothermal or geothermal methods of energy. We know about the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act), the Biden Justice 40 Initiative, and other programs that are now available from the Federal government to afford the average, individual person a way to greenify and electrify their homes. This money is available for organizations and businesses as well. So, my question to Gov. Healey is this: Why not allow smaller organizations to build this desperately needed housing in a way that will never burden low-income folks financially. Nor will it cause illness through toxic building materials. Nor be so small that people are forced to downsize to a place of having nothing left that is meaningful to them. Gov. Healey cannot allow just the big developers to come in and build their status quo, cheap, toxic materialed housing where they pile as many people inside as possible. Their housing developments will be fossil-fueled creating a deeper burden financially for low and moderate-income residents. The Grandmothers’ Village Project would like to see all new housing built to be green and off the grid. We want to build it! We need your support! Please Sign this petition!

Former President Donald J. Trump is facing 37 federal charges, including 31 violations of the Espionage Act, for stealing from and refusing to return top-secret nuclear and military documents to the government. Trump believes he is above the law, and the outcome of this federal case is critical to proving to the nation that he is not. It’s imperative that an impartial, trustworthy judge oversee this high-stakes trial. Judge Cannon is not this person. Last year, Judge Cannon wrongfully intervened in the Department of Justice investigation into Trump’s withholding of classified documents, barring the DOJ from using the seized materials in the continued investigation. Her ruling was ultimately reversed by a conservative court, citing she had no authority to intervene. She claimed to be protecting his reputation as former president of the United States, but the court responded with, “To create a special exception here would defy our nation’s foundational principle that our law applies ‘to all, without regard to numbers, wealth, or rank.’” It’s clear she did not adhere to the mandate of equal justice under the law. Despite federal law requiring judges to recuse themselves when their “impartiality might reasonably be questioned” or when they have “a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party,” she has yet to do so. And with the stakes this high, we can’t wait any longer for a judge with integrity to oversee this trial. Chief Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga has authority under federal law and internal court procedure to reassign a new judge to this case, one who will prioritize equal justice under the law. Photo credit: Illustrated / AP Photo / Southern District of Florida

It will help ease suffering to many families, provide more research opportunities, and give newborns / kids a chance to thrive even with a rare illness or genetic disorder

Starbucks workers will not be silenced. Just this weekend, Starbucks Workers United striked over Starbucks’ hypocritical treatment of LGBTQIA+ workers and their illegal union-busting campaign. 21 stores temporarily closed, including the flagship Reserve Roastery in Seattle. This is historic – there has never been a strike on queer and trans workers rights. Starbucks has built its business on claims of being a progressive company. Yet all too often, its actions don't live up to these proclaimed values. Reports and videos of managers refusing to allow rainbow flags are not the first attacks on the queer workers and customers who help drive their stories. Let's hold Starbucks accountable and make it clear that we're not buying their empty claims to be a good company.

People like this man don't deserve to walk the streets of this world, and be okay with what they've done. The judicial system is messed up.

A father, a mentor, and an innovator - Jordan Ricks' story is one of resilience and the fight for justice. In 2019, he turned to the Vestavia Police Department for help during a car trouble, only to face a harrowing ordeal: he was subjected to a brutal beating, rendered unconscious by a taser, and wrongfully arrested. The trauma from this incident left him scarred, haunted by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Fast forward to 2021, and Jordan Ricks found himself a victim of racial profiling once again by the Vestavia Police Department. The deep-seated PTSD, stemming from the 2019 incident, resurfaced and tragically led him to flee, resulting in the accidental death of Robyn Herring-Naftel. Despite the circumstances, he took responsibility for his actions and pleaded guilty to Reckless Manslaughter. Remarkably, the forensic psychologist who diagnosed him with PTSD was silenced and barred from testifying during the trial. Alabama's stance on PTSD as "Diminished Capacity" denied him the chance to present his diagnosis as a valid defense. Currently serving a 17-year sentence, Jordan Ricks has been incarcerated for only 2.5 years. His record stands devoid of prior convictions, while his contributions as a respected mentor, coach, and teacher have made him a pillar within his community. Notably, he engaged in the Black Technology Mentorship program based in Silicon Valley, both as a mentor and mentee. He tirelessly advocated for greater representation of Black voices and minds in the rapidly evolving technology sector. Jordan Ricks' quest for justice and a reduced sentence is a plea for a fair chance at redemption. His story underscores the importance of signatures to bring him back to court, a chance to be heard anew. Let us rally behind this cause, helping him gather as many signatures as possible. In doing so, we contribute to a larger movement for justice and compassion. Sign the petition today to stand for the rights of a father, a mentor, and an innovator who seeks a chance to rebuild his life and continue making a positive impact on the world.

Antonio Robinson is well known in his community. He is a licensed Barber, owns his own moving company and started investing in property. Each year he gives back to families by giving out free cuts and backpacks at the start of the school year. He is a dedicated father to all his children and is very active in their lives, school, and other activities. Antonio is a black male that grew up in Monroe NC. He was taken from his parents at a young age and went from foster home to foster home. He went back to school to get his GED and then went on to college. He is a licensed barber and master educator. I am fighting for justice for Antonio because the system is not treating him fairly. I have done my research and pulled all other persons in jail with him that are of a different race and have the same or higher charges but their bonds are way lower. Also Antonio’s charges have been dismissed but they still have him under a 1.5 million dollar bond.

Trader Joe's is a company that carefully cultivates a progressive reputation. But over the past few years, we have seen the company culture shift from a workplace with incredible pay, benefits, and atmosphere, to a company with increasing turnover, declining benefits, and stagnating wages. The pandemic put those changes into stark relief as “essential” workers everywhere were asked to risk their health in order to keep the economy going. These two factors—the company’s internal changes and the pandemic—made it clear that we needed to have a say in our workplace, and that a union was the only answer to that need. A union could also bring Trader Joe’s back into alignment with its own core values, the values that had made it a great place to work and shop in the first place. Even though we have won elections in four stores, Trader Joe’s continues to union bust and refuse to bargain in good faith. Recently, Trader Joe’s fired Steve Andrade, one of the crew members in Hadley, MA for completely frivolous reasons. In his termination paperwork, management claimed that a power tool belonged to Steve, and its presence in the store created a safety issue serious enough to warrant firing him. The catch? This tool didn’t even belong to Steve. In fact, the tool was at the store long before Steve started working in Hadley nine years ago. Since we won our first union election, we’ve heard from hundreds of crew members across the country eager to unionize their stores, and we are helping many of them organize right now. But instead of allowing the free and fair elections they promised their workers, or bargaining in good faith, Trader Joe’s has hired a union-busting law firm and is fighting us every step of the way. Trader Joe’s has fired union supporters, threatened and coerced workers, and continues to drag their feet at the bargaining table. We can only win when we stand together in solidarity. Can you take a moment to sign our petition to demand that Trader Joe’s stop union-busting and reinstate workers fired for organizing?

More than half of US states are almost certain or likely to ban abortion now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v Wade. Several states already have abortion bans on the books, which are now put in motion with the federal government no longer protecting reproductive rights. With new and proposed abortion bans, tens of millions of people have lost access to this fundamental healthcare. We need to ensure that our Congressman does everything he can to preserve women's rights to bodily autonomy.

Israel Saldana and Michael Maldonado are two of many people who were either convicted when they were children, or who were given sentences way out of proportion to their crimes, or who are still in prison years after others with identical criminal histories have been released. They are two of the many who have grown and changed during their years in prison. Excessive sentences like theirs are part of the reason Wisconsin's prison racial disparities are, by many measures, worst in the nation.

Tragically, there is a pattern of abuse and killings of Indigenous women and a lack of accountability on the part of those in power to fully investigate, bring justice to families, and take the steps necessary to stop the violence. More concerted, proactive efforts are needed around the investigation into Mika's killing and the threats to Indigenous women overall. We need answers about the many inconsistencies in the investigation, and we need transparency because the Montana Highway Patrol and other local authorities seem unwilling to work with Mika's family and the community to do comprehensive casework. This is not unique in cases involving Indigenous women—which is why federal intervention is so critical and why law enforcement agencies must take threats against Indigenous women seriously when they occur. Mika, a member of the Blackfeet tribe, was also Diné (Navajo), Cree, and Klamath. She loved basketball, snowboarding, skateboarding, and running. Mika enjoyed spending time with her family, and she was an award-winning poet and videographer. Her inexplicable death is a tragedy for the community. I’m in close contact with Mika's loved ones, who are doing whatever they can to find answers, and they hope to bring awareness to the disproportionate violence enacted against Indigenous women—significantly higher than for other demographics—and the systemic failures that perpetuate it. Law enforcement officials and the public do not devote the scale of resources and attention to support Indigenous women that they should, even though each individual who is missing or murdered has a family who loves them and continues to grieve. Tell the Department of Justice to investigate the death of Mika Westwolf—and dedicate additional resources to missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW) cases. In addition to signing the petition, please participate in the awareness walks we are doing at the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana from June 13th-16th. More information can be found at MikaMatters.com

The People's Hearing is a vital part of this year’s Pennsylvania Climate Convergence, taking place as our climate clock rapidly counts down. By the time we convene on October 2, there will be just five years left to avert the most catastrophic consequences of climate change. The urgency of this moment cannot be overstated. The impacts of climate change are not distant threats—they are here, affecting communities across our state. Pennsylvania's failure to take swift and aggressive action to transition away from fossil fuels perpetuates these problems. We urge you to act now, rejecting false climate solutions masquerading as progress. This hearing should not be necessary. If you had heeded the voices of countless Pennsylvanians who have called for climate action—those who have met with you, submitted comments to DEP dockets, testified at DEP public hearings, written letters, marched, rallied, protested, and even risked arrest—you would have already taken decisive climate action. Join us on October 2, 2023, and stand with the people of Pennsylvania in the fight against climate change.