Why Springfield Needs to Act Now Our LGBTQ+ neighbors are under attack. Recent events show why sanctuary cities are more crucial than ever: • Supreme Court threats: The Supreme Court is being asked to overturn marriage equality in a case they'll consider this fall. SCOTUS has also upheld Tennessee's ban on youth gender-affirming care and Trump’s trans military ban  • Right next door: New Hampshire just became the ONLY state in New England to ban gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth, making Massachusetts a critical refuge for families across our border • Nationwide bathroom restrictions: 19 states now restrict where transgender people can use public restrooms - increasingly people get harassed to prove their gender • 988 LGBTQ+ Suicide Hotline Faces Funding Cut: HHS proposes ending government funding putting thousands of young lives at risk • Local hate crimes: Even in progressive Northampton, Pride flags were stolen and burned in the streets Springfield can be a beacon of safety and inclusion! Sign this petition to show Springfield City Council that our community demands action.   Sign if you are: ·       A Springfield, MA resident who supports LGBTQ+ rights (your signature carries the most weight with City Council) ·       A Western Massachusetts resident who cares about regional LGBTQ+ safety ·       Anyone who believes all people deserve safety and dignity ·       Ready to make Springfield a sanctuary for our most vulnerable neighbors   Springfield resident signatures will be highlighted when delivered to City Council, with broader regional support noted separately to show the widespread concern for LGBTQ+ rights in our area.   Every signature matters - sign now and share with your friends, family, and neighbors across Western Mass!   Important Note: This is a community advocacy petition to demonstrate public support for LGBTQ+ sanctuary status in Springfield. This is not an official ballot initiative or legally binding referendum. The petition will be delivered to Springfield City Council to show community demand for action on this issue. Organized by Rise Up Western Mass Indivisible (RUWMI)   #SpringfieldSanctuary #LGBTQRights #MassachusettsValues

The United States has a long and distressing past of mass incarceration. It is widely acknowledged in sociological and political studies that mass incarceration disproportionately affects black people. According to the Sentencing Project, there is an average of 6.7 black individuals to one white individual currently incarcerated in Michigan. Black people make up 13% of the entire US population, yet are the highest incarcerated demographic in the US at 32%.  Mass incarceration creates a cycle of disadvantage that affects individuals, families, and even entire neighborhoods. Family members are removed from their homes, directly impacting family relationships and childhoods. Social networks are broken, and community members experience a disruption in collective action. This evokes financial strain and further emotional stress in communities that are intentionally left without resources to support themselves.   James Jones is a black man born and raised in the city of Detroit who has endured a wrongful conviction and was initially targeted by the Detroit Police Department.  With the current state of this country, we need to change these trends of devastation in the black community and fight back through awareness and direct action!! Help communities such as James' experience the return of a beloved son, father, and scholar. Repair these social networks and restore black communities!! Sources: • https://www.americanprogress.org/article/mass-incarceration-stress-black-infant-mortality/ • https://www.sentencingproject.org/research/us-criminal-justice-data/ • https://www.sentencingproject.org/reports/mass-incarceration-trends/

Overturning gay marriage on a federal level creates issues where couples will cross state lines and their marriage will no longer be recognized. If you go to the hospital in a state where they don’t recognize your marriage, then your partner cannot legally see you or have anything to do with you. Gay parents can’t adopt. Insurance will be in upheaval. This is another way for the GOP to distract and to weaken their opponents.

Why this is important: Every second counts in an overdose crisis. People using test strips are often in high-stress, low-light, or chaotic environments — shelters, bathrooms, street corners, or nightclubs. A split-second misread can mean the difference between life and death. We are losing tens of thousands of lives every year to fentanyl — not because tests don’t work, but because results aren’t clear. This isn’t a chemistry problem. It’s a communication problem — and one we can solve today. A simple shift in visual logic can save lives immediately — without costly materials, or new manufacturing

Arizona was already facing a hunger crisis before the passage of the Big, Ugly Bill. Food banks across the state serve nearly 1 million residents—including children and seniors—who rely on SNAP to put meals on the table. Now, this bill will take away food assistance from hundreds of thousands of people and will cut Medicaid and health care coverage for more than 300,000 Arizonans—especially in rural areas, where hospitals may close and care disappear. Arizona deserves better, and we will not let you get away with taking away our essential programs. AZ says fight for our families! 

Why should others join us in this call for change? Because we all deserve to be heard. We are concerned citizens of Missouri’s 8th District—workers, parents, students, veterans, farmers, and neighbors—who are tired of being ignored by the very people elected to represent us. Congressman Jason Smith has a duty to be accessible and transparent, but he continues to avoid open public town halls. This isn’t about party politics—it’s about accountability. When elected officials refuse to face their constituents, democracy breaks down. We’re standing up together to demand better. To demand answers. To demand a government that listens and responds. And we know that the more of us who speak out, the harder we are to ignore. Join us. Raise your voice. Because real change only happens when we stand together.

The proposed Land Use Framework would allow for more affordable housing, more transit-oriented development, and more ecologically sustainable development along the Broadway corridor from Devon to Montrose.

This isn’t radical. It’s the bare minimum. We can’t keep piecemealing child safety and pretending “parental rights” always mean protection. The U.S. claims to champion human rights abroad—yet here at home, we allow religion and ideology to silence abuse victims. “The United States is the only country in the UN that has not ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child—and likely never will, due to entrenched opposition around national sovereignty and so-called “parental rights.”” Far-right groups like Moms for Liberty are pushing for total parental control over education while ignoring the fact that children are being abused under their watch. Expanding “parental rights” without guardrails is not protection—it’s complicity. Think of Jonestown. Waco. Ruby Franke. The Turpins. The Duggars. Warren Jeffs. I was one of those kids. We must confront a hard truth: “Freedom of religion” has too often meant freedom to harm—and freedom from accountability. Court decisions like Wisconsin v. Yoder have left generations of children vulnerable by placing religious and parental rights above basic safety. While religious freedom is vital, it must have common-sense boundaries—especially when it comes to protecting children. It’s time to face this issue head-on and establish clear legal limits that put child safety first. Child safety must come first. Always. Kids deserve to know how to protect themselves. We can’t fight abuse if we keep it hidden. Sign now to demand Congress pass the Every Child Safe Act.  Share this petition. Use #EveryChildSafeAct to break the silence and protect kids nationwide. We have the power to create a country where every child is protected, educated, and free from abuse. Let’s make that real. "Child abuse casts a shadow the length of a lifetime." - Herbert Ward

Measles, once declared eliminated in the U.S., is making a devastating comeback with a vengeance. In fact, the United States is experiencing one of the worst measles outbreaks in over three decades—with more than 1,200 cases already reported across the country this year. Yet Congress continues to underfund two of the most essential vaccination programs in the country: Vaccines for Children (VFC) and Section 317 of the Public Health Service Act (PHSA). These programs provide free vaccines for children whose families can’t afford them, fund immunization infrastructure across states, and help keep preventable diseases like measles, from spreading unchecked. The only way to stop this outbreak is to invest in vaccinations NOW! Sign the petition now! 

We need our New Jersey state legislature to protect our state from the threats from the federal government on our most vulnerable residents and our democracy. Last week's budget cuts threaten food and housing security. Due to the astronomical increase in ICE funding, we anticipate that actions taken by DHS will increase to the level seen in California, including tanks and military being deployed to MacArthur Park. We have elected our legislators to fight for New Jersey and we need them to be able to react urgently to the unprecedented attacks on our state coming from D.C.

Rankos Stadium Pharmacy independently operates the 75 year old USPS Postal Substation in the Historical Stadium District of Tacoma, WA.  Rankos' Pharmacy pays for operations, training, staffing, ordering, renting the space, renting required equipment (we have a lease with the meter company and pay many fees), upkeep, and more.  Rankos' Pharmacy's team does all we can to provide excellent mailing services to our community.  We are independent and have been loyal, devoted, and served our community's mailing needs through USPS consistently over 75 years and through COVID -19. We offer this service to everyone in our community and we do so to provide the best service and mailing access possible.  People receive exceptional care whether they are choosing one perfect stamp for their important letter, or multiple rolls of stamps....everyone is valued and served with respect and gratitude. The businesses in the Stadium District are dwindling and we simply can't lose another service or entity.  We have not even had a pay increase since the early 80's and the USPS Station is a true, community service.    Our community will be negatively impacted if we lose the Postal Station.   This termination threat impacts people in our community who rely on us, our business, our staff, our morale, and our services. We do NOT accept termination of our agreement.  We are committed to decreasing all barriers to equitable access to our care and the services we provide. Thank you!! 

Protect Seniors. Preserve Affordable Housing. Push Back on Displacement. The Flying Saucer RV Park in Sheridan, Colorado has been home to dozens of low-income seniors for decades. Now, it’s under threat. A private developer plans to bulldoze the park to build high-end apartments — but only if the city approves a rezoning request. That means the City of Sheridan has a choice: Displace elderly residents who rely on this park as their last affordable option, OR Stand up for housing justice and stop the cycle of community erasure. Why This Matters: • Real People, Real Lives: Seniors on fixed incomes, veterans, and longtime residents will be forced out — many with nowhere else to go. • A Precedent-Setting Fight: Losing this park would open the floodgates for other low-cost communities to be wiped out for profit. •  No Plan for Relocation: There is no safety net. This is not just a move — it's potential homelessness. • Community Over Corporations: Zoning decisions should reflect the needs of the people — not out-of-state developers. 🗣️ Take Action Now: Tell the Sheridan City Council: No Rezoning. No Displacement. 🖊️ Sign the petition 📢 Attend the council meeting 📨 Email your representatives Let’s make it clear:  Affordable housing isn’t disposable. Our elders deserve dignity, not eviction.