This is important because this is our last year, and we love FFA want to represent it is as officers 

For more than 50 years, Title X has funded family planning clinics across the country, ensuring access to critical health services, including birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing, and more.  This is part of a broader effort to implement the Project 2025 agenda, which threatens not only abortion access, but birth control and reproductive health care more broadly, across the country.  Now, the Republican-led House Appropriations Committee has approved a plan to defund Title X in 2025. Soon, all House representatives will have a chance to vote for or against this radical policy change. Add your name to the petition to urge your representative NOW: Don’t defund Title X! 

Two Texas women, Kelsie Norris-De La Cruz and Kyleigh Thurman, were denied abortion care for their life-threatening ectopic pregnancies—and now they’re demanding the Biden administration investigate the hospitals for violating federal law. An ectopic pregnancy is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the first trimester. Texans deserve assurance that they’ll receive lifesaving care when they need it most. Since the fall of Roe v. Wade, Texas has enforced a near-total ban on abortion, with very limited exceptions. And Texas doctors who perform abortions risk life in prison, fines of up to $100,000, and revocation of their medical licenses. But hospitals are ultimately required to provide stabilizing care, including abortions, to patients with emergency medical conditions. Texas law clearly allows for abortions to treat dangerous ectopic pregnancies, and federal law requires it. And yet, both of these women were denied emergency care. Sign the petition to demand these Texas hospitals be held accountable for denying their patients lifesaving abortion care.

It's been two years since the Supreme Court shamefully overturned Roe v. Wade, stripping millions of Americans of their right to decide if, and when, to start a family. Many states have moved to enforce extremely restrictive laws on abortion—some as early as six weeks. In 14 states, abortion is banned in almost all circumstances.  As politicians nationwide continue to attack our bodily autonomy, voters need to know where our presidential candidates stand on reproductive rights. Vice President Harris deserves a chance to make her stance on abortion access crystal clear. Meanwhile, voters should hear exactly what President Trump means when he says that abortion should be “left up to the states” or “there has to be some form of punishment” for people seeking abortion care. Just this month, new reports surfaced of women with dangerous pregnancy complications who were forced to give birth due to state abortion bans, leading to serious and permanent health consequences. We need to hear from our candidates: What would you say to these women, their families, and the doctors and physicians sounding the alarm about the dangerous impacts of state abortion bans? And what would you say to Americans concerned that these bans have gone too far? As we head into the final stretch of this election season, abortion must be part of the public conversation so voters can support candidates who unequivocally fight for reproductive rights. Debate moderators must get our candidates on the record: What role does the federal government play in making sure that every American, regardless of where they live, can access a full range of essential reproductive health care, including abortion? Add your name to our petition now and urge moderators at ABC News to ask about abortion in the next presidential debate.

In early July, Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson shot 36-year-old Sonya Massey after she attempted to move a pot of water off of her stove at the officer’s request. Sonya Massey called the police for help after she was concerned about an intruder in her home. We must all demand justice for Sonya. What happened to her was unacceptable, and we cannot let this type of police violence, which is all too often directed against the Black men and Black women of our country, continue unchecked. We're demanding accountability for Sonya Massey and her family. And we're not alone. The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office has reportedly fired Grayson, who was later charged with first-degree murder. And the U.S. Department of Justice will also be investigating the tragic death of Sonya Massey. As long as police officers like Sean Grayson can continue to hop between law enforcement jobs, regardless of their criminal or professional records, our communities will have to suffer the type of police violence that cost Sonya Massey her life. We’ve had enough.  Demand local and federal officials deliver justice for Sonya Massey now!

Vice President Kamala Harris is a Black, South Asian, daughter of immigrants who has tirelessly advocated for and fought for our communities. She’s fought to raise the minimum wage, to protect our voting rights, to make higher education tuition-free, to reform the cash bail system, to expand access to health care, to hold sexual abusers accountable, to protect our reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy, to protect the LGBTQIA+ community, and so much more.  Harris has a proven track record of putting people over corporations by taking on fraudsters trying to cheat the American people—and winning, successfully going after Big Oil, greedy pharmaceutical companies, and predatory mortgage lenders to deliver wins for working people. This is what the media should focus on instead of racist and sexist attacks. Unfortunately, attacks against Black candidates, especially Black women candidates, are not new. When former Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the House of Representatives, ran for president, she was not taken seriously. When Stacey Abrams ran, Republicans talked about her relationship status, her weight, they darkened her skin in political ads to rile up their racist base, and so much more. And now, Republicans like Congressman Tim Burchett are calling Vice President Kamala Harris a “DEI hire." We have to call it what it is: A racist dog whistle against Vice President Harris that bigots also use to diminish and discredit Black and brown people, LGBTQIA+ people, and women’s experiences and accomplishments. “DEI'' which stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, is being weaponized similarly to how the word “woke” has been weaponized by bigots. And news outlets stoke the flames, reporting on these statements without providing necessary critical analysis or context regarding the underlying racism and sexism. We must come together to fight back against this.  The truth is that Black women have powered the Democratic Party for years. In 2008 and 2012, 96% of Black women voted for President Barack Obama, providing the margin he needed to win two presidential terms. In 2016, 94% of Black women voted for Hillary Clinton. Black women powered the blue wave in 2018, and 90% of Black women voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in 2020. We can’t sit idly by as MAGA Republicans and bigots continue to hurl racist and sexist attacks and news and media outlets legitimize their most offensive and baseless claims. Vice President Harris has broken glass ceiling after glass ceiling many times throughout her life. But when trailblazing Black women and women in politics like Harris are put in the spotlight, they are far too often subject to sexist and racist disinformation campaigns, made worse by news publications looking for "hot takes" and social media virality for clicks, views, and money. We need news outlets and journalists to be held to the highest standards of integrity, ensuring that they are not spreading harmful misinformation, recklessly sharing racist or sexist commentary that undermines Harris's qualifications, or publishing biased and unbalanced reporting on Harris.  Harris is a beacon of hope and representation for young Black and brown girls and women, not only across the country but the world. MAGA Republicans are afraid of her because they know she will continue to expose their dangerous Project 2025 agenda that will give Trump unchecked powers to eliminate abortion, hurt working- and middle-class people, fire civil servants, and roll back our rights and freedoms while reshaping all aspects of the government. They are afraid of her because they know she will fight for the working class instead of big corporations. So they resort to racist and sexist attacks against her. We can only imagine how low MAGA Republicans will go to discredit a successful, qualified candidate like Harris. But we can and must demand better from independent journalists now to STOP these sexist and racist attacks in their tracks. The media has a significant influence on the public narrative, and journalists have a responsibility to address racism, sexism, misogynoir, and any biases that can influence their election reporting when it comes to Harris.  Will you add your name to the petition? 

The health risks of toxic metals in tampons are serious and need attention now. Heavy metals like arsenic and lead can harm vital organs, increase cancer risk, and cause severe developmental issues in fetuses. With millions of Americans using tampons regularly, the potential for widespread harm is huge. We can't wait for more studies to confirm what we already know is a big problem. We need immediate action to protect public health. By pushing for stricter regulations and mandatory testing, we can make sure menstrual products are safe for everyone. This is crucial for protecting individual health and maintaining public trust in consumer safety standards.

A dedicated and hardworking transgender woman was unjustly terminated from Braum’s in Weatherford, OK on July 13, 2024 due to her use of the restroom that aligns with her gender identity, following the implementation of harmful and discriminatory bathroom policies by the management.   Despite local management's support and efforts to advocate for fair and inclusive policies, higher management succumbed to transphobic pressures by the public and enforced rules that violate the rights and dignity of transgender employees. These new policies require transgender employees to use restrooms that do not align with their gender identity, creating uncomfortable and unsafe situations for them.   Such actions not only perpetuate discrimination and intolerance but also contradict the values of equality and respect that our community and state strive to uphold. No one should face termination or any form of discrimination for living their authentic selves and using the restroom that corresponds to their gender identity. While it is true there are federal protections in place such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which requires transgender employees be given access to the common restrooms used by the other employees of their same gender identity, it is important to have state protections for vulnerable communities.  States revoking rights of citizens and standing by discrimination opens a gateway for precedent to be challenged federally. We have seen this happen and result in success in recent Supreme Court cases under the current conservative-leaning Court (for example, the overturning of Roe v. Wade and Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council in recent years).   In a time where efforts are being made to criminalize trans existence, we need compassionate legislators standing beside us fighting for our equal rights to live and occupy public spaces. Trans people deserve basic human rights just like everyone else. They deserve to use the restroom in peace and safety.  By denying an employee the use of common restrooms used by employees who share their same gender identity, Braum's is in direct violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Oklahoma should guarantee its citizens protections from discrimination regardless of gender identity instead of allowing Braum's to get away with this without consequence.  

First, abortion. Then, IVF. Now, conservative lawmakers are putting contraception at risk. Nearly all voters—Republicans, Democrats, and Independents—support the right to contraception. Millions of people use it to plan their families and manage their health. But instead of protecting this right and enshrining it into law, Republicans in the Senate blocked the Right to Contraception Act. Every American should have the freedom to use contraception if and when they need it—and the assurance that the government will never take it away from us. Right now, there’s another path forward. A discharge petition is circulating in the House of Representatives that, if they get enough signatures, would force the Republican majority to bring the Right to Contraception Act to a vote in the House. Sign the petition to urge your representative to support the right to contraception, sign the discharge petition, and fight for our freedom to plan our families and our futures. 

WHAT IS ENTITLED TO US SHOULD NOT BE STOLEN AND OUR WORDS SILENCED

Ms. Ziegler's conduct has been a continuous distraction from the business of the Board  — the education of our students, and the Board's stated commitment of "Every student every day."  At the May 7, 2024 School Board meeting she proposed a resolution defying constitutional officer responsibilities by refusing to uphold changes to Title IX. She claims she was protecting "our girls" while openly discriminating against certain students. This makes our students unsafe.  Ms. Ziegler has damaged countless students' lives and is an embarrassment to the Sarasota County School District.  She needs to resign or be removed. Join us in this effort. 

Trump’s first term was chaotic and incompetent. But this time, MAGA is prepared with a detailed plan to quickly seize power and ruthlessly reshape America. Project 2025 is a 920-page document authored by Christian nationalists that provides a step-by-step blueprint to impose the MAGA agenda on every aspect of Americans’ lives and make Trumpism the rule of law. Their goal is the elimination of our freedoms and protections: eliminating Social Security and Medicare, corporate regulations, environmental protections, rights for LGBTQ+ people and religious minorities, contraception and IVF, resources we need for public education, and more.  Their plan also includes systematically sabotaging our elections for their own benefit. And they want to dismantle our democracy and its checks and balances by centralizing power to the White House, giving the president control of previously independent agencies, such as the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission, and even the Department of Justice. As one expert, Mary Guy, warned in response to Project 2025, "Democracies have crumbled before, and that’s on the verge of happening here." Project 2025 details a concerted plan for how the MAGA movement seeks to control us, decide our futures for us, and take us backward. Instead of representing "We the People", they want to rule over us and for their corporate interests.  We deserve to know where our elected leaders stand on this extreme, dangerous blueprint. It’s time we sound the alarm about this MAGA vision and demand all Republicans in Congress go on record with their position on Project 2025. A banner at a protest against Project 2025 in Washington D.C. on January 27, 2024 (Credit: Elvert Barnes/Flickr.com)