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? 

When President Joe Biden stepped down from seeking reelection, he immediately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. It makes sense: An experienced lawmaker and public servant who has served a heartbeat from the presidency, she is ready to lead. In addition, millions of Democratic voters already supported her in the primary as Biden's running mate—and now she can step into the robust campaign apparatus immediately and take on Trump. Many other Democratic leaders followed suit and endorsed her—including most of the other bold, progressive elected officials who were viewed as potential presidential candidates. They saw she's the strongest candidate and closed ranks. Vice President Harris has also secured the endorsements of progressive leaders like Senators Elizabeth Warren and Senator Raphael Warnock and Representatives Cori Bush, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Barbara Lee, Ilhan Omar, Maxwell Frost, and Jamaal Bowman. But not all Democratic members of the House and Senate or other major pro-democracy policymakers, donors, or elder statespeople have done the same. If we are going to defeat Donald Trump, we need to get unified now! And we need to bring that spirit of determination into the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August. There is no reason to wait: Vice President Harris is our candidate! We call upon all Democratic leaders to get on board and officially endorse Harris for president!

Under Kamala Harris's leadership, we know we can organize to expand our rights, protect our communities, and use the power of the federal government to advance reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy, climate justice, economic justice, racial justice, and more. One thing has always been clear—voters will determine the future of this country. And in November, it will take all of us coming together to elect Kamala Harris. In 2020, Kamala Harris made history as the first Black, South Asian, and woman vice president of the United States. This year, we can break that glass ceiling once and for all and elect her as our first female president! The stakes of this election could not be any more clear. We can’t return to Donald Trump's presidency and the daily chaos and the struggle of stopping the worst of his attempts to divide us, further dismantle democratic norms, and roll back our rights and freedoms. The Project 2025 plan tells us everything we need to know about the plan for a second Trump presidency. We have to come together as a strong, unified voting bloc to protect our future and elect Kamala Harris.  Vice President Kamala Harris has been a historic and transformative political leader who is well qualified to be the next president of the United States. As president of the Senate, Harris set a record for the most tie-breaking votes cast by a vice president in history. She has been a strong and consistent advocate for protecting and advancing abortion rights, launching a "Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour this year and making history as the first U.S. president or vice president to visit an abortion clinic. She has fought for everyday Americans, advocating for voting rights, clean air and water, and commonsense gun legislation.  Kamala Harris is a tireless leader and a fearless trailblazer who has fought for and alongside the people her entire time as an elected leader. Add your name to join the voting bloc of Americans who are committed to electing President Kamala Harris in November 2024. 

Signing the petition to get our congressman to advocate for us with FEMA is crucial for several reasons: 1. Amplify Our Voice: A petition demonstrates that a significant number of constituents are concerned about an issue. This collective voice is more likely to get the attention of our congressman and prompt action. 2. Urgent Needs: FEMA assistance is often needed to address urgent needs following disasters, such as providing temporary housing, financial aid, and recovery resources. Our congressman's advocacy can expedite this process. 3. Accountability: By signing the petition, we hold our elected representative accountable to the community. It reminds them of their responsibility to represent and support our interests. 4. Resource Allocation: Effective advocacy can ensure that our community receives a fair share of resources and support from FEMA, which can be crucial for rebuilding and recovery efforts. 5. Highlighting Issues: A petition can bring to light specific issues or challenges our community faces that might not be widely known. This can help tailor FEMA's response to better meet our needs. 6. Building Support: A strong show of support through a petition can encourage other elected officials and organizations to join our cause, creating a broader coalition for effective action. By signing the petition, you help ensure our community's needs are heard and addressed promptly and effectively.

The Wheaties cereal box is a prime example of the impact that Olympic and Paralympic athletes have on culture in the United States. As a cultural touchstone, Wheaties can help push back against the growing wave of dangerous anti-trans policies and sentiments across the country.  Nikki is one of the only transgender athlete competing to bring home the gold for Team USA in this year’s Olympics, after rules around trans athletes’ participation were tightened since Tokyo 2020. This is the perfect moment for Wheaties to make clear that they stand for inclusivity and acceptance.   A staggering 25 states have dangerous policies restricting transgender students from participating in sports that align with their gender identity. Violence against transgender and nonbinary Americans is on the rise, and conservative states are mounting attacks on both transgender children and adults, passing laws that restrict funding for and access to gender-affirming care.  Representation matters. We need young transgender and nonbinary kids to see themselves represented in major sporting and cultural events. Join us in calling on Wheaties to put Nikki Hiltz front and center – signaling that anyone can be an Olympic athlete, no matter their gender or sexuality. 

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.  

Peter White tragically passed away on June 5th, 2023 after a long battle with mental health and addiction. Peter was everyone’s favorite person and lit up every room he stepped in. No matter what he went through in his own life, he put others first and was always there for anything you needed. From a young age, Pete loved to skate. His escape was always to hop on his board and take a ride. He practically lived at Highlands Skatepark his entire childhood, along with his friends. He inspired and taught many to skate, even his 2 year old stepson was obsessed with his skateboard.  The simple fact is, mental health and addiction are the leading causes of premature death, especially in people under 35, surpassing COVID 19, tragic accidents, and even cancer, yet it is being silenced and hushed due to shame and judgement. It can happen to ANYONE, it does not discriminate, and to watch your loved one go through such suffering will change you forever. Addiction and mental health awareness SHOULD BE OF THE UPMOST PRIORITY! Children are dying, mothers and fathers are dying, uncles, aunts, cousins, friends … at a rapid speed.  Unfortunately less than 3% of all addicts recover, and when it comes down to it Pete is just one of the 97%+ who could not win. However, he fought until his very last day on earth. He got back up every time, and in between comforted those who loved him and did his absolute best to save himself.  His memory at this Skatepark is more than just his memory, it is a reminder to all addicts and those struggling with mental health, whether with us on Earth or passed, that they WILL be missed. That they DO have an impact. That their life DOES matter.  It’s a shame that this plaque could ever be considered taken down, when this issue is so important and so real to so many in our community alone.  In loving Memory of Peter White, Aj Heagney, Brandon McGeorge, Mat Adams, Chris Messiah, and the list goes on and on and on…. 

It takes a strong large community to request change. We believe people in Indiana are not aware of this voter suppression tactic which comes from fear. Why should we not be allowed to vote in every location, even federal buildings in Indiana? It can be done in a fair and legal manner which has been seen in so many states nationwide. Indiana has poor voter turnout and deserves to have better access and advantage as all states. 

By signing this petition, we express our support for Professor Jemma Elliot and Dr. Matthew Bennett and call for the PGI leadership to recognize and respond to our critical concerns. Sincerely, [In signing, please include your name and affiliation with PGI: Student/Faculty/Staff/Alumni/Prospective Student/Anonymous]

Transparency is the foundation of any functioning Democracy, but we still know very little about JD Vance, Donald Trump’s new running mate. JD Vance claims to be a “rags-to-riches” story, growing up poor with Hillbillies in Appalachia. Yet he has refused to release any real details about the source of his wealth in his relatively short career. No one knows where JD Vance's money came from. He grew up in the suburbs of Dayton, Ohio, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science in 2009. He then received a law degree in 2013, but just three years later, in 2016, Vance published a book claiming to be a venture capitalist after only having a few months of relative experience and no education in the field. The media has only recently started to expose the major holes in JD Vance's resume. For example, they have discovered that JD Vance was a lawyer for a lobbying firm hired by Purdue Pharma in the months prior to the release of his book, blaming a hillbilly ”culture in crisis” for the opioid crisis. Vance never disclosed his connections to the makers of Oxycontin. Later, he started a fake opioid nonprofit that hired a spokesperson for the opioid industry. At the same time, media reports have also exposed Vance's connections to Peter Thiel, an Artificial Intelligence Billionaire who appears to be responsible for every major development in JD Vance's career. Not only did this billionaire support JD Vance while he wrote his book, but he also gave JD Vance his first “venture capitalist” job and donated a historic $15 million to get JD elected to the Senate in 2022. The fact is, JD Vance’s story seems to be a lie–or at least greatly exaggerated. JD Vance must now release the last ten years of his tax returns so American voters know the real source of his income. Of course, Donald Trump never released his tax returns because they are “under audit.” But every other candidate has. Mike Pence did when he was named Trump’s VP in 2016, with the “full support of Mr. Trump.” In fact, President Joe Biden released his tax returns while he was VP and then three years after when he became a candidate.  Kamala Harris released 10 years of their tax returns back in 2019. We need to see J.D. Vance’s tax returns. 

Minutes after we started this petition yesterday afternoon, Governor Shapiro signed the bill. Now it is up to the legislature to repeal it. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is an unproven technology that has never worked. Naomi Oreskes, best known as the co-author of Merchants of Doubt, wrote in an essay in Scientific American in March that she is among geologists who believe that long term CO2 storage could be achieved, but that its success relies on identifying sites where CO2 will remain sequestered. “But site characterization takes time that we don't have,” she says. She points out that billions were spent over two decades to evaluate Yucca Mountain as a site for nuclear waste disposal before the proposal failed. Identifying sequestration sites is just as challenging. For years, we were told that Pennsylvania's geology was not suited to injection wells, the wells used for underground storage. Our geology hasn't changed, yet we've seen a huge increase in injection well projects, most of them Class II wells used for oil & gas waste. CCS requires its own class of well the EPA calls Class VI injection wells. Identifying sites for those wells is particularly challenging in Pennsylvania, not just because of our geology, but because the CCS involves injecting CO2 into pore space below a cap rock, or the impermeable rock, that will keep CO2 from leaking. The Marcellus would be the likely cap rock, but its integrity is in question because of decades of drilling and fracking and because there are hundreds of thousands of abandoned wells in the Marcellus. Does that disqualify the Marcellus from being a suitable cap rock? Does the corrosive effect of the CO2 compromise the cap rock? What does permanent, as in permanent sequestration, mean?  Scientists are still trying to answer these questions and many others. If scientists don't know the answers, our state legislators don't know them either. That didn't stop them from passing the bill without any hearings or discussion and without referring it to the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. The scientific and technological unknowns are concerning enough, but Yaw's bill takes aim at the public by imposing a form of subsurface eminent domain that bars people from saying no to injection into their pore space if enough neighbors say yes. It then shifts liability from the industry to the state so the taxpayers are left holding the bag when something goes wrong. And it exposes communities to dangerous Class VI wells and the CO2 pipelines that would deliver the CO2 to the site. The only ones who benefit from SB 831 are those who will profit from using PA as a CO2 waste dump. The rest of us have everything to lose. CCS is one of the false climate solutions that allows the fossil fuel industry to continue doing business as usual, but it's also the technology that turns gray hydrogen blue. The blue hydrogen hubs proposed for Pennsylvania use methane as a feedstock to produce the hydrogen. That means more drilling and fracking, more harms to our communities, and more climate-killing methane leaks. Governor Shapiro failed to protect Pennsylvania. It's up to the legislature now.