We, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power Boston Branch, unequivocally denounce the executive order released by the Janey administration which essentially reauthorizes and gives a progressive veneer to the same disproven clean-sweep methods carried out under the previous administration. The order serves only to embolden the racist, sexist, ableist, and poor-hating Boston police department and Suffolk County sheriff to further their programs of harassment, rights violations, incarceration, and forced treatment. The notion that the woefully inadequate city shelter system is a valid alternative to the encampments ignores the fact that many unhoused neighbors have chosen to risk scorching heat, freezing cold, and unsanitary conditions simply to avoid that system. The increased police activity outlined in the order is in effect a declaration of war against people experiencing homelessness and people who use drugs. State violence and neglect is the root of this public health emergency; its increase will run antithetically to its resolution. Further empowering police to forcibly detain people under the guise of sections is a gross misappropriation of power. Police are not medical professionals, and under no circumstances should be charged with making such decisions. Further, with the long history of people who use drugs meeting untimely ends under the "care" of law enforcement, or from fatal overdose after release, it is unconscionable to subject another single person to such a system. We recognize the intersection between the experience of houselessness, the consumption of substances, and the rising count of new HIV cases in the Commonwealth. We recognize that the same reactionary puritanical and paternalistic thought that stood between our Poz siblings and compassionate care in the 80s and 90s, is the same thought that keeps our shelters woefully inadequate and restrictive, and the same thought that stands between our siblings who use drugs and the services necessary to protect their health. We call on all organizations and individuals to join us in demanding public health solutions and social-supports instead of further violence, neglect, and criminalization! We issue the attached demands, and assure the powers that be that we will not be silent in the face of this crisis. We will ACT UP! We will FIGHT BACK!

We all deserve the basic right of being able to survive with our wage, of being able to afford to feed our families, pay the roof over our heads, and be able to eat, like every other working professional. We are professionals who should be compensated fairly.

The Boundary Waters Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota is America's most-visited Wilderness, a wildland refuge critical to people and the planet. Anishinaabe people (also known in this region as Chippewa or Ojibwe) have lived in the area for countless generations and have a deep relationship to these lands and waters. Indigenous people continue to harvest wild rice in the Boundary Waters region and maintain treaty rights to hunt, fish and gather. As sovereign nations, tribes play a central role in protecting the Boundary Waters and have called for its protection. This wild and beautiful place is threatened by proposed sulfide-ore copper mining, but we can protect this place if enough people take action. Visit www.SavetheBoundaryWaters.org to learn more.

Earlier this year, Democrats in Congress passed an unprecedented Child Tax Credit as a part of the American Recovery Package, which delivers direct payments to tens of millions of Americans every month. This benefit immediately produced historic results: According to one analysis, the August payment of the expanded Child Tax Credit lifted 3.5 million children out of poverty. The expanded Child Tax Credit is extremely popular among all Americans, is proving to be the single most significant measure to slash childhood poverty, and has benefitted tens of millions of middle- and working-class families—but unfortunately, it's expiring soon. That's why we must fight to make it permanent—and President Biden's Build Back Better legislation, which Congress is currently debating, does just that. Democrats and Republicans recognize the impact of this program—and right now Congress has the chance to make it permanent. New research from Columbia University shows that with a permanently expanded Child Tax Credit, American children would be healthier, learn more, and would be less likely to be neglected—and taxpayers would earn back 84 cents for every dollar invested. At a time when the rich are getting richer but working families are struggling to make ends meet, it’s time for Congress to take bold action. Sign the petition, and demand that Congress make the expanded Child Tax Credit permanent.

A major oil spill recently oozed crude oil into the Pacific Ocean and damaged wildlife on beaches in Southern California. It's another terrible reminder of the damage done by fossil fuel extraction. From oil spills to drought, fires, hurricanes, and more, it's clear that fossil fuel infrastructure is too big a risk. If we want to avoid the worst of climate catastrophe, we need to stop building new fossil fuel infrastructure as soon as possible. Scientists have made it incredibly clear: the worst impacts of climate catastrophe are just on the horizon. Pollution and wildfire smoke are causing asthma attacks in children. Across the globe, over 200 million people could be displaced by climate crises in the next thirty years. When the dangers of fossil fuel dependence are so obvious, there is no reason why President Biden should be allowing new fossil fuel projects to move forward.

The US is one of the world’s biggest tax havens, and certain states are even more permissive than the country as a whole. We already knew that the world's rich and powerful hide their fortunes where regulators and taxes can't find them. But the big Pandora Papers leak proved the United States is one of the preferred offshore tax havens for the global elite. South Dakota alone holds more than $360 billion in trusts used by the global elite to hold their money. It’s time to end tax loopholes in South Dakota and in the US as a whole.

It's been nearly 10 months since President Biden took office -- and Congress still hasn't acted to protect voting rights, even as Trump and his allies step up their attack on democracy. Trump's allies are busy seizing control of elections at the state and local level, gerrymandering Congressional districts in their favor, and threatening to undermine the next presidential election. But Senate Democrats have been unwilling to end or create an exception for the filibuster to pass the For the People Act and save our democracy. Congress isn't taking voting rights seriously enough. We need to send them a message right now that they must act to protect our democracy -- before it's too late.

Morgan made some atrocious comments about Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, on Good Morning Britain. He stormed off stage after questioning Meghan's honesty in an interview with Oprah Winfrey regarding life as a royal and her treatment. Morgan's remarks underplayed Meghan's mental health, which was hurtful to her and everyone with mental illness. The situation cannot be ignored. Morgan's comments about Meghan on-air and in his tweets are merely attacks disguised as journalism. Since Morgan was suspended from Good Morning Britain, the controversy surrounding his return to News Corp has been met with significant backlash from all corners of the literary and media worlds. His history of bigotry and harassment lead to him being fired from The Daily Mirror back in 2004 after writing defamatory and transphobic comments about transgender reporter Zoey Tur during an appearance on the showbiz show Extra. Ofcom, the media regulator in the U.K., received 57,793 complaints about his remarks toward Meghan. Despite this, Morgan was recently deemed not to be in violation of the British broadcasting standards. We cannot, however, enable anyone who encourages harassment towards women of color, fatphobia and body shaming, sexual harassment, misogyny, and transphobia. Cis white men rarely take responsibility for their harm and are rewarded instead. Piers Morgan's book deal with HarperCollins must be terminated. Piers Morgan has an extensive history of bias against women of color, fatphobia and body shaming, sexual harassment, misogyny, and transphobia. These are violent and incite hate, and should not be further amplified. Jennifer Wood, PhD, MSW

Our organization believes in accountability, transparency, and Voter protection- this surprise redistricting map violates those principles to the utmost extent. We believe that the County Council should follow the recommendations of the maps submitted by the Prince George's Redistricting Commission, ensuring that redistricting serves the community, not elected officials.

It's important to sign this petition because there needs to be a refocus in terms of the priorities of college athletics. Part of the NCAA's mission is "ensuring that competition is safe, fair, and sportsmanlike", and physical and verbal mockery is not a way to practice sportsmanship and uphold this mission. The coaches on the sidelines are leaders who the players look to for guidance, and seeing them act in a way that makes fun of an apparent injury is disgraceful and a bad example for everyone.

Equity is something we have fought long and hard for. She has found a family in this rugby league and stopping her from continuing to play based solely on the level of discomfort experienced by the men who have had to play against her is absolutely bizarre. She is more than capable of letting them know if it is too much for her physically. She is allowed full autonomy without sexism being a guiding principle.

Last week, Frances Haugen, former Facebook employee turned whistleblower, confirmed for members of Congress what nearly all of us know by now: Facebook threatens democracies, Black and brown people, youth, and vulnerable communities around the world.¹ Every time Facebook chooses money over morality that decision is made by CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his executive team. Zuckerberg may be the public face of the company, but his choices and decisions are enabled by the yes-people around him. We deserve answers and Congress needs to get on the record explanations from Facebook’s leadership team about the harm the company has caused.² Zuckerberg has testified in front of Congress before, but it’s different now. The Wall Street Journal investigation coupled with Haugen's damning testimony shows that Zuckerberg and the executive leadership team fully understood how they were fueling QAnon conspiracists, bolstering The Proud Boys, and damaging the mental health of teens — all to line the pockets of one of the wealthiest men in the world.² Tell Congress to subpoena Mark Zuckerberg and all of Facebook’s leadership and get them on the record in a congressional hearing by signing this petition. Frances Haugen’s testimony before the Senate Commerce subcommittee meticulously and clearly documented the ongoing harms and threats Facebook causes with its regular practices. One such practice is Facebook’s continued use of algorithms that lift up content that makes people engage emotionally — specifically angrily. This is what allows white supremacist groups and anti-vaxxer disinformation to thrive on Facebook.³ We demand that Zuckerberg and the entire executive team answer to the charges that time and time again, Facebook knowingly put profit over threats to our democracy, our lives, and our children’s well-being. Sign the petition to Congress: Subpoena Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook’s whole executive team. Sources: 1. “Facebook’s whistleblower tells Congress how to regulate tech,” Vox, Recode, Oct. 5, 2021. https://www.vox.com/recode/22711551/facebook-whistleblower-congress-hearing-regulation-mark-zuckerberg-frances-haugen-senator-blumenthal 2. “Facebook whistleblower testifies before Senate committee,” CNBC, Oct. 5, 2021. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/05/facebook-whistleblower-testifies-before-senate-committee.html 3. “Facebook Whistleblower to Congress: Regulate Big Tech. Silicon Valley Can’t Be Trusted to Police Itself,” Democracy Now!, Oct. 6, 2021. https://www.democracynow.org/2021/10/6/facebook_hearing