Spotsylvania County Schools’ mission statement is: “Together, we prepare our students for their future.” This is an inclusive statement and mission. However, the school's name is not reflective of this statement. Having the name Robert E. Lee negatively impacts our community by glorifying a general who not only owned slaves, but who fought to keep slavery. The burden is now on the members of the Spotsylvania County School Board to defend why the name should stay. “...the statue of my ancestor has stood for years in Richmond as an idol of this white supremacist mind-set. The statue is a hollow reminder of a painful ideology and acts of oppression against black people. Taking it down will provide new opportunities for conversations, relationships and policy change.” -Robert W. Lee IV

Families have been destroyed by addiction. New Hampshire Laws needs to CHANGE! Too many lives have been lost because of the lengthy process it is to try and get our loved ones into a rehabilitation center when they are adult age. By the time the paperwork has been filed it is always too late. My Name is Meth I destroy homes, I tear families apart, take your children, and that's just the start. I'm more costly than diamonds, more precious than gold The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold. If you need me, rememeber I'm easily found, I live all around you - in schools and in town. I live with the rich, I live with the poor, I live down the street, and maybe next door. I'm made in a lab, but not like you think, I can be made under the kitchen sink. In your childs closet, and even in the woods, If this scares you to death, well it certainly should. I have many names, but there's one you know best, I'm sure you've heard of me, my name is crystal meth. My power is awesome, try me you'll see, But if you do, you may never break free. Just try me once and I might let you go, But try me twice, and I'll own your soul. When I possess you, you'll steal and you'll lie, You do what you have to -- Just to get high. The crimes you'll commit for my narcotic charms, Will be worth the pleasure you'll feel in your arms. You'll lie to your mother, you'll steal from your dad, When you see their tears, you should feel sad. But you'll forget your morals and how you were raised, I'll be your conscience, I'll teach you my ways I take kids from parents, and parents from kids, I turn people from God, and separate friends. I'll take everything from you, your looks and your pride, I'll be with you always -- right by your side. You'll give up everything -- your family, your home, Your friends, your money, then you'll be alone. I'll take and take, till you have nothing more to give When I'm finished with you, you'll be lucky to live. If you try me be warned - this is no game, If given the chance, I'll drive you insane. I'l ravish your body, I'll control your mind I'll own you completely, your soul will be mine. The nightmares I'll give you while lying in bed, The voices you'll hear, from inside your head. The sweats, the shakes, the visions you'll see, I want you to know, these are all gifts from me. But then it's too late, you'll know in your heart, That you are mine, and we shall not part. You'll regret that you tried me, they always do, but you came to me, not I to you. You knew this would happen, many times you were told, But you challenged my power, and chose to be bold. You could have said no, and just walked away, If you could live that day over, now what would you say? I'll be your master, you will be my slave, I'll even go with you, when you go to your grave. Now that you have met me, what will you do? Will you try me or not? It's all up to you. I can bring you more misery than words can tell, Come take my hand, let me lead you to hell. (This was written by a young Indian girl who was in jail for drug charges, and was addicted to meth. She wrote this while in jail. As you have just read, she fully grasped the horrors of the drug, as she tells in this simple, yet profound poem. She was released from jail, but, true to her story, the drug owned her. They found her dead not long after, with the needle still in her arm) Addiction does not discriminate Sign this petition - CHANGE THE SYSTEM

With a new president and a new Congress being sworn in just a few weeks, the U.S. has an opportunity to forge a new path when it comes to foreign policy as we begin moving beyond the damage done by Donald Trump. That's why it's crucial for Rep. Joaquín Castro to be elected Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee by his colleagues this month. As Chair, Rep. Castro will boldly advance a new vision for our nation's role in the world, centered around human rights and human dignity, justice, accountability, cooperation, and diplomacy. Members of Congress will be voting later this month on the new committee chairs, and it's important that you make your voice heard now.

In the US alone, over 500 million straws are used daily and it is estimated that over 8.3 billion straws pollute the world's beaches. At an average of 1.6 straws used daily, this challenge allows participants to focus on more eco-friendly options such as; paper, metal, glass, bamboo, and many more. Do you really need a straw? Is using a straw for a few minutes worth the 200+ years it takes to decompose?

This is the only white giraffe in the world. His mother and sister were killed by poachers. In the wild, he does not stand a chance, even with a tracking device. Poachers and natural predators will easily be able to spot and kill him. He needs our help to be protected.

Please Stand With Us Against Hospital Closures and Cuts! During the first quarter of 2020, we saw how a virus came into our neighborhoods and ravaged the vulnerable populations as well as the healthcare system. We watched as the novel virus magnified the disparities and inequalities in our healthcare system with bodies mounted in hospitals across Brooklyn and Queens and the Bronx mostly due to controllable circumstances. Gov. Cuomo is, at the moment, attempting to quietly and quickly close a safety net hospital in Brooklyn in the middle of a pandemic – Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center in East Flatbush. We are trying to shine some light to raise public awareness and scrutiny on this situation. The first wave of the pandemic devastated Brooklyn, which was already suffering from massive racial healthcare inequalities. Currently Brooklyn and Queens have 1.8 hospital beds per 1,000 residents (compared to Manhattan’s over 5 beds per 1,000). In one of the riches cities in the world, the first wave of the pandemic completely overwhelmed the existing healthcare infrastructure in Central Brooklyn, which has long suffered from cruel healthcare budget cuts, largely implemented through cuts in Medicaid from the State. The New York Times quoted Kingsbrook nurse, Feyoneisha McGrath, on her experience at the height of the first wave of the pandemic. Like other hospitals in Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens, she reported painfully dire patient to nurse ratios of 20 to 1 in the emergency room. “We could not care for the number of patients we had. I worked 16 hour a day, and then I got in my cat and cried.” By closing this hospital before the second wave of the pandemic, which has the possibility of being worse than the first, Cuomo is working to ensure that even more Black Brooklynites will die.

California and the country deserve leaders who represent them and don't actively cause harm.

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham has once again proven that his loyalty to Donald Trump will always come before our democracy and the rule of law. According to a Washington Post story, Graham urged Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger -- a fellow Republican -- to throw out legally-cast ballots from targeted Georgia counties during the state’s recount. The conversation reportedly left Raffensperger “stunned.” Let’s be clear: every eligible vote cast in this election should and WILL be counted, no matter what Graham says or does. These voters faced a global pandemic, vote-suppressing laws, and rampant disinformation to make themselves heard in this all-important election year -- and Graham has no right to try to shut them out of our democracy. This is just another desperate play by Republicans to overturn the legitimate results of this election. As Trump files meritless lawsuit after lawsuit to stop ballot counting or otherwise interfere with election officials' work -- his lackeys are falling in line, doing everything in their power to support Trump’s futile effort. It’s time for direct action in response to their outrageous attempts to sow doubt about our electoral process and shut out voters. Graham currently chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee -- and if his party maintains its Senate majority, he'll oversee crucial legislation like the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. If Graham has been actively trying to toss out eligible ballots, he should not lead this committee’s work. Add your name to tell the Senate Ethics Committee: this heinous voter suppression attempt must be swiftly investigated -- and in the meantime, Senator Graham should step down as Judiciary Committee Chairman.

In Fight the Power, Chuck D says “most of my heroes don’t appear on no stamps” Through their music and activism, public enemy is a hero of the American narrative. They deserve a stamp. Let’s do better for our kids: starting with a PUBLIC ENEMY stamp:

Many students drop out of college because of the expenses, more scholarships can make a difference. Campus police can also be racially biased to minorities which is more than half of CSULA campus. Rather than making students feel safe, they perceive campus police to be targeting them.

To protect our precious environment, especially since the lame duck Trump administration just moved to sell oil rights in the Arctic Refuge on November 16, 2020, with sales to go through right before Inauguration Day 2021 when Biden becomes President.

Because now its a matter of fighting for money to pay us for everday work function. A function that can take us away from our family. An uninsured family left to fill a void unrecognized for the danger of a everyday regular job, with either environmental, health, material,equipment, chemical,or natural dangers involved.