A group of parents are organizing to push our NPCSD to create real actionable policies and practices to support our school community from being targeted by gender based discrimination.  This means pushing the administration to make policies that ensure trans students are referred to by their correct pronoun, to protect teachers who teach gender inclusion from harassment from intolerant families, to post signage on bathrooms ensuring that everyone is welcome to use the facilities that align with their identity, and to provide support and curriculae to all teachers K-12 to include pronouns, trans inclusion, and gender equity in their instruction. These are the first immediate steps that we must take, and we must build an ongoing working group to continue to address these issues going forward. Recently, there have been harmful incidents on these very issues at our schools. Our little town is not immune to the larger wave of bigotry. The time to push our administration to move beyond lip service “inclusion” to actual policies is now. As parents and community members, we must make sure the district is giving the students, faculty, and staff the support they need in this time of increased intolerance.

At the end of the day, this is about us and what we need, not Trump’s obsession with trade wars against international partners.  If Trump and his administration were actually concerned with generating revenue for the government, they would focus on ending tax breaks for billionaires, not tearing apart government agencies and raising costs on goods for everyday Americans. Simply put: We will all pay more for everything, from gas, to groceries, to cars and electricity. While billionaires will continue to get their tax breaks and incentives that the Trump administration provide by stealing from the rest of us.  Trump claims he’s “rescuing the economy”, but his tariffs are just going to drive up costs for everyday Americans, costing the average family thousands of dollars. This is a complete betrayal of working and middle-class families everywhere in the United States.   Image Source: Daybreak/Getty Images

During Trump's first term he issued an executive order opening the door to blatant discrimination, targeting and banning six Muslim-majority countries. And it was complete chaos.  Families were separated. Citizens were detained at airports. And refugees were denied lifesaving admittance.  The Muslim ban was eventually partially blocked by the courts, and in 2020 then-President Joe Biden reversed the order. Biden called it "a stain on our national conscience and inconsistent with our long history of welcoming people of all faiths and no faith at all." Trump's revived Muslim ban reportedly includes five of the original six countries banned by Trump—Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen—as well as expands to other countries, disproportionately impacting not only Muslim communities but also African countries.  Seven additional countries—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—will be subject to a "partial ban" that would suspend the entry of new immigrants.  This is a blatant abuse of power that will harm vulnerable people the most, turning our backs on refugees and immigrants. But we've come together before to protest Trump's cruel travel bans, and we must come together again now. 

The latest grants canceled by NIH represent millions of dollars in lost funding for projects aimed at improving vaccine access and educating communities. This research is essential to ensuring families have the tools and resources they need to make informed health decisions, especially during outbreaks like the one we're seeing now. The White House also slashed grants connected to COVID-19 research, with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) calling it a "non-existent pandemic" despite continued hospitalizations and deaths across the country. Grants that were cut include ones meant to improve vaccines for infectious diseases like COVID-19, yellow fever and Zika, as well as grants for researching Long COVID. Vaccine hesitancy is a growing threat that undermines efforts to control preventable diseases and protect the most vulnerable among us, including young children, immunocompromised people, and older folks. These grants save lives. Ending them now, while we're witnessing a resurgence in a disease that was previously eradicated thanks to vaccines, is dangerous and puts us all at risk. Sign the petition to demand NIH and HHS restore these grants and invest in the health and safety of all Americans.

This isn’t the first time Netflix has supported a comedian known for mocking, dehumanizing, and othering; the streaming giant gave Dave Chappelle a special in 2021 despite his persistent and unapologetic transphobia.  Incendiary rhetoric like the kind we see from Hinchcliffe can create a more tense and unwelcoming political climate. Streaming platforms have a major impact on culture, and they have a responsibility to ensure they’re not amplifying racist rhetoric with dangerous consequences—especially at a time when immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities are facing unprecedented attacks. Netflix has more than 300 million subscribers worldwide and nearly 5 million in the U.S. and Canada. Their viewership is diverse and has significant reach across the country. It is a betrayal to its customers and the general public for Netflix to platform a comedian known for his racist and dehumanizing content just so it can profit off of the controversy. Giving Hinchcliffe FOUR comedy specials is reckless, irresponsible, and exploitative. Companies like Netflix need to know that their customers are paying attention and won’t stand for hateful racist content on its platform. Will you sign the petition telling Netflix executives to do what’s right and drop Tony Hinchcliffe? 

An executive order issued by the Trump administration on Friday night, March 14, calls for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the nation’s only federal agency for America’s libraries. The following statement was made by the American Library Association: Americans have loved and relied on public, school and academic libraries for generations. By eliminating the only federal agency dedicated to funding library services, the Trump administration’s executive order is cutting off at the knees the most beloved and trusted of American institutions and the staff and services they offer: • Early literacy development and grade-level reading programs • Summer reading programs for kids  • High-speed internet access • Employment assistance for job seekers  • Braille and talking books for people with visual impairments • Homework and research resources for students and faculty • Veterans’ telehealth spaces equipped with technology and staff support • STEM programs, simulation equipment and training for workforce development • Small business support for budding entrepreneurs To dismiss some 75 committed workers and mission of an agency that advances opportunity and learning is to dismiss the aspirations and everyday needs of millions of Americans. And those who will feel that loss most keenly live in rural communities.  As seedbeds of literacy and innovation, our nation’s 125,000 public, school, academic and special libraries deserve more, not less support. Libraries translate 0.003% of the federal budget into programs and services used by more than 1.2 billion people every year.

A petition is being delivered to the Secretaries of Defense and the Army to make it clear that history cannot be rewritten—whether about the 442nd or any other distinguished service group. While the Army may have reinstated the webpage, this never should have happened in the first place. Moving forward, vigilance is essential to ensure it never happens again. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was not just the most decorated military unit in U.S. history for its size and length of service—they were family. Many had grandfathers, uncles, and relatives who served in the 442nd, the 100th Battalion, and the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). Their heroism, sacrifice, and unwavering loyalty to this country are deeply personal, standing as a testament to the highest ideals of military service and American values. The removal of the 442nd’s webpage from the U.S. Army’s website, following an executive order that ended so-called “radical” diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, was deeply disturbing and unacceptable. This decision dishonored the extraordinary sacrifices of the 442nd and attempted to erase a crucial chapter of U.S. military history—one that must be preserved and taught for generations to come. Were the brave members of the 442nd radical? Absolutely. They were radically courageous, radically selfless, and radically loyal to a country that had unjustly imprisoned their families, stripping them of freedom and democracy. And still, despite all of that, they fought with unparalleled bravery across Europe, including the legendary rescue of the “Lost Battalion” in France. Their actions were not just a testament to their valor—they were a direct challenge to the racial prejudice they endured. To see their contributions erased from official military history once again is shameful. As descendants of soldiers and internees, there is an obligation to ensure that their honor and legacy are never erased. While the Army has put the webpage back up, that is not enough. This was never just about a webpage—it is about ensuring that the sacrifices of these brave men are never erased again. The U.S. military must remain true to its history and values. This is a moment to “Go For Broke” once again—not just to restore what was lost, but to ensure it never happens again. There must be safeguards in place so that the history of the 442nd, and all distinguished service groups, is never erased or diminished in the future.

Recess is a time for members of Congress to return to their home states. They should be using this week to meet with their constituents, give space for their concerns, and take that back to D.C. Instead, House Republican leaders are now reportedly telling their offices to avoid holding public events when they are home for March recess. This is the opposite of the directions Democrats are receiving—with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries encouraging all members to connect directly with constituents to talk about the Republican-backed attacks on key services like Social Security and Medicaid embodied by Elon Musk's actions and the Republican budget.  Nicole Malliotakes was elected to represent us—she should not be hiding from their constituents. Period.  Add your name to the petition to demand Nicole Malliotakis host a town hall or public office hours during the congressional recess! 

Trump recently announced his plans to create a U.S. Crypto Reserve. It’s nothing more than a gift to his crypto-backing mega-donors and a corrupt ploy to enrich himself. If Trump continues this policy of boosting his own crypto investments and those of his donors, he will waste billions of taxpayer dollars on a soon-to-be worthless asset — just like millions of Americans and Trump supporters did when they were lured into predatory crypto schemes and meme coins. Congress must protect the American people from Trump’s get rich quick schemes. Trump’s proposal sets a new low for pay-to-play politics. The administration has made it clear there’s no limit to what it’s willing to give the crypto industry — regardless of the costs to taxpayers, investors, or the financial system as a whole. The fraud-ridden crypto industry’s executives are also actively working to weaken financial regulators and dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the very agency that would protect people from payment fraud. We need Congress to stand up for the people and the economy. SOURCE: https://demandprogresseducationfund.org/trumps-crypto-reserve-a-bail-out-for-crypto-donors/

Recess is a time for members of Congress to return to their home states. They should be using this week to meet with their constituents, give space for their concerns, and take that back to D.C. Instead, House Republican leaders are now reportedly telling their offices to avoid holding public events when they are home for March recess. This is the opposite of the directions Democrats are receiving—with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries encouraging all members to connect directly with constituents to talk about the Republican-backed attacks on key services like Social Security and Medicaid embodied by Elon Musk's actions and the Republican budget.  Representative Bresnahan was elected to represent us—he should not be hiding from his constituents. Period.  Add your name to the petition to demand Representative Bresnahan host a town hall or public office hours during the congressional recess! 

Earlier this month more than 100+ MoveOn members from Michigan District 7 urged local representatives to host town halls. But we have to keep up the pressure. It is up to us. Each of us must do what we can to hold our political representatives to actually represent the people whom they are elected to serve. Remember: We are all in this experience together.

Recess is a time for members of Congress to return to their home states. They should be using this week to meet with their constituents, give space for their concerns, and take that back to D.C. Instead, House Republican leaders are now reportedly telling their offices to avoid holding public events when they are home for March recess. This is the opposite of the directions Democrats are receiving—with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries encouraging all members to connect directly with constituents to talk about the Republican-backed attacks on key services like Social Security and Medicaid embodied by Elon Musk's actions and the Republican budget.  Representative Mike Bost was elected to represent us—he should not be hiding from his constituents. Period.  Add your name to the petition to demand Representative Mike Bost host a town hall or public office hours during the congressional recess!