Renaming the Department of Special Education to the Department of Exceptional Student Education (ESE) is an important step toward fostering a more inclusive, respectful, and empowering environment for all students. The current term, “Special Education,” while functional, often carries outdated and limiting connotations, potentially focusing more on what students can’t do rather than highlighting their unique strengths and potential. Switching to the term Exceptional Student Education not only reflects the diverse abilities and potential of these students but also aligns with modern educational practices that emphasize inclusion, equality, and a positive outlook on diversity. This shift in language can change perceptions both within schools and throughout the community, leading to a more supportive environment where students are seen and treated as exceptional, not defined by their challenges. Supporting this change empowers students with disabilities to be seen for their abilities rather than their challenges. It gives students a sense of pride and encourages them to recognize their strengths. Renaming the department also reflects a deeper commitment to inclusive education and creating a community where all students are respected, valued, and have equal opportunities to succeed. This aligns with the principles of equity and diversity that many schools and organizations are working to strengthen. Furthermore, changing the language surrounding education can have a ripple effect on the entire community. If the department’s name is reframed, it could encourage positive perceptions of students with disabilities among teachers, parents, and the community at large, which can lead to greater understanding and support. As our understanding of education and disability evolves, so should our language. By advocating for this change, we are joining a larger movement toward a more forward-thinking educational approach. This is an opportunity to reshape the way we approach special education and position our students for success in an ever-changing world. When you join this campaign, you show others that advocating for meaningful changes—no matter how small they may seem—is crucial to building a better and more inclusive society. The more people who speak up, the stronger the message becomes that language matters and that all students deserve recognition for their exceptional abilities. Together, we have the power to create change. Your voice, whether you’re a parent, educator, student, or community member, contributes to an essential movement that aims to better serve and empower students. This is an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than just a name change—it’s about shifting the narrative for exceptional students and ensuring that they are recognized and celebrated for who they truly are. Your support will show that this is more than just a minor change—it’s a critical step toward transforming how students with disabilities are viewed, treated, and supported in our community. Join the campaign today, and together, we’ll make a meaningful difference!

The 2022-2024 assessment conducted by Cayuga County and Auburn Community Hospital identified several health challenges within the community, including: ●     Obesity: 33.9% of adults in Cayuga County have obesity, compared to 29.1% in New York State.   ●     Physical Inactivity: 26.4% of adults in Cayuga County do not participate in leisure-time physical activity, compared to 22.4% in New York State.   ●     Smoking: 18.3% of adults in Cayuga County smoke cigarettes, compared to 15.9% in New York State.   ●     Opioid Prescriptions: The opioid analgesic prescription rate in Cayuga County is 384.9 per 1,000 population, exceeding the New York State rate of 343.6.   ●     Mental Distress: 10.9% of adults in Cayuga County experience frequent mental distress, compared to 10.7% in New York State.   ●     Poverty: 11.6% of the population in Cayuga County lives in poverty. These health challenges highlight the need for Medicaid services in the community. Medicaid is a government-funded health insurance program that provides coverage to low-income individuals and families. Medicaid services can help address the health challenges identified in the assessment by providing access to preventive care, chronic disease management, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment.

 Our parks are critical in the fight against the ongoing climate crisis. Without the necessary funding to maintain and expand public lands, we jeopardize our ability to fight the climate crisis through economic stewardship and to protect our natural resources for future generations.     National parks and forests are home to countless species of plants and animals, many of which are endangered. Insufficient funding leaves them vulnerable to invasive species, habitat destruction, and climate change impacts. The park rangers that protect these parks are essential not only for maintaining park landscapes but also for ensuring public safety and education. Without proper staffing,  fewer rangers are available to educate visitors about conservation and safety, and there are fewer resources to protect our lands from damage and misuse.    These are funding cuts that will impact communities across the country. National parks and forests are an important part of the local economy, supporting tourism, jobs, and small businesses. Substantial cuts to these programs will harm communities that depend on parks for income and tourism. National parks are also one of the few spaces left that are usually free or inexpensive and open to the public.    We must reverse course: Our parks and forests, and all the rangers who keep them safe and taken care of, need us now more than ever. Sign the petition to demand that Congress push back against these cuts and ensure that park rangers have the resources they need to protect our natural heritage and fight climate change. 

The 2025 FLUM Amendments are the most CATALYTIC, needed, important, public policy decisions that you may vote for that brands the City of New Orleans "EAST" as Open for Business!! New Orleans East is Open for Business!  In the 20th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans East can truly claim that it is addressing barriers to entry through Zoning Reform. This is the opportunity to conclude a 4-year process begun in 2021, to lean into land use zoning amendments as a fundamental, basic, key component to increase New Orleans East’s land use marketability to investors, both small and large.  

Clarksville is one of the fastest-growing cities in Tennessee, yet Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville—the only hospital in the area—is dangerously understaffed, overcrowded, and lacks critical trauma and stroke care. Patients face long wait times, inadequate treatment, and are often transferred to other cities for life-saving care. Even worse, many residents refuse emergency transport out of fear of poor conditions at Tennova. This is a public health crisis that puts our entire community at risk. We cannot afford to wait. By joining this campaign, you are helping demand urgent action from city and state leaders to improve healthcare services, hold Tennova accountable, and secure funding for a second hospital or expanded emergency care. Every voice counts—the more people who speak out, the harder it is for officials to ignore this crisis. Clarksville residents deserve safe, accessible, and timely medical care. Sign the petition today and help us fight for the healthcare our community needs!

Help make our voices heard by joining together to amplify our collective message to West Norriton Township elected officials to reject the proposed re-zoning and Protect Betzwood’s Green Space!

The Stonewall Inn is where queer people fought back against police harassment in 1969, sparking the modern LGBTQ+ movement. At the forefront of the fight were trans activists like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, two brave trans women of color who became a symbol of resilience for the entire community. The trans and drag community have always been part of the LGBTQ+ community. For the federal government to try to erase trans people is nonsensical and unacceptable. We won’t let history be rewritten to deny the true legacy of Stonewall. Sign the petition now telling the National Park Service to STOP erasing queer history and reverse these changes on Stonewall’s website! 

The U.S. Postal Service is again under attack by Donald Trump and the world's biggest business con, Elon Musk. Trump’s plans to overhaul the post office and privatize it would be disastrous for people across the country—especially the 50 million residences in rural areas for which it will simply not be as profitable to ensure reliable, timely delivery. In fact, it could effectively end rural postal service, and dramatically raise costs for everyone else.  It’s not just the essentials that are on the line—medications, food, legal documents, and even voting ballots and reminders. The post office is also how we get messages from our loved ones—post cards, letters, and gifts that connect us to the important people in our lives. The ability to get the goods you need and stay in contact with the people you love should not depend on where you live or how much money you have. But in Trump's world, it would – and rural people would be the ones who would have their mail delivery stripped from them by Trump. For years, Donald Trump has wanted to bankrupt the Postal Service and allow private equity firms and global corporations to privatize the service, dismantle the agency, and allow billionaires to further profit off of the American people. The post office is a public good—and we are ready to defend it. Add your name to the petition now! 

Being presented under the guise of "election integrity" and anti-immigrant in nature, the SAVE Act would require everyone to provide proof of citizenship when registering or re-registering to vote by presenting a passport or birth certificate.  Nearly 21 million U.S. citizens of voting age do not have proof of citizenship readily available, only about half of American adults have a passport, and millions lack access to a paper copy of their birth certificate. Make no mistake: This is a bill intending to suppress our freedom to vote. The impact of this legislation would be felt broadly but would impose hurdles for low-income voters, the millions of people who have ever changed their last name, young people, rural communities, people living on tribal lands, and unhoused people, disproportionately impacting people of color.   In the last Congress, Democrats proposed legislation like the Freedom to Vote Act and John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act to ease the burden of voting and make it more accessible and safe. Now, Republicans are doing the exact opposite. We must BLOCK this blatant attempt to strip away our freedom to vote.  Those in power should be working to make voting easier—not putting more confusing systems in place. Sign the petition now to demand that Congress reject the SAVE Act!

This wave of book bans is part of a widespread attempt by Donald Trump and his administration to censor free speech, silence diverse storytellers, and literally rewrite history.  Book challenges and bans have been on the rise, and they will only accelerate under the Trump administration. Last year PEN America reported that more than 10,000 books were banned in public schools—disproporationately from Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and AAPI authors, as well as books on LGBTQ+ topics, equity, and history.  And while the recent wave of book bans are being driven by MAGA Republicans and extreme groups like Moms for Liberty in communities, cities and states across the country, our federal government banning books takes it to another level.  When the government dictates what Americans can and can't read, democracy is at risk and we should all be concerned. Add your name to fight back NOW!

Due to the increased number of school shootings all over our country children feel unsafe to seek further education ,as well as parents fearing for their children ranging from kindergartens to high schoolers. This domestic threat on my fellow classmates and I ,as well as so many children who attend schools everywhere violates the constitutional right to liberty and pursuit of happiness.  The right to education and safety are now teetering as nothing is done. Many children in the United States attending school have self harmed or attacked their schools because nothing was done to protect them from bullying and social outcasting, many students have harmed others for their right to exist, which can be linked to mistreatment at home, upbringing and lack of care from school officials.  It is important the elephant in the room must be addressed to insure a bright future for all students like me. 

Details are still emerging, but Trump and his allies are quickly working to revive Guantánamo’s shameful legacy with an unprecedented effort to imprison tens of thousands of people on the island. The New York Times reports that migrants are already being housed in the same prison that once held individuals accused of being members of Al Qaeda. The very idea that facilities synonymous with torture could be used to detain people fleeing incredible violence and political instability is abhorrent. The potential for trauma, corruption, and human rights violations is sky-high. This plan is more than cruel and likely illegal. It will also be extraordinarily expensive. Maintaining Guantánamo already costs hundreds of millions of dollars per year, and expanding it to imprison immigrants could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions more. Every lawmaker who claims to care about “fiscal responsibility” or “American values” should be outraged — that’s why, with your help, we’ll make enough noise to turn outrage into action. Right now, as Congress puts the final touches on a bill to keep the government open past March 14, we have a critical and urgent opportunity to push them to deny ANY money to pay for immigration detention at Guantánamo Bay.