Olivia Rodrigo, seen here at Belgium’s Rock Werchter Festival in 2025, is a vocal abortion advocate.
Ben Houdijk/Shutterstock

Olivia Rodrigo’s festival raises about $20 million for abortion access and gender equity. Proceeds from the singer’s music festival went to reproductive-rights and gender-equity groups, including Planned Parenthood. Rewire News Group >

Austin musicians now have better health coverage than most Texans. After a decade of clinic referrals left about 85% of members uninsured, the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) began subsidizing ACA marketplace premiums through a partnership with Central Health, Travis County's public hospital district. NPR >

Missouri Supreme Court blocks the GOP’s mid-decade gerrymander and sends it to voters. The court unanimously ruled a 2025 Republican-drawn congressional map cannot be used in November and that voters may decide it by referendum, preserving a Kansas City district held by a Black lawmaker. Capital B News >

California bars work requirements and time limits on renters. State lawmakers passed a first-of-its-kind bill prohibiting housing authorities from imposing work requirements or time limits on low-income tenants receiving federal rental assistance, heading off proposed federal HUD changes. Capital & Main >

A federal judge blocks Trump’s mail-voting restrictions for the midterms. A U.S. District Court judge in Massachusetts found new USPS mail-voting restrictions, drawn from a Trump executive order, unconstitutional and unsupported by law, protecting mail-ballot access for November. An appeal is expected. Democracy Docket >

Stanford’s student newspaper wins its free-speech suit over a federal crackdown on pro-Palestinian speech. The Stanford Daily prevailed in a lawsuit challenging federal pressure targeting campus speech, backed by a free-speech legal group. Democracy Now >

An ICE agent is charged over a north Minneapolis shooting. Agent Christian Castro was charged with making false statements about the shooting. The count is narrower than the one a federal prosecutor sought; the Justice Department blocked the more serious charge. Sahan Journal >

California moves to give formerly incarcerated parents a path to reunify with their kids. AB 1201 would end the state’s automatic denial of child-welfare reunification services to parents with violent felony convictions, requiring judges to weigh cases individually. Bolts >

Rupture and Repair Wednesday, September 30 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. We’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Conflict Evolution 101 Thursday, October 1 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. Through hands-on practice and scenario work, we’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Jerome "Big Duck" Smith rode with the Freedom Riders in 1961, trained young activists in nonviolence, and spoke plainly to Robert F. Kennedy about what the federal government owed Black Americans. He returned to New Orleans and co-founded Tamborine and Fan in 1968, spending the next 58 years teaching the children of the 6th and 7th Wards their own history. Smith died on Aug. 21, 2026, at 87. Read his full story on 28 Days of Black History.

IMMIGRATION

Trump's DOJ blocked serious ICE shooting charge over federal prosecutor's "strongest possible" objections. A career federal prosecutor in Minnesota pushed to bring a serious charge against an ICE agent involved in a Minneapolis shooting. Justice Department leadership in Washington overrode that recommendation, and internal objections show just how hard the prosecutor fought to keep the case on track. ProPublica >

These judges take months to decide if immigrants have been unlawfully detained. When someone believes they're being held by immigration authorities without cause, they can file a habeas petition and ask a judge to rule. A review of those cases found that some judges take months to decide, and people wait out those months behind bars. ProPublica >

ICE is paying a controversial AI firm to hide the identities of agents. ICE has signed on with an AI company called ZeroFox for what it calls a "Doxing Mitigation Initiative," meant to scrub agents' identities from public view. People familiar with the technology warn the same tools could just as easily be aimed at whistleblowers and critics. The Intercept >

As hiring begins for Appleton ICE facility, CoreCivic offers to pay city and county more than $1.5M a year for lost tax dollars. The private prison company CoreCivic is turning a shuttered correctional facility in Appleton, Minnesota, into a 1,600-bed ICE detention center. To smooth the deal, it's offering the city and Swift County more than $1.5 million a year to make up for the tax revenue the site would otherwise generate. Sahan Journal >

Trump is dismantling TPS country by country. Salvadorans fear they're next. Temporary Protected Status lets people from countries in crisis live and work in the U.S. legally. The administration is now rescinding those designations one nation at a time, and Salvadorans who have built their lives here are watching the list, bracing for their turn. Truthout >

DEMOCRACY

Appeals court keeps block on New Hampshire voting restrictions. A federal appeals court left an injunction in place against key parts of New Hampshire's documentary-proof-of-citizenship law. That means eligible voters who don't have the required papers can still sign an affidavit and cast a ballot in Tuesday's primary. Democracy Docket >

New mail voting rules moved forward despite USPS officials' concerns about mass disenfranchisement. Postal Service officials raised internal alarms that new mail-voting rules could keep large numbers of people from having their ballots counted. The rules advanced anyway, heading into a midterm election where millions vote by mail. ProPublica >

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Federal judge pauses case on mifepristone access until after midterm elections. A federal judge has hit pause on the lawsuit over access to mifepristone, one of the two drugs used in medication abortion, and won't take it up again until after November. The timing keeps a major abortion-access question off the docket during election season. Rewire News Group >

22 states sue Trump admin over "unprecedented" attack on gender-affirming care. A coalition of 22 states is suing to stop a federal rule that would strip Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP funding for gender-affirming care for minors. The states argue the administration overstepped its authority, and they're racing a mid-October deadline for the rule to take effect. LGBTQ Nation >

Voter ID, abortion and bans on trans athletes on ballots in November. Voters in several states will decide big questions directly this fall. Nevada and Virginia weigh constitutional protections for reproductive rights, Missouri considers repealing the abortion protections it passed in 2024 and banning gender-affirming care for young people, and trans-athlete measures appear on ballots elsewhere. UPI >

Tina wanted another baby. She also needed an abortion. Texas made both harder. Tina was trying to grow her family when she learned her pregnancy wasn't viable and needed to be ended. Her story shows how Texas's abortion ban tangled up both her miscarriage care and her hopes of getting pregnant again. The 19th >

DISABILITY JUSTICE

Labor Department rescinds disability hiring mandate. The Labor Department is scrapping a 2013 rule that asked federal contractors to aim for 7% of their workforce to be people with disabilities, along with the paperwork that tracked progress. Officials call the goal a quota; disability advocates see a tool for accountability going away. Disability Scoop >

Disabled workers at greater risk of losing health insurance. A new report finds disabled workers are far less likely to get health coverage through a job than other workers, 57.9% compared with 70.6%. As Medicaid work requirements start to kick in, that gap leaves many of them with fewer places to turn for insurance. STAT >

LABOR

"Treated worse than cattle": Tyson workers laid off. Tyson Foods permanently closed its beef plant in Joslin, Illinois, and roughly 2,500 workers lost their jobs. Many say they got almost no warning before the doors shut. In These Times >

Boycott of Starbucks is still on as workers press for $17 wage and protections. Unionized Starbucks workers are keeping their boycott going as they push the company for a $17 hourly wage and stronger workplace protections. It's the latest chapter in a years-long organizing fight at the coffee chain. Truthout >

CLIMATE

The EPA could make it harder to fight polluting data centers. The EPA is weighing whether to drop the public notice-and-comment step for air-pollution permits at data centers. With a massive data-center buildout underway across the South, that change would take away one of the main ways Black communities can challenge a new source of pollution next door. Word In Black >

Studies link New Mexico drilling to radiation, air pollution, health risks. New research around Loving, New Mexico, ties Permian Basin oil and gas operations to airborne radiation measured at up to five times normal levels, along with elevated ozone. Scientists say the exposure carries real health risks for people nearby, including a higher danger of lung cancer. Capital & Main >

In Arctic Alaska, 1.4 million acres of federal land is shifting to state hands. With federal protections lifted, Alaska can now claim about 1.4 million acres along the Dalton Highway corridor. The handoff opens some of the country's most intact Arctic land to mining and pipelines and threatens the subsistence hunting and fishing Native communities depend on. High Country News >

EDUCATION

Several states rejected this private school chain as a charter. Now it's eligible for Texas' taxpayer-funded vouchers. An AI-driven private school chain was turned down as a charter operator in several states. In Texas, it now qualifies for the state's new taxpayer-funded voucher program, giving it public dollars other states declined to hand over. ProPublica >

Sound familiar?

Over 4 million people have had the same lightbulb moment.

Morning Brew is a free daily newsletter that breaks down what's happening in business, finance, and tech — clearly, quickly, and with enough personality to make it the best email in your inbox.

No yelling. No filler. Just the news, finally making sense.

Try it for free

Don’t miss my interview with Whitney McGuire, a designer, strategist, artist and world builder whose work is deeply rooted in community and curiosity.

Stories that inspire me to stay aware, engaged, and hopeful for tomorrow.

A student observes artwork displayed along a school hallway. Teachers have encouraged students to create resistance art as a way to process the impact of immigration enforcement on their community.

Schools are getting creative to protect immigrant kids from raids. As ICE activity rattles immigrant youth, schools are building routines and protections to keep students safe and in class. A Spanish edition runs alongside it. palabra >

A Bronx father is home after his community organized his defense. Gagne Diagne, a Senegalese DoorDash driver, was released from ICE detention after six days. Documented >

Here’s a community organizer’s guide to Chicago’s West Ridge. Organizer Bharat Sharma walks readers through the neighborhood’s anchors, from a beloved grocery store to a family-owned Pakistani restaurant. Borderless Magazine >

Some childcare centers are keeping care affordable by housing their staff for free. Providers offering free staff housing are using it to retain workers and hold down costs for families. Reasons to be Cheerful >

Baltimore’s 911 system now has more ways to help without police. The city expanded non-police crisis-response options within its emergency system. Reasons to be Cheerful >

Nina Simone’s civil rights anthems return to a Minneapolis stage. A revival of Christina Ham’s play Nina Simone: Four Women anchors a run of Twin Cities arts events, including a group show responding to immigration enforcement through art. Sahan Journal >

A Yup’ik immersion program in Alaska is helping students reconnect with their language. The community-led school program teaches Yup’ik language and culture to Alaska Native students. Truthout >

That’s all for today! Did you enjoy today’s issue? Here’s how you can support this work:

• Make a one-time or monthly donation on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@reimaginednews)

• Sponsor an upcoming issue

• Refer this newsletter to a friend

Until next time,

Subscribe | About | Donate | Sponsor | Archives

I’m so grateful we can feature your work here, Whitney. It’s so broad and all encompassing; how do you introduce yourself when you’re meeting smoeone new?

I'm Whitney, and I like to introduce myself as a world builder. Practically, I'm a strategist working at the intersection of climate, art, culture and community. I'm a mother. And I'm a strategic designer, so I bring design thinking into the work.

I consider myself a world builder, too, and it’s something I’ve always appreciated about watching your work from afar. How did you realize that’s such a critical component of your career?

Growing up, I was always an expansive thinker, challenging authority, questioning our position in the universe. I was raised Buddhist, so I had this understanding of the oneness of people and the planet, which is the foundation of my focus in sustainability, but also a brief introduction to quantum physics and the ways we can create our realities.

I grew up in the Midwest in a predominantly Black community and was expected to achieve, especially to change generational patterns of financial scarcity. I left the west side of Dayton, Ohio for boarding school on a full tuition scholarship, and became acutely aware of the juxtaposition between the two environments. That put a chip on my shoulder, which I ended up nurturing to create the career I live now.

I started asking more questions. Why does injustice exist? Why was slavery even a thing? Buddhism provided some context, but I still had many more questions. I'm largely guided by curiosity. That's how I ended up in the legal field. I always loved writing and weaving stories together into something cohesive. This is probably also why I love reality TV. It's sociology 101.

I graduated law school during the recession. Jobs were super, super scarce, and I couldn't land one. I got a job as a design associate at a mid-century modern furniture store and learned furniture-making, textiles, color coordination, patterns. A real crash course in design. At the same time, I started supporting the artists in my life. I was raised by one. I married (and divorced) one. I consider myself one. They just didn't understand the legalese, and I knew how to interpret contracts. That's how I started my own firm. I ran it for 10 years and sunset it three years ago.

My life was structured so differently from my clients'. They'd go on residencies. I had never heard of a residency! Years later I started attending them myself. The firm, Sustainable Brooklyn, which I started with Dominique Drakeford, teaching, working in museums, all of it became fodder for when I decided to do something out of the box, because I never felt comfortable in any boxes. Living in those in-between spaces, translating between different worlds for people, has required every single minute and millisecond of my life up until now.

Tell me about community and how it's shaped the way you work.

My relationship to community was, at one point, based in trauma, this feeling like I never really fit in anywhere. Community has also been a balm, because I was constantly surrounded by it growing up. My mom used to host Buddhist meetings in our home. I learned that community requires organization, infrastructure, care, and the killing of the ego. I sometimes call community a verb because it's something I do.

It's shown up in the ways I provide space. I used to teach free workshops on sustainability and fashion with Sustainable Brooklyn, always meant to take knowledge from the ivory tower and give it to the people. The latest iteration is Sustaining Community, an event series I started in 2024 to address the crises happening hyper-locally, especially for artists: affordability, gentrification, lack of resources, burnout.

I'd pair an artist with someone in their community who's helped them sustain themselves. We always gave out groceries. I did those for eight months, then switched to a fund. Through my newsletter, Conditions, each subscription contributes to the Sustaining Community Fund, a way to crowdsource my salary, because I can't keep doing this work for free, and to support artists in my life who need it.

Rupture and Repair Wednesday, September 30 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. We’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Conflict Evolution 101 Thursday, October 1 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. Through hands-on practice and scenario work, we’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

You also started the Baby Mama Supper Club!!!

I'm a recent single mama as of 2022. A large portion of my friend group is also single mothers, so I had people to lean on. But we wanted to get more organized about it. So I started hosting potlucks in my apartment, each one with an agenda item to discuss. Our kids would be running around. It organically formed into the Baby Mama Supper Club. We support each other through skillshares, through financial support, sometimes we'll just cook big meals so someone doesn't have to cook on a Friday.

You mentioned world building was your work about three years into motherhood. What shifted during that time?

That was around 2023. Before that I was racking my brain, going through depressive episodes, trying to figure out what my lane was. For much of my life I was focused on surviving. Now, projects are born from me. I'm no longer in somatic survival mode, though financially, there is a lot of room for improvement.

I was in so many transitions all at once, and around the time my kid was three my brain started to function again semi-normally. I could reflect on my past and what my legacy would be. I was becoming more comfortable with surrendering to the unknown, even with this massive responsibility of raising a human. I always have a plan, but I was kind of like, let me take my hand off the steering wheel and let my faith guide me.

I am so vast, and I'm a universe unto myself. I've outgrown this dream. It's like looking back at myself and being like, baby girl, there's so, so, so much more ahead of you. That was the first time I could see a clear vision of myself, and of what kinds of worlds I was capable of building.

What does the future look like, smell like, feel like to you?

Around the height of the pandemic, I went through a long period of being unable to envision the future. I made an art piece about it, a website called In the Future, where I asked people to fill in the blank: "In the future, Black people are ___." That became a whole movement. Reading the responses helped me ground myself in, okay, there's still hope.

I'm a firm believer in timeline jumping. So the future I see smells like cardamom. Sweet and spicy, nourishing, satiating. It's also really messy and complicated, but there's less fear around that messiness.

I see so many kids who are healthy and thriving, and nuclear families sort of not really being a thing, more living in a communal and respectful way. An ideal future for me is dripping with empathy, and an eradication of anti-Black racism, which is going to be really hard. But that's the future I want.

What do you want people to know about, and act on?

I want to plug my tool Polibot.co. It's a real-time environmental regulation tracker for redlined communities. It alerts subscribers to regulations introduced or passed at the federal, state and local level, and how those will impact their communities. Right now I'm only looking at water and air quality, but there's a need to focus on hyper-local issues in Brooklyn too: permits, deed theft, all the regulations that allow the things that affect our habitability to manifest. I launched the MVP in December, and I'm raising $60,000 to pilot it in NYC. I'm not approaching this like a startup founder spending 40 hours a day. But I am happy with how it's progressing.

The McGuire Consulting Group continues to consult. Most of my clients are arts institutions or sustainable fashion brands, and I help them solve massive problems affecting their internal cultures and funding streams. We also host Climate + Art + Philanthropy lunches quarterly to call in the failure of philanthropy in closing the gaps between funding apparatuses and the communities already doing the work. We're coming up on our year anniversary this September during NYC Climate Week 2026. They're systems interventions I design to get people from different sectors talking about how art and climate support each other.

What's bringing you joy right now?

I am bringing me joy. I just turned 40. Things are still weird in life, but I'm really proud of myself for everything that I've been able to do and everything that's made me who I am. And my kid brings me joy. He's so freaking funny. Theres never a dull moment. He's eight. I'm getting glimpses of what he's going to be like as a preteen, but he's so honest, so aware of who he is. I'm just nurturing whatever's going on right now.

—

Whitney McGuire, Esq. helps organizations and artists rethink their impact on people and the planet. A lawyer, strategist, educator, and systems designer working at the intersection of culture, climate, and equity, she brings more than a decade of experience transforming how communities and institutions imagine sustainability as a practice of care, justice, and cultural preservation.

As the Founder and Managing Partner of The McGuire Consulting Group, Whitney guides museums, foundations, and mission-driven organizations through change — building strategies that center community, equity, and environmental accountability. Her work has shaped initiatives with The Guggenheim, The Getty, Christie's, The Kitchen, and Custom Collaborative. 

Trained as an attorney and informed by her experience as a cultural worker and professor at Parsons School of Design, Whitney bridges legal, ecological, and creative systems to help organizations move from intention to transformation.

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde — especially the essay "Learning from the 60s" — a go-to for contextualizing her work through a Black feminist lens. Salvation by bell hooks — on Black people's relationships with each other. The Spirit of Intimacy by Sobonfu Somé — on the communal, village approach to intimate and platonic relationships among the Dagara of Burkina Faso; a model she's drawn on for envisioning board structures for organizations.

That’s all for today! Did you enjoy today’s issue? Here’s how you can support this work:

• Make a one-time or monthly donation on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@reimaginednews)

• Sponsor an upcoming issue

• Refer this newsletter to a friend

Until next time,

Subscribe | About | Donate | Sponsor | Archives

I post quick recaps like these every morning on Threads and Substack – follow me if you find them helpful!

Jason Arday, a Black Cambridge professor accused of plagiarism, was found dead on Friday. The professor of sociology of education was under relentless scrutiny after accusations led by Nathan Cofnas, a former Cambridge philosophy researcher who left the university following his critique of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that sparked widespread protests. His death is sparking more discussion about the racism and discrimination that Black people in positions of power – especially in academia – experience.

• Tyler Austin Harper outlines the systemic, ritualized dishonesty that undid the Cambridge professor. The Atlantic >

• Karen Attiah unpacks what Jason Arday's death by media mob says about the old machinery of anti-Black terror in the algorithmic age. The Golden Hour by Karen Attiah >

Flock announces changes amid backlash over its license plate reader network. After public outrage over the use of Flock Safety’s 120,000 cameras for digital surveillance, the company updated its policies, reducing the default data retention period to 7 days and making misuse detection mandatory for every customer. Despite this, advocates warn that the use of this technology still threatens our civil liberties.

• TAKE ACTION: Use this toolkit to tell ALPRs in your community to “Get the Flock Out!” ACLU >

• Here’s one of many examples of Flock leading an innocent man to be apprehended by police. Futurism >

The kids want Democratic socialism. A new poll focusing on young people’s political views finds that, by a two-to-one margin, they tend to support rather than oppose the idea of democratic socialism. Nearly 4 out of 5 respondents described the U.S. economy using negative terms. These views reflect the growing support for progressive Democrats who had big wins in recent state and local elections.

• Donavan McKinney, a democratic socialist who defeated two-term Congressmember Shri Thanedar in the House primary for Michigan’s 13th District, chats with Democracy Now about the upset. Democracy Now

• The Democrats’ 2028 presidential calendar places more weight on Black and Latino voters and unions, a strategy that may pay off. Los Angeles Times >

Rupture and Repair Wednesday, September 30 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. We’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Conflict Evolution 101 Thursday, October 1 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. Through hands-on practice and scenario work, we’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

A protester waves the national flags of Mexico during a demonstration for immigrants' rights outside of Los Angeles City Hall on Feb. 5, 2025. Photo Source: Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images

The U.S. has deported hundreds of children to cities in southern Mexico. Human rights organizations said the minors lack the resources to go home safely and that some may have died trying. Capital & Main >

A secret ICE agent tried to push Minneapolis activists toward confrontational tactics. An undercover agent attempted to steer Sunrise Movement activists in Minneapolis toward confrontation. The Intercept >

Fear of ICE forces immigrant New Yorkers into the shadows. An enforcement surge is driving immigrants to change daily routines and avoid work, school, and public spaces. Documented >

Five things you didn’t know about extreme heat in prison, jail and ICE detention. Experts share their best tips for investigating rising temperatures behind bars in a webinar from The Marshall Project’s Investigate This! Marshall Project >

A progressive Vermont prosecutor wins her primary. Chittenden County State's Attorney Sarah George defeated a challenger who ran on reversing her agenda, and plans to expand restorative justice, no-cash-bail, and limits on traffic-stop charges. Bolts >

After Flock cameras, local police now want autonomous drones. Hundreds of police departments have secured FAA waivers to fly AI-navigated surveillance drones, expanding automated policing. The Appeal >

Medicaid will stop paying for some gender-affirming care for transgender minors. The administration said Medicaid and CHIP will end federal funding for gender-affirming surgeries and hormone treatment for youth under 19, effective October 13, with hormones phased out by April 2027; states and private insurers may continue coverage. STAT >

Pacific Northwest tribal leaders describe defending an 1855 treaty. Leaders detail the work of upholding the Treaty of Point Elliott against federal neglect and reinterpretation. High Country News >

A Grist investigation questions a Texas "tribe" that raised millions in climate funding. Reporting found the state-recognized Carrizo/Comecrudo group raised over $5 million from environmental funders while lacking documentation of Indigenous ancestry or tribal continuity. Grist >

Promotional poster for “The Alabama Solution,” which features extensive footage filmed on phones inside Alabama prisons by those incarcerated. Image Source: The Alabama Solution

It’s Black August, the annual commemoration honoring Black freedom fighters, political prisoners, and resistance against oppression. Here are three films to watch that help contextualize the spirit and energy of the movement.

“The Alabama Solution” (2025)

This Academy Award-nominated documentary features a group of incarcerated men who defy the odds to expose a cover-up in one of the United States' deadliest prison systems. In this, you’ll see how they organize, how they were inspired by moments of resistance that define Black August as we know it today. Available on many streaming platforms. Learn more >

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Spike Lee’s classic film tells the story of one hot summer day in a Black Brooklyn neighborhood. Racial tensions are explored through characters’ reactions to gentrification, white-owned businesses making money off of the Black community, and police violence. Watch free on YouTube >

The Black August Hip Hop Project (2010)

Directed by dream hampton in association with the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, this documentary combines interview footage and concert performances to highlight political prisoners and the international Black solidarity movement. Watch on Vimeo >

Stories that inspire me to stay aware, engaged, and hopeful for tomorrow.

Tamara Johnson-Shealey, center, leads a presentation with her students. Photo Source: Getty Images

A Black-led program in Savannah teaches white Americans the history they missed. Tamara Johnson-Shealey's program pairs virtual instruction with field trips to Civil War and reparations-history sites around Savannah. Word In Black >

Minnesota's first multifamily passive-energy homes go on sale in Minneapolis. "Green on 14," a 10-townhome passive-house project built with the City of Lakes Community Land Trust, offers permanently affordable homes with roughly $8-a-month energy costs to buyers earning up to 80% of area median income. 66% of the land trust's homeowners are people of color. Sahan Journal >

Dallas Latino business owners rode the World Cup and kept the customers. Food-truck operators, bakers, and a 30-year-old soccer shop across Dallas–Fort Worth worked through equipment failures and logistics during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and came out with sales spikes and lasting new customers. palabra >

A first-generation CPS graduate votes in Chicago's first elected school board. Froylan Suarez, who grew up navigating language barriers and special-education cuts, explains why he's voting in the city's first fully elected school board election and pushing for bilingual and special-needs funding. Borderless Magazine >

More American dads are taking parental leave. In the 14 states plus D.C. with paid family leave, fathers are taking bonding leave at rates approaching mothers', with Colorado and Washington seeing the highest uptake. Reasons to be Cheerful >

Kolkata's wetlands treat a megacity's wastewater by design. The East Kolkata Wetlands naturally recycle roughly 900 million liters of wastewater daily, a working model of community-scale ecological infrastructure. Reasons to be Cheerful >

That’s all for today! Did you enjoy today’s issue? Here’s how you can support this work:

• Make a one-time or monthly donation on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@reimaginednews)

• Sponsor an upcoming issue

• Refer this newsletter to a friend

Until next time,

Subscribe | About | Donate | Sponsor | Archives

Here’s this week’s recap of progressive wins from cities and states across the country! Note some of the trends and consider: what could be applied to your community? Which organizations do you know locally doing similar work?

• Michigan Supreme Court threw out a state permit for Enbridge's pipeline tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac, ruling regulators failed to fully weigh the environmental impact and sending the case back for further review. Grist >

• Missouri voters rejected Amendment 4, a policy that would have required citizen-led initiatives to win a majority in every congressional district rather than statewide. Bolts >

• Kansas voters rejected a constitutional amendment to reshape the state Supreme Court, a measure widely read as an effort to reshape the court that has protected abortion rights in the state. The 19th >

• Delaware enacts a state Voting Rights Act for Black voters. The new John Lewis–style law creates state legal protections against election discrimination as federal enforcement erodes. Capital B News >

• Danyel Smith wins a new trial after more than 20 years in prison. A judge granted Smith a new trial, citing the discredited "shaken baby syndrome" forensic evidence used to convict him. He remains incarcerated pending the retrial. The Appeal >

• Montana regulators pull a waiver for a $2 billion Bridger Pipeline Expansion, forcing the company to submit financial and environmental data it had left out. Grist >

• Solar became Utah's top electricity source for the first time. In May, solar produced nearly a third of the state's power — a reversal from a decade ago, when coal supplied as much as 78 percent. Grist >

• A New Mexico court adds $567 million to Meta's penalty for harming children. A judge ordered the additional payment on top of an earlier jury verdict. Truthout >

Democracy

Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan's Democratic Senate primary over AIPAC-backed spending. El-Sayed defeated establishment-backed Haley Stevens despite heavy outside spending against him. The Intercept >

Maine's incarcerated organizers work to protect a rare right to vote. Maine is one of the few U.S. jurisdictions that lets people vote from prison. Organizers are pushing to overcome the barriers that keep many from casting ballots. Bolts >

Moral Mondays shifts from Washington to the states. Bishop William Barber and clergy were arrested at a Senate office building as the movement pivots toward state-level voter organizing. Word In Black >

Immigration

A congressional proposal would give ICE authority over shoplifting cases. The measure would expand ICE's reach and surveillance to pursue people accused of retail theft. The Intercept >

Communities push back as ICE surveillance intertwines with data centers. Organizing is growing against the entanglement of ICE infrastructure with the buildout of data centers. Truthout >

NYC advocates push for facial-recognition limits to protect immigrants. Immigrant-rights groups are organizing for new city rules on facial recognition and biometric data they warn could endanger immigrants. Documented >

The State Department moves to bar visas over "economic sabotage." Under Marco Rubio, the department is working to deny visas to foreigners it deems supporters of "economic sabotage," a category critics say targets activists and the left. The Intercept >

Haitian New Yorkers brace for deportation after TPS ends. The city's Haitian community faces mass-deportation fears following the end of Temporary Protected Status. Documented >

Health

Medicaid work requirements are stripping coverage from unhoused people. New rules are pushing people who can't meet documentation and employment requirements off Medicaid, with exemptions that advocates call unworkable. KFF Health News >

Kennedy and Oz call Medicaid cuts a "myth." STAT checks the math. Analysts actually measure the coverage and spending reductions the two officials dispute. STAT >

People with disabilities fear service cuts as DOJ questions legal protections. Advocates worry about home- and community-based services as the Justice Department challenges the legal basis for community integration. KFF Health News >

The main autism therapy faces changes under Medicaid. Applied behavior analysis, the most common therapy for autistic children, faces coverage and policy shifts that could affect access. STAT >

Rupture and Repair Wednesday, September 30 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. We’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Conflict Evolution 101 Thursday, October 1 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. Through hands-on practice and scenario work, we’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Reproductive Right

Planned Parenthood of Michigan will close three clinics after funding cuts. The closures reduce reproductive-health access across the state. Rewire News Group >

Abortion becomes a central issue in Maine's Senate race. Reproductive rights have emerged as a fault line in the contest involving Susan Collins and challengers Graham Platner and Troy Jackson. Rewire News Group >

Criminal Legal System

Illinois lawmakers demand change at a prison after a fire investigation. Following a Marshall Project report documenting more than 70 fires in three years at the Joliet Treatment Center, legislators are pressing for fire-safety and mental-health improvements. The Marshall Project >

Calls grow for Gov. Newsom to commute California's death sentences. Advocates are pressing the governor to act amid renewed anti-death-penalty organizing. Prism Reports >

Climate

Federal plan imposes steep Colorado River cuts on Arizona, California and Nevada. The Bureau of Reclamation's 10-year plan would require mandatory Lower Basin reductions while leaving Upper Basin cuts voluntary. High Country News >

The administration is blocking $12.5 billion in grid grants. A DOE Alumni Network report found 356 grid-improvement awards terminated, with another $12.2 billion threatened, stalling projects nationwide. Grist >

Tribal nations weigh whether to host AI data centers on their lands. Nations are debating the economic and environmental tradeoffs of the buildout. Prism Reports >

A photo of Michael Orlandus Darrion Brown, provided by his family, via Zedé.

“His name is Michael Orlandus Darrion Brown.” On the anniversary of the death of Michael Brown Jr., as the media has referred to him, an 18-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by a white police officer, Zedé interviews Lezley McSpadden-Head, Michael Brown’s mother, on navigating grief and reclaiming her son’s name.

Yesterday, on the second Saturday of August, Chicago's South Side celebrates the Bud Billiken Parade, the largest African American parade in the country and a tradition since 1929.

It began with Robert Sengstacke Abbott, founder of the Chicago Defender, who created the fictional youth editor "Bud Billiken" and a club for young readers before coordinator David Kellum organized the first march to honor the paper's newsboys.

More than a million people now line the route down Martin Luther King Drive through Bronzeville, where drill teams, dancers, and public figures carry the celebration into Washington Park.

Read more about the parade – and countless stories of Black history – on our website, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Stories that inspire me to stay aware, engaged, and hopeful for tomorrow.

Inside Judging by the Cover's new location in Fresno's Tower District. (Photo courtesy Judging by the Cover)

A Fresno land trust bought a building and opened a bookstore. The South Tower Community Land Trust used community organizing and creative financing to buy its first commercial property, giving the local-owned Judging by the Cover a home in the Tower District. Next City >

Chicago's Local School Councils, and what they can actually do. A look at one of the most direct ways West Side residents shape decisions at neighborhood schools — and the work of getting more people to the table. Borderless Magazine >

Neighbors pool knowledge and buying power to go greener. "Heat pump coaches" and neighborhood solar co-ops help residents make home energy cleaner together. Reasons to be Cheerful >

Five Minnesota festivals celebrate the African and Afro-Latinx diaspora. IgboFest, Let's Gidi and others bring music and community gatherings across the state this month. Sahan Journal >

A "Trans Requiem" carries the fight for trans lives into church. Composer-cellist Andrew Yee's work mourns and honors the trans community as musical testimony. The Nation >

In Inupiaq, when the weather talks, you listen. Laureli Ivanoff writes on traditional weather knowledge and Sila as a living force, set against the flooding facing Alaska's coastal communities. High Country News >

That’s all for today! Did you enjoy today’s issue? Here’s how you can support this work:

• Make a one-time or monthly donation on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@reimaginednews)

• Sponsor an upcoming issue

• Refer this newsletter to a friend

Until next time,

Subscribe | About | Donate | Sponsor | Archives

• Donate or volunteer to support Defy Illinois. You can follow Defy Ventures on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

• Chicago locals: Join Defy Ventures to support their pitch competition on September 10. Details here.

Volunteers (left) and Entrepreneurs in Training (right) are led through an empathy building exercise called “walk the line” by Executive Director of Defy Ventures Illinois, Melissa O’Dell (middle). (Lauren Yoder/Defy Ventures)

Melissa: I’m Melissa O’Dell, executive director of Defy Ventures Illinois. I’ve been with Defy eleven years now, but I’ve been working in criminal justice reform for almost twenty. As my career developed, I realized I wanted to help people so they’d never have to enter the system in the first place. I was actually a coach with Defy before I offered to start Defy Illinois. It’s been an incredible journey so far. We’ve grown from one prison program to working in three institutions and launching a post-release program. It’s wonderful seeing all our alumni doing awesome stuff.

Nick: My name is Nick Carra. When I was twenty-four years old, I was just young, stupid, and really reckless. I got into trouble and got sent to prison, where I tried to do everything right. I was transferred to Kewanee for good behavior, where I met Melissa and learned about Defy — a reentry program that teaches basic life skills: building credit, managing finances, pretty much every skill you need. I thought that was cool, because in a normal prison setting, you just do your time and go home. At the kickoff, Melissa had great energy. Just seeing her excitement made me feel so much better about joining. I thought, “If someone genuinely believes in us as much as Melissa does, I’m going all in.” So I joined the program.

I'd always wanted to start my own business, but I never thought about taking a class to become an entrepreneur. When that class came up, a light bulb went off in my head. What I liked about it is that it's a long program and more than just business. In the beginning, they almost teach you self-reflection and how to find yourself. I feel like we all get lost at some point, and that's sometimes why we veer off course. So I liked how the first part of the course was reflective. Once we passed that, we got more into the entrepreneurship side — coming up with your own business idea, the action steps, and setting reasonable, timely goals. Being goal-oriented helps a lot because without a goal, you're just navigating with no end in sight.

When I did the Shark Tank-style pitch at the end of it, I had a different business plan — I wanted to start my own investment company. But as I thought about it, my mind changed. My dad owns a pizza company, so I want to do something called Slice of Hope. The idea is to use pizzas to raise money to support younger city kids. I hope to inspire them. If I’d had that person in my life when I was younger, things would have been different. So I want to give them an understanding of entrepreneurship and show them they can make a difference. I just got the articles of incorporation!

Melissa: The program Nick is referencing is called CEO of Your New Life. It incorporates personal development and well-being with career readiness, entrepreneurship, and reentry — all woven together. At Defy, we know it’s not one-size-fits-all, and it’s not linear. Reentering will have its ups and downs. We try to be right where people need us, with a very individualized and differentiated approach. With technology changing, many people inside have skill sets in high demand. We need more people with expertise in HVAC, manufacturing, and logistics. There will always be shifts in the knowledge economy, so we hope to keep evolving to ensure we can continue matching participants with meaningful career trajectories. But once you’re part of Defy, you’re always part of Defy.

What an inspiring community. Nick, you mentioned the program is something you have to be committed to. What’s it like?

Nick: At the kickoff, everybody’s there because it’s new and exciting. But by the time it was over, there were only fifteen or twenty of us who stuck with the whole thing. They don’t make it easy for us. The textbooks are thick, and you really have to want it [laughs]. But for the people who stuck around, it made a big impact on our lives. One of the guys, Taurus, has his own roofing and construction company. Another guy, Kennedy, started his own trucking company. The people who graduated are really taking everything Defy offered and applying it after release. It’s life-changing for the people who actually want to commit and do better.

Volunteers give feedback as Entrepreneurs in Training present their personal statements, resumes and business ideas. EITs have been developing these materials over the course of several months leading up to the coaching day. (Lauren Yoder/Defy Ventures)

How can readers support — both Defy Ventures and the work you represent?

Melissa: We don't want to say it's a family, but the idea is that we're all each other's keeper. Our program is meant to be not one-and-done. You can always extend your hand and help somebody else — whether you're staff or alumni, whether you're still inside or in the community.  There’s no shortage of ways to get involved. You can do a lot just by committing to dismantling the stigma around people who’ve been impacted by the legal system. We’re all human beings, and people make different choices. So get to know people and hear their stories. For Defy specifically, we need more people to come behind the wall and volunteer at our business coaching days and pitch competitions, because this doesn’t work without the community coming in to be mentors and coaches. We also encourage donations. Right now, our team is just three full-time and two part-time staffers serving the whole state. We need to 10x that to be in all the prisons where it would be appropriate for us to program.

Nick: I’m getting a little emotional right now, but I’d strongly encourage anyone reading this who feels inspired to help Defy get into more prisons. If I had more money, I’d invest in Defy because I understand how impactful it is. Also, just give us a chance. Some people who just started the program were still a bit wary of taking rehabilitation seriously. But having Defy as a program changed their way of thinking. Plus, having this support system when you get out is huge. I do have a good support system, but some guys don’t have anything to go back to. For some, this type of support can be the difference between going back to prison and not going back to prison. The Defy community means you know someone out there actually cares.

Redefining reentry: How Defy Ventures Illinois empowers entrepreneurs with empathy. An intimate look at Defy’s programming in Illinois and how it’s impacted participants and volunteers. Chicago Reporter >

Older adults coming out of Illinois prisons face steep roadblocks in their reentry journey. At least 17,000 adults age 50 and older have been released from Illinois prisons since 2014, and thousands more are in line to come out soon. Older adults are less likely to reoffend than their younger counterparts but face more hurdles to successful reentry. Injustice Watch >

How financial barriers stifle formerly incarcerated people. Fines, fees, and unemployment can have long-term impacts on individuals and communities. Here’s what some are doing to help. CPI >

Rupture and Repair Wednesday, September 30 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. We’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Conflict Evolution 101 Thursday, October 1 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. Through hands-on practice and scenario work, we’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. Blood in the Water by Heather Ann Thompson Solitary by Albert Woodfox. Live from Death Row by Mumia Abu-Jamal Punished by Victor M. Rios Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Y. Davis

That’s all for today! Did you enjoy today’s issue? Here’s how you can support this work:

• Make a one-time or monthly donation on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@reimaginednews)

• Sponsor an upcoming issue

• Refer this newsletter to a friend

Until next time,

Subscribe | About | Donate | Sponsor | Archives

Missouri restored voting rights to about 40,000 people on probation or parole. Gov. Mike Kehoe signed HB 1871, which makes restoration automatic going forward, with carve-outs for certain offenses. Virginia moved to restore rights to thousands more, reversing its status as the only state that permanently disenfranchised everyone with a felony conviction for life.

• Check whether a past conviction affects your vote. The Campaign Legal Center's Restore Your Vote tool walks through the rules state by state and how to get back on the rolls. Restore Your Vote >

• Find your August ballot. More than 100 local elections this month decide prosecutors, sheriffs, judges, and school boards. Bolts maps them. Bolts >

• Save the MigraWatch hotline. United We Dream's hotline (1-844-363-1423) documents ICE activity and connects callers to local rapid-response networks. United We Dream >

• Carry a red card. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center's Know Your Rights cards state your rights during an ICE encounter, in multiple languages, free to download. ILRC >

• Give to a bond fund. The National Bail Fund Network directory lists community bond and immigration bond funds by state. Community Justice Exchange >

A delivery worker riding a bike and wearing a DoorDash branded delivery backpack looks towards the right before proceeding down the New York City Street. Image Source: Documented

Michigan Supreme Court overturns the Line 5 tunnel permit. The state's highest court invalidated the permit for Enbridge's proposed pipeline tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac, finding regulators violated environmental law and public-trust duties. Native News Online >

Appeals court keeps Trump's mail-in voting order blocked in 23 states. The First Circuit upheld an injunction stopping the executive order that sought to build a federal voter list and restrict mail-ballot delivery. CBS News >

Judge blocks the stripping of work permits from asylum seekers and TPS holders. A federal judge temporarily barred the administration from revoking work authorization for tens of thousands of immigrants. Al Jazeera >

Virginia restores voting rights for thousands with past felony convictions. The governor moved to restore rights to thousands of Virginians, reversing a more restrictive rights-restoration posture. Bolts >

NYC delivery workers collect $104 million in extra tips under a new city law. App-based delivery workers, most of them immigrants, earned an additional $104 million after a minimum-pay and tipping law took effect, following years of deliverista organizing. Documented >

Federal officials back off a rushed autism plan after an uproar. Health officials postponed a key autism panel meeting and reopened the comment period after advocates objected to a four-day window to review a 336-page plan. Disability Scoop >

Pennsylvania strikes down mandatory life without parole for second-degree murder. The state's mandatory life-without-parole sentence for felony murder was overturned, opening questions about resentencing for people already serving those terms. The Marshall Project >

Immigration

ICE flouted a federal judge's order to stop arresting immigrants at New York courthouses. There have been continued arrests of immigrants moving through the legal system at the courthouse, despite a court order barring them. The Intercept >

Mahmoud Khalil sued the administration and pro-Israel groups over a conspiracy to suppress his speech. The Palestinian organizer filed suit alleging a coordinated effort to punish his First Amendment–protected activity. Democracy Now >

California lawmakers moved to curb price gouging inside ICE detention. State legislators advanced measures targeting the phone and commissary costs charged to people held in ICE facilities. Capital & Main >

Hunger strikes are spreading across ICE detention centers. Advocates report a growing wave of hunger strikes over alleged due-process violations and conditions. Prism > 

Criminal Legal System

Attorneys say Oklahoma County's rapid bail hearings fail constitutional standards. Lawyers argue that hearings lasting under a minute deny due process to people awaiting trial. The Appeal >

A man jailed over unpaid court fees in Pennsylvania died within 48 hours. The death in York County renewed scrutiny of incarceration over fines and fees. The Appeal >

A year after promising reform, Chicago police's unreported traffic stops rose. An investigation found undocumented stops increased under the current superintendent despite pledges to fix the practice. Bolts >

Health

A new Medicaid work rule threatens coverage for over a million farmworkers. The 80-hour work requirement is difficult to document for citizen and legal-resident agricultural workers whose seasonal, cash-paid labor is irregular. KFF Health News >

A federal judge declined to stop Medicaid work requirements. The judge refused an injunction sought by 26 states, allowing the requirements to move toward a January 1 implementation. STAT >

A pregnant woman's roadside death is fueling a push to reopen a Mississippi Delta hospital. After she died en route to distant care in a hospital desert, community organizing is pressing to restore local emergency services. KFF Health News >

Reproductive Rights

The ACLU sued Penn State Health over a canceled gender-affirming care procedure. The suit followed the health system's cancellation of a patient's scheduled care. Rewire News Group >

California is building support for transgender service members pushed out of the military. The state is developing programs to help transgender troops leaving under the federal ban start new careers. Rewire News Group >

Public opinion on abortion has shifted four years after Dobbs. Political scientists analyze measurable movement in national attitudes since the 2022 decision. Rewire News Group >

Rupture and Repair Wednesday, July 29 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. We’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Conflict Evolution 101 Thursday, October 1 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. Through hands-on practice and scenario work, we’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Democracy and Media

Twelve states sued to block the $111 billion Paramount–Warner Bros. merger. The attorneys general argue the deal would concentrate control of news and media outlets including CNN, CBS, and HBO Max. Democracy Now >

A House committee subpoenaed the outlet BreakThrough News. The Intercept reports the subpoena threatens constitutionally protected speech. The Intercept >

Federal judges rebuked the Justice Department across dozens of cases. ProPublica documented more than 40 cases in which judges appointed by both parties questioned DOJ's credibility, citing withheld information and filings with AI-generated citations to cases that do not exist. ProPublica >

Climate and Land

Offshore wind helped New England ride out an early-July heat wave. The newly operational Vineyard Wind and Revolution Wind farms cut the region's reliance on oil-burning peaker plants, easing grid strain and costs during record heat. Grist >

A federal appeals court affirmed that Line 5 is trespassing on Bad River land. The court held that Enbridge's pipeline unlawfully crosses 12 miles of the Bad River Band's sovereign land and must eventually leave, though it removed the earlier removal deadline and gave the company time to reroute. ICT >

Chemical companies blocked air monitoring as Black families breathed toxic air. Louisiana's chemical industry weakened community air-monitoring rules, leaving majority-Black "Cancer Alley" neighborhoods without adequate emissions data. Capital B News >

Labor

New York's app delivery workers earned $104 million in added tips under a new city law. A city report found the January 2026 tip-transparency law raised the average tip per delivery from $1.18 to $2.29 for roughly 70,000 workers. Documented >

The United Auto Workers voted to divest from Israeli bonds. Delegates at the union's convention in Detroit voted to divest $400,000, a first for a major U.S. labor union, after a rank-and-file push. In These Times >

An investigation traced the labor behind supermarket sushi. Great reporting by Victor Maung highlights conditions for the largely immigrant workforce, including Myanmar refugees, who produce pre-packaged grocery-store sushi. Prism >

Here’s a list of books to inspire you to get rooted – literally or figuratively.

• Farming While Black by Leah Penniman. Soul Fire Farm's practical guide to farming and finding liberation in the land.

• We Are Each Other's Harvest by Natalie Baszile. A reflection on African American farmers, land, and legacy.

• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. A beautiful dedication to the practice of interdependence and reciprocity in the natural world.

• Harlem Grown by Tony Hillery. A children’s book (for the child or inner child) celebrating a city garden that fed a neighborhood.

• Belonging: A Culture of Place by bell hooks. A thoughtful reflection of finding a place for ourselves in this wild world.

Uplifting stories to close out the issue.

A photograph of a juvenile fall run Chinook salmon swimming underwater, towards the camera on Spencer Creek in the Upper Klamath Basin this May. Photographer: Paul Wolf Wilson

The Yurok Tribe applied for a salmon grant so the Klamath Tribes could share it. Because salmon had been absent from Klamath territory for more than a century, the Klamath Tribes were ineligible for restoration funding, so the Yurok applied for a $5.9 million grant and brought them on as co-recipients, advancing recovery after dam removal on the Klamath River. High Country News >

The Little Shell Tribe won approval for a 115-unit housing development in Montana. Great Falls officials approved "Good Medicine," an affordable-housing project on 18.4 acres of tribal land at the site historically known as Hill 57. ICT >

A Black-led nonprofit bought a vacant East Oakland lot for $10. The Black Cultural Zone CDC acquired a long-empty lot carrying $1.7 million in back taxes through a rarely used Chapter 8 tax sale, to build affordable housing. Next City >

Cleveland is moving unsheltered people into housing in an average of 11 days. The city's "A Home for Every Neighbor" initiative has housed more than 200 people by streamlining landlord engagement, surpassing its goal, though long-term funding remains uncertain. Next City >

Chinese immigrants are building an independent community on Staten Island. High rates of homeownership and small businesses anchor the community while the Chinese Society, Chinese School, and Chinese Christian Church expand programming for newcomers. Documented >

World Cup watch parties became cultural hubs across immigrant Chicago. A Haitian restaurant in West Ridge, a Pilsen brewery, and North African spots hosted gatherings with traditional dress, music, and dancing. Borderless Magazine >

Durham's Black Trans Short Film Festival gathered filmmakers and community. The second annual festival, hosted by Comfrey Films, paired screenings with memorials to trans pioneers and a celebration of Black trans artistry. Scalawag >

Capital B launched a newsroom in Augusta, Georgia. The Black-led nonprofit opened its third local operation, joining Atlanta and Gary, Indiana, with a focus on housing, health equity, and government accountability. Capital B News >

Benjamin Alire Sáenz died in El Paso at 71. The borderland writer and poet, author of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, died July 28; his work centered queer Chicano lives on the border. El Paso Matters >

That’s all for today! Did you enjoy today’s issue? Here’s how you can support this work:

• Make a one-time or monthly donation on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@reimaginednews)

• Sponsor an upcoming issue

• Refer this newsletter to a friend

Until next time,

Subscribe | About | Donate | Sponsor | Archives

Instead of an action item for the week, take a look at some of the progress made possible by people committed to taking action – in their cities, and for their communities around the world.

A screenshot of the Disney show CoCoMelon with ASL interpreter Jojo Savea. Image Credit: Chris Albert, Studiowerks

Netflix is adding sign-language overlays to dozens of kids' shows. Working with SignUp Media, Netflix is layering American Sign Language interpretation onto 73 children's and family titles — roughly 200 hours — for young Deaf viewers who can't yet rely on captions. Disability Scoop >

Missouri restored voting rights to about 40,000 people on probation or parole. Gov. Mike Kehoe signed HB 1871, which automatically restores the vote to most Missourians under community supervision, making the GOP-run state the latest to roll back felony disenfranchisement. Bolts >

Idaho's abortion ban is going to the voters. A ballot initiative to roll back one of the country's strictest near-total abortion bans qualified for the November 2026 general election. The 19th >

Federal officials backed off a rushed autism plan after an outcry. Health officials postponed a July 31 interagency meeting to late August and extended the public comment period to Aug. 20 after autism advocates protested being given four days to respond to a 336-page draft. Disability Scoop >

An upstate New York county banned stores from collecting your biometrics. Erie County, home to Buffalo, became one of the first major U.S. counties to bar private businesses from collecting facial-recognition and other biometric data, after Wegmans' use of the technology drew privacy complaints. Next City >

The oil industry is in "panic mode" as climate liability suits advance. Wrongful-death and other climate-damage lawsuits are moving through the courts, prompting an escalating legal and political defense from fossil-fuel companies. Grist >

Andrew and Tristan Tate were arrested on rape and sex-trafficking charges. The influencer brothers, long promoted in far-right online spaces, were taken into custody on charges of rape and sex trafficking. Democracy Now! >

Immigration

A leaked email reveals new rules for ICE vehicle stops. An agency-wide email obtained by reporters details a memo updating the guidelines agents must follow when stopping vehicles, as arrests climb nationwide. The Intercept >

Houston organizers demand accountability after an ICE killing. Community members rallied under the banner "Justice for Lorenzo" following the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican father killed during an ICE operation. Democracy Now! >

Advocates sued the administration over secret files on people who watch ICE. A federal lawsuit alleges DHS quietly collected personal data on people who document immigration operations, citing the Privacy Act and the First Amendment. Truthout >

A Milwaukee Muslim leader was released after 80 days in ICE detention. Community organizer Salah Sarsour recounted his nearly three-month detention after his release. Democracy Now! >

Health

The DOJ declared its own ADA integration guidance "not enforceable." The department issued a notice withdrawing enforceability from its long-standing guidance on the ADA's integration mandate and the Olmstead decision, reversing more than a decade of practice on community-based care. Disability Scoop >

A Deloitte-run eligibility system wrongly denied Medicaid to disabled residents. A KFF investigation found Deloitte's Medicaid eligibility software in Michigan misclassified or denied benefits for disabled people, with similar problems in Tennessee and Texas — errors the piece warns could grow as states rush to implement a new federal law projected to cut Medicaid for roughly 7.5 million people. KFF Health News >

The administration deferred more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments to two states. Federal officials withheld over $1 billion owed to California and Minnesota, citing "suspected fraud and noncompliance"; state officials disputed the rationale and called it political targeting. STAT >

Rupture and Repair Wednesday, July 29 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. We’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Conflict Evolution 101 Thursday, July 30 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. Through hands-on practice and scenario work, we’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Democracy

Twenty-five states sued to stop FEMA relief being tied to election changes. The states and D.C. challenged a policy conditioning disaster-relief funds on adopting specific election-law changes, arguing it violates the Administrative Procedure Act and constitutional spending rules. Truthout >

The ACLU warned about a private surveillance camera network spanning 49 states. The group detailed how Flock, which operates more than 100,000 license-plate-reading cameras, logs vehicle movements into a searchable national database that can be tapped for immigration enforcement. Democracy Now! >

Racial Justice

A death in Missouri police custody revived scrutiny of police violence. The death of Lloyd Gilmore, a 44-year-old Black man with mental-health needs, after being tased and restrained by Sikeston officers, renewed local demands for accountability. KFF Health News >

Highway expansions are threatening Black-owned land across several states. Transportation projects from the South to the coasts are displacing Black landowners and raising flood risk in Black communities. Capital B News >

Reproductive Rights

The ACLU sued Penn State Health over a canceled gender-affirming procedure. The ACLU of Pennsylvania filed suit after one of the system's hospitals canceled a patient's scheduled gender-affirming care. Rewire News Group >

Four years after Dobbs, polling shows public opinion on abortion has shifted. It’s been four years since the ruling ended the federal right to abortion. A recent study highlights how sentiments have shifted since that pivotal moment. Truthout >

Climate

Pueblo leaders and New Mexico lawmakers moved to protect Chaco Canyon. Representatives from 20 pueblos and the state's congressional delegation gathered at the Capitol to oppose a plan to rescind the 10-mile drilling buffer around Chaco Culture National Historical Park, which currently shields about 336,000 acres. High Country News >

Indigenous leaders handed the UN a 12-point plan for protecting their peoples. The roadmap demands stronger protections for land rights, cultures, and political participation, and flags a financial crisis facing the UN's Indigenous-advocacy bodies. Grist >

Uplifting stories to close out the issue.

The Mobile Refuge Room offers the ability to shape your space, decide who comes in, and ultimately close the door behind you. Credit: Tolu Olasoji, Reasons To Be Cheerful

Venezuelan restaurants in New York turned into relief hubs. After two earthquakes killed nearly 5,000 people in Venezuela, Venezuelan-owned restaurants and businesses across the city became donation centers, organizing volunteers to gather medical supplies, food, and clothing for survivors. Documented >

A neighborhood trust reopened Kensington's first grocery store in years. Philadelphia's Kensington Corridor Trust invested about $800,000 to buy and renovate a building, partnering with a local owner to open a grocery — with EBT accepted and a shared commercial kitchen attached. Next City >

A crowdsourced archive is preserving everyday Latino life in Chicago. Nuestro Chicago Archives collects family photos and videos from residents at community scanning events, building a public record of Latino Chicago from people's own collections. Borderless Magazine >

Carnival came to the Minneapolis riverfront. The 32nd annual Twin Cities Carifest filled the Mississippi riverfront with Caribbean music, dance, food, and storytelling, alongside a Lakota ledger-art exhibit and Black dance performances. Sahan Journal >

Minnesota's Liberian community marked 179 years of independence. The Twin Cities' Liberian community, more than 20,000 strong, held a three-day celebration with a music festival, soccer tournaments, and a parade in Brooklyn Park. Sahan Journal >

An Alaska Native village built the state's first sexual-assault response team for mining "man camps." Dot Lake Village trained a community-led team and set up a victim hotline to protect residents from trafficking and violence as a new gold mine draws transient worker camps nearby. High Country News >

Formerly incarcerated people designed a housing unit for people leaving prison. The Mobile Refuge Room, co-designed with the firm Designing Justice + Designing Spaces, is a trauma-informed transitional unit with lockable doors and controllable lighting built around what reentry actually requires. Reasons to be Cheerful >

That’s all for today! Did you enjoy today’s issue? Here’s how you can support this work:

• Make a one-time or monthly donation on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@reimaginednews)

• Sponsor an upcoming issue

• Refer this newsletter to a friend

Until next time,

Subscribe | About | Donate | Sponsor | Archives

Today is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day – the day that marks how long it takes for Black women to earn what a white man did in 2026. Black women earn about 65 cents for every dollar paid to white men, and the Institute for Women's Policy Research estimates it will take 200 years for the gap to close.

Seven hundred thousand Black women are out of work. The number climbed through 2025, when thousands lost or left their jobs, one of the sharpest one-year declines in the last 25 years. The losses fell hardest on federal workers; Black workers held 18 percent of those jobs despite making up 12 percent of the labor market — so when the Department of Government Efficiency gutted agencies, it took away stable, middle-class income a lot of families had counted on. Black women's unemployment now sits at 5.7 percent, against a national rate of 4.2 percent, and college-educated Black women experienced the greatest drop.

The world rarely bets on our brilliance, so we choose it for ourselves. Here’s how Black women stay resilient through tough socioeconomic moments:

Collective giving. Black women lead the majority of giving circles in the country — pooling money to fund scholarships, emergency cash, and small grants for neighbors in a bind. Groups like Black Women Give have turned an old practice into standing infrastructure.

Mutual aid and cooperative economics. From Black-led food justice networks to lending co-ops, Black women are carrying on a mutual-aid tradition that predates the institutions now failing them. When the safety net thins, these networks catch people.

Entrepreneurship. Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the country, and a striking share of the newest businesses opened the month after a layoff. They hire from their own neighborhoods and serve customers the market wrote off. Black women-owned businesses are surging even as the job losses mount.

July 21 — how far into 2026 a Black woman must work to earn what a white, non-Hispanic man earned by the end of 2025. Equal Pay Today >

$28,340 — lost to the gap each year for a Black woman working full-time. More than $1.1 million over a 40-year career. NWLC >

200 years — how long it will take Black women to reach equal pay at the current rate, or the year 2227. IWPR >

8 cents — the wealth a never-married Black woman holds for every dollar held by a never-married white man. NWLC >

90% less — how much less wealth Black women hold than white men, overall. NWLC >

5x — how much more likely Black women are than white men to rely on payday loans. NWLC >

113,000 — net jobs Black women lost in 2025, roughly three times the rate of other women. Essence >

95,000+ — federal jobs Black women lost in 2025, about a third of the total federal workforce contraction. The American Prospect >

~700,000 — Black women out of work now, with unemployment at 5.7% against a national rate of 4.2%. BLS >

Black women's unemployment rate fell. That's not the good news you think it is
The jobless rate dropped, but the improvement came from women leaving the labor force, not finding work. Fortune >

Black women's unemployment rate hit 7.3% in December. A look at how quickly 2025’s labor force unraveled, and why the year's job losses landed on Black women first. The 19th >

Four Black women. Nine degrees. Not one steady paycheck. The president promised to save “Black jobs,” but his policies have resulted in fresh pain for the Black middle class. Washington Post >

Black women are losing jobs at three times the rate of other women
Black women make up about 14 percent of the female workforce but accounted for more than half of women's job losses at the year's peak. As one researcher put it, "the exit door is pushed open widest for Black women." Essence >

Federal job cuts hit Black women hard — a year later, unemployment is up
Black women lost more than 95,000 federal jobs in 2025, roughly a third of the total federal workforce contraction. "The stability that I had hoped for was gone," one displaced worker said. The American Prospect >

The exit economy is leaving Black women behind
An estimated 600,000 Black women were economically sidelined in 2025, with consequences that ripple into household stability and local economies. Brookings >

Weak job market leaves Black women behind
A close read of the monthly jobs numbers, tracking how a softening labor market shows up earliest and hardest for Black women. National Partnership for Women & Families >

Reclaim, Rebuild, Rise: A Black woman's guide to starting a business in 2026
A practical guide for building something of your own when the job market closes the door. What entrepreneurship looks like as a response to the shutout. Essence >

Laid off, then locked in: women are building software instead of résumés
After layoffs, a wave of women are building products and companies rather than chasing the next job. A different answer to the same problem. Forbes >

Rupture and Repair Wednesday, July 29 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. We’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Conflict Evolution 101 Thursday, July 30 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. Through hands-on practice and scenario work, we’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

A playlist of songs by Black women and getting rich, staying paid, and knowing our worth.

That’s all for today! Did you enjoy today’s issue? Here’s how you can support this work:

• Make a one-time or monthly donation on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@reimaginednews)

• Sponsor an upcoming issue

• Refer this newsletter to a friend

Until next time,

Subscribe | About | Donate | Sponsor | Archives

This week, ICE faced renewed nationwide outrage and protests after agents fatally shot two men in separate traffic stops within days of each other. Here are ways to take action in response to recent events.

Sign the petition. Demand a full, independent, and transparent investigation into the fatal shooting of 25-year-old father, Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, by ICE agents in Biddeford. Action Network >

Save and share the MigraWatch hotline: 1-844-363-1423. United We Dream's nationwide line to report ICE or CBP activity and connect people to support. Details >

Print ILRC Red Cards for your community. Free wallet-sized know-your-rights cards in 56 languages — what to say and do in an ICE encounter. Download >

Fund a bond to free someone from detention. The National Bail Fund Network's directory routes your gift to vetted local immigration bond funds. Give >

Join the "End the ICE Age" launch call, July 22 at 5:00 PM ET. Detention Watch Network's new campaign to shut down ICE detention and redirect its funding. Register >

Train up during Immigrant Justice Summer, July 23–Aug 27. Indivisible's five-call series on rapid response and community defense. Sign up >

Immigration

ICE ordered its agents to stop vehicle stops after killing two men. Five officials confirmed leadership halted the practice nationwide after agents killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston and Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Maine — neither the intended target. The Intercept >

How ICE arrests went quiet — and got even more deadly. After two fatal shootings in a single week, Natasha Lennard argues Democratic leaders need to commit to abolishing the agency, not just opposing it rhetorically. The Intercept >

After ICE kills a father in Maine, calls for justice grow on the ground and across borders. The killing of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero has drawn mounting demands for accountability, locally and internationally. Prism >

Inside Maine's immigrant defense movement. An excerpt from Sonali Kolhatkar's Breaking ICE on how the state's Immigrants' Rights Coalition builds community defense against federal enforcement. In These Times >

Criminal Justice

He was arrested over unpaid court fees. He was dead 48 hours later. Todd Sidesinger was jailed at Pennsylvania's York County Prison over roughly $1,500 in fees from 2008 misdemeanors; his family says staff failed to charge his prescribed defibrillator vest. The Appeal >

California is rolling back its solitary-confinement reforms. Prison officials are expanding isolation eligibility and restricting communication and food, undoing modest 2023 gains as advocates push blocked legislation. Bolts >

What ProPublica uncovered about the Alice Sebold case and a city's buried rape crisis. The investigation exposes systemic failures in Syracuse's handling of rape cases and the decades-long wrongful imprisonment of the man convicted. ProPublica >

Crump and Sharpton demand answers in the Nolan Wells case. The civil rights attorneys are pressing for a full investigation into the death of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells in Mississippi. Word In Black >

Rupture and Repair Wednesday, July 29 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. We’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Conflict Evolution 101 Thursday, July 30 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. Through hands-on practice and scenario work, we’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Voting Rights

Trump pushes out the last members of the bipartisan election commission. He removed all three remaining Election Assistance Commission members — a body that had resisted his proof-of-citizenship registration order — before the midterms. ProPublica >

Ari Berman on a "completely unprecedented" attack on elections. The voting-rights journalist details moves to reshape election administration and registration rules ahead of November. Democracy Now >

A new Supreme Court ruling may make it easier for donors to sway elections. A 6-3 decision in NRSC v. FEC struck down caps on coordinated party spending. Truthout >

Health

At a clinic built "for women," patients say their pregnancies went undetected. An investigation into the venture-backed Tia clinic chain finds missed pregnancies, surprise bills, and upselling of alternative medicine. The 19th >

LGBTQ+ Rights

As transgender troops leave the military, California moves to help them rebuild. State legislation would protect service members forced out under less-than-honorable discharges, a countermove to the federal ban. Rewire News Group >

An AI chatbot is pushing conversion therapy on trans users. "Detrans.ai" cites debunked science and reactionary talking points to question trans identity, delivering conversion-therapy-style messaging. Rewire News Group >

Climate & Environment

They wanted to hold Exxon accountable. Then they got hacked. Court documents allege Exxon hired investigators to orchestrate the hacking of climate activists' emails during the #ExxonKnew campaign. Grist >

How a Utah Republican's quiet fight for hunting access undercut LandBack hopes. A state land transfer to wildlife officials cut the Ute Tribe out of decisions over ancestral land. High Country News >

Labor

The unionized workers decrying Trump's war on wind. Wind-energy workers are protesting a campaign that has halted construction and cost more than $2.6 billion in buyouts, arguing it destroys good union jobs. Grist >

Section 8 promises renters they can live where they choose. It mostly fails to deliver. An investigation finds voucher holders remain concentrated in low-resource areas despite the program's promise of housing mobility. Capital & Main >

Racial Justice

New Mexico's AG calls for reform over "substantial racial disparities" in one district. Indigenous students in Gallup-McKinley County Schools lose 8 to 10 times more classroom days to suspension than white students. ProPublica >

Uplifting stories to close out the issue.

An immigrant artist collective turns a solo show into a shared one in Queens. For its third edition, "¡Te Amo Porque S.O.S. Pueblo!" gathered Indigenous women textile artists, photographers, and first-time exhibitors — immigrants building community, or pueblo, through art. palabra >

Black joy takes over a park in Indianapolis. The fifth annual free BLACK: A Festival of Joy drew thousands to Riverside Park for local artists, vendors, and a hundreds-strong Soul Train line, produced by the arts group GANGGANG. WTLC >

A guide to Chicago's mutual aid networks, built by neighbors. Residents mapped the food, mental-health, legal-clinic, and ICE-watch networks they created themselves — a directory of people organizing for each other, not waiting to be helped. Borderless >

The city that chose beauty over billboards. Grenoble became Europe's first city to strip advertising from its public spaces, pulling more than 400 billboard structures and replacing many with trees and bike lanes. Reasons to be Cheerful >

That’s all for today! Did you enjoy today’s issue? Here’s how you can support this work:

• Make a one-time or monthly donation on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@reimaginednews)

• Sponsor an upcoming issue

• Refer this newsletter to a friend

Until next time,

Subscribe | About | Donate | Sponsor | Archives

People pass through the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market in Charlotte, North Carolina. A federal judge recently ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reinstate $127 million in awarded grants to organizations led by and that support Black farmers. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Black farmers win a court case that restores $127 million in federal grants. A legal victory reinstates grant funding that had been stripped, a concrete win after years of fighting discrimination in federal farm programs. Capital B News >

A movement organizer's case for making the hard strategic choices. Yotam Marom argues most organizations dodge real strategy, using CAAAV's transformation and its role in winning a historic New York City rent freeze as a model for building lasting power. Convergence >

A framework for imagining a more just democracy at America's 250th. Six questions to help organizations sit with the contradictions of the American project and build toward a more democratic, joyful future. Convergence >

DEMOCRACY

The NAACP launches a $20 million plan to mobilize 6.5 million Black voters. The organization's largest-ever midterm investment comes after recent voting-rights setbacks, aimed at turning out Black voters ahead of November. Capital B News >

Black organizers prepare for a new era of voting rights battles. After the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act, advocates are turning to state-level protections, youth-led activism, and grassroots election monitoring ahead of the midterms. Capital B News >

IMMIGRATION

Video and eyewitnesses contradict ICE's account of a Houston construction worker's killing. Surveillance footage and testimony from three immigrant witnesses refute DHS claims about the death of 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, which the Harris County Medical Examiner ruled a homicide. Democracy Now >

Mexico moves to file criminal charges over deaths in ICE custody. The Mexican government says it will bring criminal complaints in U.S. federal courts over the deaths of 17 Mexican nationals in ICE operations. Democracy Now >

A NYC Council employee walks free after five months in ICE detention. Rafael Rubio, a Venezuelan with TPS, was detained at a routine asylum interview and held 158 days before being granted asylum and released, following intervention by the Council Speaker and Bronx Defenders. Democracy Now >

A HUD plan would strip housing support from mixed-status immigrant families. Prism centers the families and organizers who stand to lose their homes if the policy takes effect. Prism >

POLICING & SURVEILLANCE

The FBI is deputizing local police as federal agents. Communities are organizing against it. A look at how the expansion of federal policing power is meeting resistance in the neighborhoods it targets. Truthout >

The FBI raided a Texas activist's home, then offered her $200,000 to inform on antifascist organizers. She refused. A first-person account of resisting state pressure to become a government informant. The Intercept >

Rupture and Repair Wednesday, July 29 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. We’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Conflict Evolution 101 Thursday, July 30 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. Through hands-on practice and scenario work, we’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

LGBTQ+ RIGHTS

The Black Trans Short Film Festival was about more than the films. Sherronda J. Brown reports from Durham on a gathering that made space for Black transgender filmmakers, and for community, joy, and dignity. Scalawag >

The fight over trans girls in school sports moves to the November ballot. After the Supreme Court let states ban trans athletes, the question heads directly to voters in Colorado, Washington, Arizona, and other states. The 19th >

A map of the federal agencies working to restrict gender-affirming care. The 19th tracks how the DOJ, HHS, FTC, and FDA are being coordinated to curtail access nationwide. The 19th >

A World Cup–timed LGBTQ rights action exposed fault lines in San Francisco's queer movement. The stunt becomes a lens for examining strategy debates inside the city's organizing. Truthout >

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Planned Parenthood survives Medicaid "defunding" — just in time for the elections. After nearly a year without reimbursement, the provision targeting the provider expired and funding resumed, handing reproductive-rights advocates a win heading into November. The 19th >

The administration rewrites the country's main birth control program around a pronatalist agenda. HHS under RFK Jr. has reworked Title X — long focused on affordable contraception for low-income people — to emphasize fertility promotion, a shift critics say repurposes a contraceptive-access program. The Intercept >

DISABILITY JUSTICE

The administration escalates its attacks on disabled people's right to live in community. A DOJ memo challenges decades of legal interpretation protecting community-based living, threatening the ADA and the landmark Olmstead decision. Truthout >

EDUCATION

Southern students issue a manifesto for academic freedom. A coalition of UT Austin students, faculty, and staff protests the elimination of ethnic studies and women's and gender studies departments, demanding shared governance and the reinstatement of the programs. Scalawag >

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY

Detained by armed settlers in the West Bank, Rep. Ro Khanna calls for demolishing illegal outposts. After settlers blocked his vehicle and brandished rifles, holding his group for over an hour, Khanna called for tearing down illegal outposts and reconsidering U.S. military aid to Israel. The Intercept >

ENVIRONMENT & LABOR

World Cup stadium workers face dangerous heat while players get protections. FIFA added heat safeguards for players at the 2026 tournament, but the workers keeping stadiums running have no guaranteed water, shade, or breaks. Grist >

How to build homes that can survive extreme heat. Passive-cooling design — reflective roofing, insulation, landscaping — can keep homes safe without air conditioning for only 2 to 3 percent more in construction cost, cutting heat deaths and utility bills. Grist >

HOUSING & ECONOMIC JUSTICE

New York hasn't raised housing allowances for its poorest residents in decades. A lawsuit calls that unconstitutional. The suit challenges shelter allowances frozen for a generation as low-income tenants face eviction. ProPublica >

New York moves to crack down on junk fees and subscription traps. A new rule targets deceptive fees and subscriptions that are hard to cancel. Truthout >

HEALTH

Lawmakers press the CDC to track newborn Vitamin K shot refusals. Citing ProPublica's reporting, members of Congress want federal data on refusals of a shot that prevents deadly bleeding in infants. ProPublica >

That’s all for today! Did you enjoy today’s issue? Here’s how you can support this work:

• Make a one-time or monthly donation on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@reimaginednews)

• Sponsor an upcoming issue

• Refer this newsletter to a friend

Until next time,

Subscribe | About | Donate | Sponsor | Archives

Be N.I.C.E. during the World Cup

One of the many forms of fan art provided in the campaign, this one by Shaina Lu of Boston.

A diverse group of community members gathered to create the No ICE in the Cup campaign, a national call to action demanding that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has no place near the World Cup festivities.

News that ICE agents will be present at major stadiums during the event has been met with growing backlash and criticism from fans and businesses alike. And recently, the hotel staff and food service workers who run a major stadium in LA have threatened to go on strike if the tournament becomes hunting grounds for ICE.

Anyone can support the campaign, but there are specific calls-to-action for those living in cities that are hosting games this summer.

Learn more and support: noiceinthecup.us.

Amy Acton's primary win in Ohio could help women keep historic gains as governors. Dr. Amy Acton, Ohio's former public health director who briefed the state nearly every day during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, won the Democratic nomination for governor. If elected, she would be the first woman to govern Ohio — setting up a history-making general election against Vivek Ramaswamy, which would be the first South Asian governor in state history regardless of who wins. 19th News >

'The power of organizing': How Indigenous organizers defeated a mining company at Pe' Sla. After sustained prayer camps, direct action, and a pair of lawsuits, Pete Lien & Sons withdrew its proposal to drill for graphite near Pe' Sla — a high-elevation prairie in the Black Hills sacred to the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota tribes. A federal judge had issued a temporary restraining order on May 4, and within days the company pulled out entirely. Organizers told Prism the victory offers a clear roadmap: prayer, direct action, and legal pressure working together can stop extractive industry at sacred sites. Prism >

These Gullah Geechee descendants won a major vote, but their fight continues. After voters overwhelmingly rejected a zoning ordinance that could have resulted in higher taxes, attracted more developers, harmed local businesses, and led to Geechee displacement, the community is “cautiously optimistic” to find support from local leadership. Capital B News >

May Day push to 'shut it down' takes shape across the country. The American Prospect Organizers reported more than 5,000 May Day Strong actions across the U.S. on May 1 — what Waging Nonviolence called the most widespread distribution of U.S. May Day actions on record. Unions including the AFT, NEA, and Starbucks Workers United joined DSA chapters, Indivisible, and immigrant rights groups in calling for "no school, no work, no shopping." Sunrise estimated 100,000 students participated. Prospect > 

In a rare show of global unity, countries adopt landmark climate ruling. An overwhelming majority of United Nations member countries voted in favor of the International Court of Justice's ruling that failure to address climate change constitutes a "wrongful act" under international law. The U.S. was among a small minority that opposed the measure. Grist >

Loved ones, supporters of Delaney Hall's striking immigrants rally outside detention center More than 300 people detained at Newark, New Jersey's Delaney Hall detention center launched a hunger and work strike on May 22, demanding improved conditions and a direct meeting with the governor. Outside the facility, family members and supporters maintained a sustained presence — volunteers stocked food, set up gathering spaces, and stayed around the clock. Prism documented detainees holding their hands in the shape of a heart through frosted glass windows toward the crowd. Prism >

Rupture & Repair Tuesday, June 16 | 3-5pm EST Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. We’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety. Enroll

Conflict Evolution Wednesday, June 17 | 3-5pm EST Go beyond conflict resolution and apply a culturally-responsive, inclusive framework to navigating challenging conversations, mediating tense scenarios, and fostering understanding with opposing viewpoints. Enroll

This anti-poverty program is effective even in one of the world's toughest settings. A program once funded by USAID that used the graduation approach, which helps ultra-poor people "graduate" out of poverty, demonstrated income increases even several years after it ended for vulnerable communities. NPR >

Note: Eliminating USAID—which provided food, medical care, clean water, and more to over 60 countries around the world—could lead to 14 million additional deaths by 2030. Now, a new paper in Science is pointing to another knock-on effect: a rise in violent conflict across the regions and communities the organization once served. Time >

A new study finds that Gen Z philanthropy outpaces that of other adults. Upwards of 70% of Gen Z reported some form of giving in the past week, as compared with 65% of other adults. They were also more likely to give money despite being more likely to have lower incomes, be students, or be unemployed, given their life stage. NonProfit Pro >

Student organizations answer the call to combat food insecurity, food waste on California college campuses. BruinDine — a fully student-run organization that recovers and redistributes uneaten food from UCLA dining halls—has nearly 200 volunteers and is among college organizations combating both food waste and food insecurity. EdSource >

Americans overwhelmingly oppose data centers. Women most of all. More than two-thirds of Americans oppose the construction of large AI data centers, with women showing the strongest opposition of any group surveyed. The findings reflect growing public awareness of data centers' environmental footprint — including water consumption, energy demands, and land use. 19th News >

This Atlanta-area nonprofit helps reunite incarcerated moms with their families. Women on the Rise, a nonprofit founded in 2013 to help formerly incarcerated women get out from behind bars and back on their feet, has paid out $441,000 to release nearly 70 women from jail since 2020. Georgia Recorder >

Upcoming workshops, trainings and gatherings held by other community members. Free unless noted otherwise.

Racial Justice Community of Practice

Wednesday, June 6th at 2 PM EST

This is a free space for peer support and learning while advancing racial justice. Held quarterly, participants explore challenges, celebrate progress, and share strategies to advance racial justice in and through our organizations. RSVP >

Making and Distributing Media Under Surveillance

Thursday, June 18th at 3 PM ET

Join Interrupting Criminalization’s Abolition Journalism Fellow Lewis Raven Wallace, digital security firm Safety Sync Group, and fellow journalists and media makers for a two-hour session to think through and skill-share ways of keeping our communities and sources safer when reporting in a context of criminalization and surveillance. RSVP >

UC Berkeley Labor Center — High-Power Negotiations Workshop

Saturday, June 6 and 13, 2026 at 1 AM ET

A two-session workshop for labor organizers on collective bargaining and building high-participation, high-power contract campaigns. $200 for groups. RSVP >

That’s all for today! Did you enjoy today’s issue? Here’s how you can support this work:

• Make a one-time or monthly donation on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@reimaginednews)

• Sponsor an upcoming issue

• Refer this newsletter to a friend

Until next time,