Erika Kirk fell off her (undeserved) pedestal this week after a too-close hug with JD Vance and that’s a win for all of us. Cartoon by the always amazing Jesse Duquette
Hi, all, and happy Sunday!
It’s been a hell of a week. Nevertheless, we persisted, and good things DID happen as a result. So please, take a break from doom-scrolling and read about some of the huge wins we had across the country—and the world—over the last seven days.
Remember, nothing you’ll read on this list happened by accident. ALL of it came to pass because somebody—or lots of somebodies—worked for it. In most cases it was people just like you!
So enjoy this list, share it, and celebrate every item on it!
Then tomorrow we’ll get to work building the next one. Because THAT’S HOW WE DO THIS!
Read This 📖
From Choctaw Elder and Episcopalian priest Steven Charleston’s Spirit Wheel [Thanks to Lynn R. for sending]:
Celebrate This! 🎉
Dozens of Democratic State AGs sued the Trump administration for ending food aid programs during the shutdown instead of using emergency funds. And they won! In fact, food aid could be flowing as soon as Wednesday.
Our Virginia statehouse fundraiser made its 25K goal and surpassed it, raising almost 33K for the upcoming Virginia statehouse elections! YOU DID THAT! Thank you!
We also helped raise over 25K for No Kid Hungry.
Over 200 high school students in Little Village, Chicago walked out of school to protest immigration raids
An East LA store gave away free Halloween costumes to kids affected by ICE raids.
A federal judge in Hawaii ruled that the FDA violated the law by restricting access to abortion medication.
The NFL players’ union released a statement backing WNBA players, saying, basically, pay them what you owe them.
Illinois became the 13th U.S. state to pass a ‘Clean Slate’ law to automatically seal eligible arrest and conviction records. It will open doors to opportunity for 1.74 million people in the state.
Billie Eilish is donating $11.5 million from her world tour to causes supporting food equity, climate justice, and more. In her acceptance speech at the WSJ Innovator Awards, Eilish also challenged the ultra-rich to make impactful donations, too, saying, “No hate, but give your money away.”
In a conservation win, Nigeria passed a new law imposing stricter penalties against wildlife traffickers.
Americans blame Trump and the GOP for the shutdown by a 2 to 1 margin, including those registered as Independents.
A llama named Caesar the No Drama, Anti-Fascist Llama has been attending Portland ICE protests.
DoorDash is offering assistance to SNAP recipients.
A former high-ranking homeland security official in the first Trump administration is launching a new online hub to facilitate protests and other resistance efforts against President Trump and his policies.
MacKenzie Scott donated $60 million to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, the largest gift the nonprofit has ever received. The donation will help the Center strengthen communities’ ability to withstand and recover from disasters, and address root causes of vulnerabilities. Love that woman.
People are leaving one-star reviews for Aceco LLC, the contractor behind the White House demolition. (We will get in on that action this week! Stay tuned!)
A Portland dance group is hosting free dance lessons outside of the Portland ICE facility.
The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that Trump‘s approval fell to 40%, tying his term low and down from 42% in mid-October. 63% of Americans disapprove of his handling of the cost of living, up from 58% earlier this month.
Elon Musk‘s political activities have cost Tesla between 1.0 and 1.26 million vehicle sales in the U.S. from October 2022 to April 2025, as reported by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said there is “no path” for a Trump third presidency. A rare moment of truth from a consummate liar.
U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken in Oregon blocked the Trump administration from cutting sex-ed funding tied to gender-diverse curricula in a lawsuit by 16 states and the District of Columbia.
After four months in immigration detention, ICE finally released Jackie Merlos, a mother of 4. Many of you sent letters about this! Here is the moment she reunited with her children.
A federal judge called the Trump administration’s cuts to school mental health programs “arbitrary and capricious” and ordered funding be reinstated.
Michigan lawmakers passed a historic education budget that includes a record $10,050 investment per student, universal school meals, universal pre-K for 4-year-olds, community college access for all, expanded literacy programs, and more.
The official Massachusetts SNAP website now warns that Trump is “choosing not to issue November SNAP benefits that help you and many families put food on the table.”
Massachusetts heat-pump owners will spend less to stay warm this winter, thanks to an innovative policy going into effect this weekend.
Prince Andrew will lose his title and move out of the Royal Lodge due to a renewed focus on his Epstein-related activities.
NBC’s new poll says the most important issue for deciding who to support for Congress is: “Protecting constitutional rights/protecting democracy.” Americans are waking up!
Former police officer Sean Grayson was found guilty of 2nd-degree murder in Sonya Massey’s shooting.
California Democrats are planning to launch an online tracker to document ICE officers’ activities.
A conservative Texas federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by Republican Reps. Jackson and Issa challenging California’s new redistricting law.
HUGE. A federal judge permanently barred the Trump administration from requiring proof of citizenship on federal voter registration forms, a change dictated in an executive order President Trump signed in March.
President Obama called Zohran Mamdani on Saturday — praising his campaign and offering to be a “sounding board” into the future.
Speaking of Zohran, he’s been visiting a TON of senior’s centers and yesterday he went to one and did Tai Chi with the residents. The video is just delightful.
Republicans appear to have all but abandoned their efforts to defeat Prop 50 in California.
Barack Obama went to Norfolk, VA to hold a rally with Abigail Spanberger and it had rock concert energy. He then went to Newark and did the same for Mikie Sherrill. THANK YOU PRESIDENT OBAMA!
Americans now blame Trump and Republicans for the shutdown by 14 points, up from 10 points last week. Trump has also reached his lowest economic approval in Navigator tracking since 2018.
The country’s first all-electric hospital will open in Irvine, CA along the San Joaquin Marsh.
In California, San Bernardino County has partnered with New Leaf Ministries to fund a new medical RV with low-to-no-cost services. The RV will be stationed in Adelanto but will serve the entire High Desert. Seniors, veterans, and families in need are considered top priorities for the new service.
UCSF has received a $100 million donation for its memory and aging center, a gift that doctors at the dementia care clinic say comes at a critical moment in the development of new therapies for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative conditions.
Maternal deaths have declined globally by more than half over a 38-year period, per World Health Organization data.
Illinois is directing $20 million to food banks in the state to help bridge the gap as SNAP funding is set to stop or be delayed. Wes Moore is doing the same—with $10 million—in Maryland. Janet Mills will release 1 million in Maine. Kathy Hochul declared a food emergency and approved $65M to reduce the SNAP benefits cutoff impact in NY.
A Portland coffee shop that offered free breakfast for SNAP recipients has now raised over 280K in donations.
Missed this last week: Fifty-five college newspapers signed an amicus brief in support of Stanford University’s lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging immigration policies that threaten the free speech rights of international students.
Hundreds of Carl’s Jr. locations across Southern California are offering one-dollar meals to families impacted by the ongoing federal government shutdown.
Democrats now lead Republicans in the generic Congressional ballot by 8 points, the largest lead for either party in the NBC News poll since 2018.
In 2010, the IEA estimated that there would be 410 gigawatts of solar panels installed around the world by 2035. There is already more than four times that capacity, with about half of it in China.
Watch This! 👀
This should make you very happy!
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