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Work for justice, but pause to celebrate
We are aware that atrocious, inhumane events are happening both at home and abroad. Because of this, though celebration may seem superficial, it is crucial to recognize that our efforts are leading to the change we seek. While we work for justice, let us also pause to acknowledge the considerable good that pervades our goals and communities.
Celebrate good news
- The Supreme Court of the U.S. upholds the rights of whistleblowers.
- People seeking asylum in the U.S. can receive work permits that are valid for five years instead of the previous two-year limit.
- Half a million children and families who were inappropriately disenrolled from Medicaid and CHIP regain coverage.
- Laphonza Butler is sworn into the Senate, becoming the first Black lesbian to openly serve in Congress and the first openly LGBTQ+ person to represent CA in the Senate.
- CA creates a statewide alert system to help locate and bring attention to missing Black children and young adults.
- CA’s high school students will learn about labor rights and protections.
- CT: LGBTQ people who use state health plans can now access equal fertility-related coverage to start a family.
- FL: A court rules that the state’s proposed redistricting plan violates the FL constitution.
- MI: Civil rights lawyer Susan DeClercq is confirmed as judge to the Eastern District, becoming the first person of East Asian descent to serve as a lifetime judge in the state.
- NJ’s pharmacies will offer over-the-counter birth control starting in early 2024.
- Chicago eliminates subminimum wage for tipped workers.
- Costco members can now access low-cost healthcare.
- Planned Parenthood Pasadena expands medication-abortion access for Californians through telehealth services.
- As part of their Make Our Voices Heard campaign, Immigrant ARC curates blog posts for current issues in immigration and associated legal services.
- Disney VFX workers vote to unionize with IATSE, becoming only the second-ever visual effects team to do so.
- Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman are awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine for their work on research leading to the creation of mRNA vaccines.
- Mauritius decriminalizes same-sex relations.
- An alliance of 45 countries pledge to raise $12B to protect coral reefs.
Support the good news list
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Gratefully,
— Jen Hofmann and the AoCC team
