We love sending you stories of persistence and resistance, but this week we want to pause and acknowledge that we’re aware of—and disturbed by—all of the terrible things that are happening in the United States and around the world. We hope everyone stays informed, so you can respond however you see fit.
That said, we’re making a deliberate choice to focus on the positive in Small Victories because we believe big, world-changing victories don’t happen overnight—but instead are a result of years of often-overlooked hard work and tiny little victories along the way. Our job, as we see it, is to record, amplify, and celebrate those victories.
So on that note, let’s go!
Your weekly songspiration!
1. That vacation last week wasn’t a coincidence after all: Bill O’Reilly has officially left the building!
Make no mistake—this is most likely motivated by Fox’s bottom line, because this problem is taking his spot. But we love the fact that public pressure convinced more than half the show’s advertisers to drop out, which led to Fox dropping O’Reilly. As Rebecca Solnit said, it shows what can happen when “women speak up, journalists listen, and people organize.”
2. After it was publicized that his Democratic opponent has raised way more money than his campaign so far this year, our best friend—jk, our worst nightmare—Jason Chaffetz announced that he will not run for reelection in 2018!
3. All eyes have been on Tuesday’s special election in Georgia. This was us for most of the night:
While Jon Ossoff just barely missed the 50% mark to win outright, and we’re now looking toward the June runoff, this is still a victory in our book because of the extremely close margins. Plus within this same district, khalid kamau, a socialist and Black Lives Matters organizer, was elected to city council.
We also need to give a shout-out to Illinois local elections earlier this month, where multiple Democrats picked up seats in places they’ve never won before. (Thanks, Monica!) And Virginia Democrat Jacqueline Smith defied the odds (and money) stacked against her and won a special election for court clerk. The Huffington Post explains why these elections matter:|
“These may seem like relatively small victories ― we’re talking about municipal races in towns with tens of thousands of people ― but they fit with a broader pattern that should have Republicans on edge ahead of the 2018 elections: Progressive grassroots activism, exploding with energy since President Donald Trump’s win in November, is fueling Democratic gains in GOP strongholds.
Also, a couple fun facts: Did you know Chris Christie is on his way out? His term ends in January. And Ted Cruz’s Senate seat isn’t looking too safe these days.
4. Good news in the battle for reproductive rights: A federal judge signed an order to keep Kentucky’s only abortion clinic open, thanks to the ACLU, and Tennessee’s attorney general agreed to stop enforcing an unconstitutional two-abortion limit.
5. In last weekend’s Tax March, 120,000 people in over 200 communities—from ? Arkansas to ? Idaho, and ? Denver to ? New Orleans—rallied to demand Trump release his tax returns. More than 25,000 people showed up in Washington, DC alone! ?
6. The Brooklyn Community Bail Fund, Color of Change, and the Movement for Black Lives Policy Table, are leading a national campaign to bring incarcerated black mothers home to spend Mother’s Day with their families.
7. New York passed a series of criminal justice reforms and also became the first state to provide legal services to every immigrant facing deportation. Plus Governor Cuomo signed Raise the Age—an initiative to stop trying juveniles as adults in criminal court—into law. (It’s imperfect, and we can and should do better, but it’s a start.)
8. The creativity by protesters is out of this world! (Quite literally in one case.)
? A group in Phoenix launched the first protest in space in solidarity with the upcoming March for Science happening this Saturday—Earth Day.
? People are so excited about Chaffetz’s departure that they held a dance party at his office to celebrate.
? Protesters demanding that Rep. Barbara Comstock hold a town hall event used one of our favorite Easter treats to get their point across. #peeptruthtopower ?
? This White House Easter Egg Roll regular decided to combat Trump’s agenda by creating her own commemorative eggs which have raised over $13,000 for PBS and the National Endowment for the Arts.
? A new bar will donate 100% of its proceeds to organizations fighting for LGBTQ+ rights, environmental justice, and groups threatened by the Trump administration.
9. Resistance Recess continues! According to Indivisible, 250,000 people have attended 450 marches, town halls, and other events. Everyone standing up and speaking out—like 16-year-old Deja Foxx—is making a difference in more than one way.
10. A Chicago man was freed from jail after spending 23 years behind bars in a likely-wrongful conviction. After a group of supporters, including his family, worked on his case for decades, this month’s multi-part Buzzfeed News investigation helped build public pressure in support of his release.
11. We’re a little late to this news, but it’s so important we had to include it: New Mexico banned conversion therapy for minors.
Happy Friday, everyone! We’re hopping into the weekend like:
P.S. She proved “real women” do run. ?
P.P.S. It’s National Park Week! Entry to all the parks is free this weekend but how about giving your favorite senior the gift of the great outdoors for LIFE? Or yourself for that matter! ? ?
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