A month isn’t enough to cover the history and impact of the millions of people who identify as AAPI. There are 20.6 million people in the U.S. who identify as AAPI—over 6% of the total population, and their cultures, contributions, and challenges deserve to be recognized. 

What is AAPI Heritage Month?

• Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (or AAPI Heritage Month) celebrates people in the United States who are of Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian descent. 
• The AAPI umbrella term includes cultures from the entire Asian continent—including East, Southeast, and South Asia—and the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. (History).
• There is no single story of the AAPI experience but rather a multitude of heritages and cultures that are continually cultivated, making up a tapestry of diverse experiences and histories.
• Many in the AAPI community also consider this month of May a chance to raise awareness about the unique challenges the AAPI community faces.

How AAPI Heritage Month began

AAPI Heritage Month started as a weeklong celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander people and culture under President Jimmy Carter in 1978. It was extended to a monthlong celebration in the 1990s.

The month of May was chosen to commemorate both the first Japanese immigration to the U.S., which took place in 1843, and the 1869 completion of the transcontinental railroad, a project that owed its success to the many Chinese, Japanese, and Korean workers who labored on it.

In the 1970s, other heritage weeks and celebrations were already being officially observed in the United States. Between the Civil Rights Movement and the countless other movements for social justice, there was an increasing push for the government to recognize the rights of minority groups in the U.S., celebrate their cultures, and ensure their well-being.

Representatives Frank Horton and Norman Mineta, along with Senator Daniel Inouye, introduced the idea of an AAPI heritage week in Congress in 1977, but both resolutions initially failed. It took another year for the resolution to be pushed through.

Jeanie Jew was the congressional staffer who had first brought the idea to Rep. Horton, after witnessing the lack of Asian representation during the country’s 1976 bicentennial celebrations and drawing on her own family history of an ancestor who was killed in the destruction of San Jose’s Chinatown in 1887.

Activists and movement leaders have raised valid criticisms of AAPI Heritage Month.

Some have highlighted that AAPI Heritage Month does little to advance the community’s interests in the way other heritage months do. While striving to celebrate these cultures, AAPI Heritage Month can have a tokenizing effect, as the collapse of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders into one group fails to articulate and address the breadth of complexity and the concerns of each individual group.

Many activist groups and thought leaders urge the general public to participate in the celebration and recognition of AAPI people and cultures in ways that extend long past the month of May and, in so doing, avoid making short-term tokens of the AAPI people in our communities.

A few ways to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month

Here are a few ways you can participate in AAPI Heritage Month events to honor and celebrate AAPI culture:

• • Get involved with the movement to #StopAAPIHate by taking bystander trainings.
  • Advocate for AAPI rights at a local level.
  • Support AAPI creators.
  • Support business owners by shopping and dining at local AAPI stores and restaurants.
  • Understand that AAPI people are not a monolith. There are countless unique traditions, cultures, and experiences that make up the AAPI community.

The post Exploring the Rich History of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

Credit: Robert Gauthier/Getty Images 1601912968

In the wake of the devastating fire that ravaged Lahaina, Maui, in August, a rallying cry was heard across communities near and far. It was a call for support, for solidarity, and for a collective effort to aid in the recovery of this historic town. And among those who heeded this call were the compassionate and proactive members of MoveOn.

When disaster struck, MoveOn members came together, demonstrating the power of collective action and empathy. Through a concerted fundraising initiative, nearly $200,000 was raised to assist a community-driven organization, the Maui Community Power Recovery Fund (MCPRF), in their tireless efforts toward recovery and resilience-building.

This substantial contribution, comprising more than a quarter of the total funding for MCPRF, holds immense significance. Not only does it facilitate immediate material relief for those affected by the fire, but it also serves as a foundation for long-term strategies to address the root causes, particularly in combating climate disruption and enhancing Maui’s resilience against future challenges.

The Maui Community Power Recovery Fund’s dedication to not only rebuilding but also fortifying the community against future adversities echoes a broader sentiment—a reminder of the strength found in solidarity and collective action. Each contribution, each gesture of support, becomes a building block in the restoration of hope and resilience. Here’s a look at what MCPRF told us they’ve been up to, fueled by support from around the country:

1. Facilitated a series of meetings with community leaders to guide a shared game plan and identity, which turned into the ”Lahaina Strong” initiative.
2. Staffed up with people from the community, representing a range of different skills (operations, community organizing, videography, etc.).
3. Conducted ”needs assessments” through in-person canvases at community meetings and within hotels. We coordinated ”tagnawa” events with Ilocano and Tagalog volunteer translators to connect more than 1,500 Filipino survivors to benefits that were falling through the cracks with FEMA and Red Cross. We also helped stand up Roots Reborn, an organization to support Spanish-speaking and Filipino immigrants on Maui, many of whom are undocumented. Other partners for this effort include Help Maui Rise and the Hawaii Workers Center.
4. Created a system to connect people to the right service providers via automated texts, emails, and calls responsive to their real-time needs.
5. Held listening sessions on recovery, in coordination with council members, and turned out thousands of people to various hearings—including distributing 1,500 shirts for people who testify or volunteer. Dozens of press clips so far. Here’s one!
6. Pushed for extended relief so service workers wouldn’t be forced back to work, and won $100 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds and FEMA block grant extensions.
7. Pushed to extend the October 8 reopening of west Maui to tourism, gaining support from local political leaders. Here’s our petition delivery!
8. Planning various upcoming concerts and respite events with partners, all under the Lahaina Strong banner.
9. Launching a participatory rebuilding process and developing a community-driven master plan for Lahaina.
10. Working on legislation for the next state legislative session to institutionalize some of these changes to build resilience!

As we reflect on this collaborative effort, it becomes evident that the impact stretches beyond monetary value. It’s about the interconnectedness of communities, the willingness to extend a helping hand, and the belief that, together, we can create tangible change.

The involvement of countless MoveOn members embodies the spirit of compassion and unity that reverberates in times of crisis. Your support has not only aided Lahaina’s recovery but has also illuminated the path toward a more resilient and empowered Maui.

Let this be a reminder that, amid challenges, there exists unwavering hope. And through collective efforts and unwavering support, we can rebuild, strengthen, and create a better tomorrow for all.

Together, we continue to make a difference—one community at a time.

The post Rebuilding Hope: How MoveOn Members Joined Hands to Aid Maui’s Recovery Efforts appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

Credit: MoveOn

Closing out the year amid so much heartbreak and global uncertainty is challenging. But what keeps us hopeful that a different world is not only possible but actively unfolding, is the actions that millions of MoveOn members like you take every day. In the face of oppressive forces working to isolate, disconnect, and immobilize us through despair and fear, we have chosen, time and time again, to come together, build power, and exercise disciplined hope in order to create a better future for all of us. 

With compounding crises and attacks against our communities, MoveOn’s free petition platform has been a catalyst for millions of MoveOn members and progressive partners from across the country. It has propelled us forward on issues that impact our lives—from police violence to student loan debt to LGBTQ+ rights to bodily autonomy and so much more. Whether at the forefront of a campaign or as an integral part of a larger strategy, MoveOn petitions have empowered local change-makers to make tangible differences at the local, state, and federal level. 

There are those in power who want to make our problems seem insurmountable and systems of oppression inevitable. We know they aren’t. People created these systems, and collectively, we have the ability to dismantle, reimagine, and reconstruct them. By signing or launching a petition (or many), you are a reminder that our collective actions matter and that each one of us plays a necessary role in creating the just society we deserve. 

Keep reading to check out some of our petition highlights from this year and set an intention to start your own petition in 2024.

2023 Snapshot

Credit: Youtube/CNBC

• We stopped the price gouging of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. Early in the year, Moderna considered quadrupling the price of its people-funded vaccine, despite the low cost of producing the vaccine. We partnered with Senator Bernie Sanders to launch a petition on the MoveOn platform to stop Moderna’s multi-billionaire CEO from driving this lifesaving vaccine out of reach for millions of uninsured Americans. Over 177,000 MoveOn members signed the petition, and in February, following the outcry, we had a major win when Moderna said it would not raise the price. MoveOn members continued to fight to hold Big Pharma accountable, most recently partnering with Demand Progress on a petition to stop Pfizer from hiking up the price of Paxlovid, the lifesaving COVID-19 treatment.

• We called out rainbow capitalism. One week before Pride Month, Target caved to a small but vocal group of bigots and pulled their LGBTQIA+ Pride merch. More than 123,000 MoveOn members signed the petition calling Target out for their “rainbow capitalism” and demanding that they reinstate their merch. Because of the backlash, Target saw a decrease in their sales for the first time in six years—with MoveOn members and the broader public showing power not only with our signatures but also with our wallets. MoveOn members also supported Starbucks Workers United, who hosted a petition demanding that the coffee chain respect LGBTQIA+ workers and customers by allowing them to decorate for Pride Month, after workers reported that Starbucks had refused to let dozens of stores across the country do so. Unionized workers at more than 150 stores launched a historic weeklong strike, even forcing some stores to close.

• MoveOn members amplified the voices of labor unions during the hot labor summer. This was a big year for building union power, and we worked with labor groups on petitions to amplify their efforts. Trader Joe’s United launched two petitions to fight union-busting—from a retaliatory firing to a bogus trademark lawsuit. This summer, they took their fight to Trader Joe’s headquarters, and they are continuing to push back against union busting and advocate for fair working conditions for all crew members.

Credit: Trader Joe’s United

• We advocated for worker protections amid rising heat. Working with Representative Greg Casar, we hosted a petition demanding federal protections amid record-breaking heat waves that took a physical and even deadly toll on outdoor workers. Rep. Casar participated in a water strike on the steps of Congress to pressure the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to pass immediate and permanent heat safety measures. The public pressure did result in the Department of Labor issuing the first ever hazard alert for heat, and in President Biden announcing a slate of investments—but champions in Congress are still fighting to codify federal protections.

• We pushed back against book bans. When the GOP and far right waged their war against books and the freedom to read, MoveOn members were ready to mobilize. More than 133,000 members signed a petition in support of history-making poet Amanda Gorman, after her book “The Hill We Climb” was restricted in a Florida school. And from national efforts to join with artists and writers like LeVar Burton for the Artists Against Book Bans petition to local, member-started petitions in Texas, Florida, Illinois, D.C., and Georgia—more than 477,000 members added their names to book ban-related petitions on the platform this year. And we used that member energy to launch powerful campaigns offline, too, including our Banned Bookmobile, which carried our petition to key cities on two multicity bus activations this year alone.

Credit: MoveOn

• MoveOn members mobilized to call for a ceasefire. After the heartbreaking Hamas attacks on October 7, the Israeli government began its brutal and incessant bombings targeting Palestinians, which have gone on for months—resulting in nearly 20,000 deaths in Gaza, the majority of them women and children. More than 486,000 members signed the petition calling on President Biden and members of Congress to use their political power to stop all loss of life in Israel and Palestine—signatures that were delivered to the White House. MoveOn members not only signed the petition but also made calls and sent messages to their elected officials calling for a ceasefire, participated in a ceasefire day of action, and joined actions in Washington, D.C., and their own communities.
  
  MoveOn will continue to listen to our members and mobilize our community so that the people of Palestine and Israel can live their lives without fear of violence and mass death. You can still sign and share the petition here.

Credit: MoveOn

MoveOn members did that—and so much more—together. Will you take five minutes to start your own petition on MoveOn’s free petition platform now?

Community Spotlights

MoveOn members and progressive partners launched thousands of petitions this year alone! Below, we spotlight some of the incredible grassroots petitions from 2023. 

• In March, a 22-year-old Indigenous woman, Mika Josephine Westwolf, was killed walking along Highway 93 in Montana. A friend of Mika’s family, Erica Shelby, started a petition to demand the Department of Justice investigate the death of Mika Westwolf and dedicate additional resources to missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW) cases. In October, after months of urging local and federal investigations to take Mika’s death seriously, an arrest was made and a trial set for May of next year. Mika’s mother, Carissa Heavy Runner, told a local reporter: “To me, Mika was part of the bigger picture. The bigger issue she is bringing attention to this epidemic, which is very much needed. Hopefully this will help set the wheels in motion towards justice, where it will be a change for other families and within this court within the legal system.”
• The GOP continued their attacks on abortion and reproductive rights in 2023. Our platform partner UltraViolet Action launched a petition to urge U.S. pharmacies to protect customers’ right to abortion medication. And with the recent news that the Supreme Court will take up the abortion pill case in 2024, we need every signature we can get to build momentum to protect and expand abortion access in the coming year.

• Accountable Tech also launched a petition on the MoveOn petition platform, calling out Google for continuing to collect and retain location history and search queries for abortion clinics. The petition, which has collected more than 41,000 signatures, is working to expose Big Tech’s role in anti-abortion attacks, demanding Google stop aiding abortion prosecutors. And in December, Google announced that it was rolling out more protections for its location data, an encouraging step in the right direction, according to Accountable Tech.

• 2023 marked the fourth year in a row that record-breaking anti-trans bills were introduced on the state and federal level—and terrifyingly, over 75 of these unconstitutional and harmful bills have become law. MoveOn member Destinee Dickson launched a petition to fight back against one of these bills, H.R.734—a nationwide ban of transgender, nonbinary, and intersex youth participation in school sports on teams that match their gender identity. The bill passed the U.S. House but failed to pass the Senate.

• When disgraced Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene went on FOX News to brag about circumventing the confidentiality of a secure congressional review of materials, she thought nobody was watching. But our partners at Common Cause were, and so were we. More than 74,000 members signed a petition calling for an official investigation. We’re still waiting for an investigation into this and other unethical behaviors from Rep. Greene—but in the meantime we made it clear that the public is paying attention and wants accountability from elected officials.
• We continued to work with our partners at the Student Debt Crisis Center to urge the Biden administration to use whatever tools are necessary to cancel student debt. With President Biden’s student loan relief blocked by the Supreme Court earlier this year, payments resumed in August. MoveOn and SDCC launched a petition that now has more than 74,000 signatures, urging President Biden to use his authority to provide debt cancellation for borrowers and create a new relief program through the Department of Education. And the continued public pressure is working, with the Education Department currently working on a new proposal. 
• This summer, MoveOn member Karen Feridun sounded the alarm about a U.S. Forest Service proposal that would pave the way for national forests to become carbon waste dumps. The petition has already gained more than 18,000 signatures to protect the more than 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands that the Forest Service manages.

• Partners also fought to protect abortion care against local attacks. The Peace Pentagon and Virginia Reproductive Equity Alliance created a petition to reject an anti-abortion ordinance that was up for vote by the end of the year. With just over 1,000 signatures in addition to on-the-ground organizing, they successfully defeated the ordinance on December 14!

• Economic Security Project Action launched a petition demanding that there be no pay raise for Congress after they blocked the expanded child tax credit. More than 58,000 MoveOn members signed the petition to expose the GOP hypocrisy and demand better for families. With budget negotiations still taking place, the child tax credit and champions in Congress are still fighting to include it in the final appropriations package.

• This year the GOP sank to a new low when they introduced a new proposal that would eliminate the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) from the National School Lunch Program—a change that would impact 20 million children. Parents Together Action launched a petition that has garnered more than 50,000 signatures! Not only did the proposal not pass, but this fall the Department of Agriculture lowered the threshold for eligibility for schools, and now millions more students can receive breakfast and lunch at school at no cost.

• Horrifyingly, this summer there were reports that Governor Greg Abbott directed Texas troopers to deny migrants drinking water and push migrants—including small children and babies—back into the Rio Grande. Nestor Ruiz launched a petition to demand President Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas investigate the claims and stop human rights violations at the border. The state internal investigation found “no systemic wrongdoing” in December—making the case for a federal investigation even more urgent.

• In August, the Seattle Police Department released audio of a police officer making jokes and cruelly discussing the killing of 23-year-old Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula, a pedestrian hit and killed by an SPD officer earlier in the year. In the audio, Detective Daniel Auderer heartlessly states that her life had “limited value.” MoveOn member Dr. Glory Janes created a petition that quickly gained over 225,000 signatures, with new signatures being added every day. There is an independent investigation currently underway, and local organizations and groups are continuing to fight for justice for Jaahnavi.

• At the beginning of the year, U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland protected federal land around Minnesota’s Boundary Waters from destructive mining for 20 years. But Representative Pete Stauber introduced a bill to roll back these vital protections. More than 20,000 MoveOn members signed a petition to save the Boundary Waters.

• Reality television is having a reckoning, with cast members coming forward to detail unethical behavior, exploitation, abuse, and intimidation—all so producers and streaming companies can profit. The Unscripted Cast Advocacy Network—founded by former cast members of “Love Is Blind”—launched a petition on MoveOn’s platform calling on Netflix and other reality television giants to add a disclaimer to all unscripted television. They were just featured in an “Impact x Nightline” episode on Hulu as their campaign for greater transparency and accountability continues. 

It’s our people power that makes MoveOn petitions successful, and we’re grateful for every click you made this year. We’re taking a week off to get rested and restored before 2024 so we can hit the ground running. We can’t wait to see what petitions you start in the coming year. Click here to start your petition on MoveOn’s free petition platform now.

As always, thanks for all you do.

The post Here’s What Your Signatures Made Possible in 2023 appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

Credit: MoveOn

What a year! Thanks to MoveOn members like you, we boldly celebrated 25 years of progressive change—despite the challenges of this political environment shaped by dark money, disinformation, and right-wing capture of our government. While we’re strategizing and building for the intense election year ahead of us, we look back on the work we’ve done together in 2023. 

In October, we brought together hundreds of grassroots leaders and volunteers from across the country for the MoveOn 25 Member Summit. For two days in Atlanta, we highlighted 25 years of impact and shared MoveOn’s road map for taking back power for the people in 2024. 

Credit: MoveOn

As Republicans and right-wing activists increasingly attacked our rights and autonomy, we continued to mobilize around the country:

• This year has been one of the most consequential and deadly legislative sessions for the LGBTQ+ community. We utilized state-based partnerships and worked with MoveOn members directly to fight against these violent attacks with calls and letters in support of LGBTQ+ electeds and against Target and Starbucks’ corporate attempts to silence LGBTQ+ employees.
• When right-wing activists and Republicans ramped up their book bans, we moved into action (literally!) and went on the road with our first-ever Banned Bookmobile on a multistate tour to sound the alarm on GOP censorship and book bans. 
• The first iteration of the tour was so successful, we did a second leg in different cities and created strategic partnerships with Pod Save America and Lovett or Leave It.
• We used the momentum of this moment to fight back against censorship further by creating our “Artists Against Book Bans” campaign, featuring a letter signed by 150+ influential celebrities and our Read Banned Books T-shirt, an initiative we spearheaded with beloved “Reading Rainbow” star LeVar Burton.

Credit: MoveOn

We showed up and showed out to protect our freedom and democracy: 

• We continued to fight back against the corruption of Clarence Thomas and the rigged right-wing Supreme Court by working in lockstep with a coalition of partner organizations to hold the Supreme Court justices to a higher standard, resulting in a Code of Conduct that creates rules and standards for justices to abide by. This is just the first step in our long-term goal of holding SCOTUS accountable and creating guardrails that protect against the corrosion of our democracy.
• After Democrats secured an electoral win in Wisconsin in the 2022 midterm elections, Republicans in the state retaliated, trying to impeach Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz—who won her election earlier this year with the endorsement and help of MoveOn members. We mobilized in Wisconsin with partners and made calls in protest, which led to Republicans’ taking impeachment off the table. 

We launched our campaign against the Complicit Caucus—the 18 vulnerable swing-district House Republicans who masqueraded as moderates to win in districts that Biden had previously won in 2020—and took the fight to their home turf:

• With the support of highly organized and trained cohorts of MoveOn members in these districts, we continuously exposed these members of Congress to voters in their district via paid ads, in-district actions, strategic communications, and more for what they truly are: enablers of extremist right-wing values that don’t align with their constituents’. They must be voted out. 
• MoveOn has been campaigning from the very beginning to expel George Santos since news of his lies to and betrayals of the American public became clear. After a pivotal year of campaigning, when more damning evidence of fraud surfaced from the scathing House Ethics Committee report, we leveraged the moment to demand Congress expel him by flying a Santos balloon in front of the Capitol on the day of the historic vote.
  

Credit: MoveOn

We continued to hold Trump accountable—through all 91 charges—and fought back against MAGA extremists and their disinformation campaigns:

• MoveOn has led the charge with pivotal partnerships across the movement to hold Trump accountable for his actions, both in and out of the White House. He is not above the law. Our yearslong push to demand that Trump be prosecuted for his many crimes was successful when charges were filed in various states and federally earlier this year.
• We’re building on this momentum with our campaign to disqualify Trump from the 2024 ballot. The U.S. Constitution says no one who participated in or incited an insurrection against the U.S. government can hold public office again. Clearly, this includes Trump’s role in organizing the violent insurrectionist attack on January 6. We’re working with MoveOn members in key states where lawsuits are being introduced to build this narrative and keep Trump off the ballot in 2024. 

We continued to fight for working-class and marginalized communities in 2023. MoveOn members leaned in to support workers and allies in the labor movement:

• It was a Hot Labor Summer indeed! The Writers Guild of America began striking for a fair contract, and SAG-AFTRA followed a few months after. We garnered thousands of petition signatures, and MoveOn members joined workers at picket lines across the country. 
• MoveOn members made calls, sent emails, and showed up to support Teamsters United in their strike against UPS and the United Auto Workers. CEOs heard our voices clearly and renegotiated new contracts for hundreds of thousands of workers across the country.
  

Credit: MoveOn

We did all of this our way—with grassroots donations, people-powered action, member-driven campaigns, strategic partnerships, and cross-movement collaboration. Millions of MoveOn members took action this year—from signing petitions to calling Congress to showing up in the streets to participating in voter outreach and so much more. It’s your support that allowed us to keep fighting and giving back. MoveOn members provided critical support for our state allies and more than $150,000 to Maui for relief and repair after a devastating series of wildfires. 

MoveOn members fought to pass laws and keep up the pressure for congressional and administrative action for an America that works for all:

• We mobilized to prevent a devastating GOP government shutdown, month after month. Republicans will try to counter back even stronger in the new year, but Democrats have held the line, and MoveOn members supported them to fight back against cuts to essential services and programs. 
• The Biden administration, along with the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, took action to crack down on junk fees that impact a majority of Americans. MoveOn members fought alongside champions in government who are seeking to rein in corporate power and put consumers first.
  

MoveOn members took action in solidarity against militarism and for freedom around the world:

• MoveOn began calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. There was an outpouring of engagement from MoveOn members in the form of calls, letters, and petitions to end the violence and save lives.
• The petition to save as many lives as possible in Gaza and Israel has nearly 500,000 signatures—names that were delivered at an event with partners in front of the White House—and MoveOn members donated more than $500,000 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.  

Every year, we continue to build on the previous year’s successes and failures and to learn from them. Our work in the past year is a testament to that.

In the upcoming months, it will be more important than ever for us to unite and fight back against Trump and MAGA extremists. The ongoing threat is in many places, and we will continue to fight back, whether the fight is in Congress, boardrooms, or courtrooms. We will continue to fight for a populist democracy that works for the many, not just the few. 

We will be the ones to make the changes now for a sustainable future with justice for all.

Watch our video below: 

Thanks for all you do.

The post What We Accomplished Together in 2023 appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

A parent and child talk on their living room couch.

As Thanksgiving approaches, you may start hearing questions and commentary about the history of the holiday—especially from kids—that aren’t rooted in the facts. The often-told story of Thanksgiving is a myth of harmony and an erasure of the genocide that colonists committed against the Wampanoag Tribe in the 1600s. Thanksgiving became a celebrated holiday during the Civil War, likely as a tactic for Abraham Lincoln to unite the North against a common enemy—the South. Indigenous people acknowledge the holiday in various ways. While some Indigenous people consider Thanksgiving a day of mourning, others gather with their families and give thanks.  

Thanksgiving has a dark history, often overlooked by mainstream society, that can be difficult to discuss with your children, students, friends, family, and others in your life. As you approach conversations about the holiday, it’s good to go in with a few things first:

1. An open mind

Talking about Thanksgiving is hard because everyone has different views, emotions, and thoughts concerning the holiday. 

As you endeavor to share your own knowledge and experiences, remember to be open to others’ perspectives as well, and listen to understand, not to respond. 

2. A full understanding

Not enough people are aware of what really happened at the first Thanksgiving. The long-standing legend of “smiling Pilgrims and Wampanoag people happily enjoying a big meal together” has been completely debunked, and light’s been shed on the truth of the Pilgrims’ genocide of the Wampanoag Tribe. In 1970, United American Indians of New England declared Thanksgiving a National Day of Mourning. But other Native Americans and allies celebrate the holiday as part of a long cultural tradition of giving thanks.

There’s no way around it: The reality of Thanksgiving doesn’t exactly make for an easy holiday conversation starter for a day that’s largely been about family, food, and gratitude for many Americans. But living in this country, we are all interconnected, and it’s important to acknowledge this reality and teach the truth of this holiday’s history rather than retell the same harmful stories. 

Interrupt the myths and inaccuracies when you hear them. Rather than changing the history people have heard, fill in the gaps. Raise awareness about the systematic displacement of and violence against Indigenous peoples that the United States was founded on. Encourage people to look into the history of the land they inhabit–this Native land map is an amazing educational tool to share. Let people know that Indigenous communities are not of the past. Silence and misinformation about Indigenous people and our country’s origins are, unfortunately, all too common.

So as you prepare to spend time with family and friends, here are some ideas to help you navigate those discussions:

1. Ask questions.

One great approach to discussing or teaching about Thanksgiving is to first ask questions to understand the person’s perspective on the holiday. These questions can be jumping-off points for writing or discussion in the classroom or at the dinner table:

• Why is this holiday called Thanksgiving? 
• What were people giving thanks for? 
• What is the other part of this story that isn’t typically told?
• What does this holiday mean to you?
• What, if anything, is hard about the holidays for you?
• How could we reimagine our celebration of Thanksgiving?
• How can we acknowledge the true history of Thanksgiving today and beyond?

2. Be age-appropriate. 

Naturally, young children may not be ready to learn about all the horrific details of Thanksgiving’s history. Instead, Bob Peterson, founding editor of Rethinking Schools and co-editor of Rethinking Columbus, shares, “you can redirect conversation about Thanksgiving to be about what you’re thankful for as a family.” 

Once kids reach ages five or six, Peterson says you can share something along the lines of, “The Wampanoag peoples lived in Massachusetts for hundreds of years, but people from Europe came and took their land, and it wasn’t fair.” Older kids are able to learn an in-depth history.

Looking for ways to teach more accurately about Thanksgiving in the classroom? One idea is to ask students to rewrite the Thanksgiving story using historical records and write a poem from the perspective of a person from that time, as Arlington Public School teacher Susannah Remillard had her class do. Kids of all ages can learn that harvest feasts had been part of Wampanoag life much earlier than the 1621 “Thanksgiving feast” with settlers and that giving thanks is a daily practice for many Indigenous people.

3. Keep the conversation going.

You don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving gets here to discuss its truth. And once it’s over, keep the conversation going and continue learning and growing by researching, reading, and discussing history, colonialism, race, and privilege year-round.

Sources and additional resources:

The Real History Behind Thanksgiving

How to Talk to Kids About Thanksgiving

10 Prompts for Talking and Writing About Thanksgiving

How to Tell Your Kids the Truth About Thanksgiving

An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States

Teaching the truth about Thanksgiving

Native-land.ca

The post Tips for Approaching the True History of Thanksgiving With Your Family, Friends, and Kids appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

MoveOn Executive Director Rahna Epting shares the election plan for 2024. Credit: MoveOn

Happy birthday to MoveOn! We’ve officially reached 25 years of people-powered progress! This past weekend, we hosted the MoveOn 25 Member Summit in Atlanta to celebrate MoveOn’s 25th birthday while also connecting and organizing ahead of the 2024 election. It was our first time coming together in person in 5 years and we took full advantage of the opportunity to celebrate our work together and build the power we need to win the White House and Senate, and take back the House in 2024.

And we couldn’t have done it without you—your actions and support have made the collective wins of the past 25 years possible.

We had 25 sessions, 50 speakers, and hundreds of MoveOn members in attendance for this monumental moment in MoveOn’s history. We even brought our Banned Bookmobile! 

Check out the video below to see what our members, special guests, partners, and staff got up to over the course of the summit. You’ll witness some of our favorite moments and get a feel for the electricity that was in the air throughout the weekend.

Here are some more highlights:

The opening session

The youth drumline surprises members at the opening session. Credit: MoveOn

At Saturday’s opening session, members were surprised with a youth drum line to get everyone fired up. MoveOn Executive Director Rahna Epting shared, “Members like you are the heart and soul of this vibrant community. We, the people—we are why we are powerful. Why we are effective. And why we have been able to be so impactful over the last 25 years. Because when we come together, millions of us, to take collective action—that is power, folks.” 

Credit: MoveOn

We couldn’t have said it better! We had amazing guests who spoke to educate and inspire our members, including Maurice Mitchell with the Working Families Party, former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, President of the American Federation of Teachers Randi Weingarten, Marisa Kanof and Ani with VoteRev, Elyssa Feder with Rising Organizers, Giovanna Negretti with OPEN, Jess Weldon and Jessica Angima with Arena, and more.

We also had some stellar members lead sessions alongside MoveOn staff. Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give, and Erick Allen, Chair of Cobb County Democrats, spoke to an enthusiastic crowd during our Banned Bookmobile event, where we gave away pizza, cupcakes, and, most importantly, 1,000 banned books!

A crowd gathers outside the Banned Bookmobile event. Credit: MoveOn

Saturday night’s entertainment

We envision a future where we all can thrive—so building relationships and sharing joy are just as essential as training and education. During Saturday night’s show, drag artist Trinity K Bone’t kicked off the celebration. Members from many different backgrounds and generations danced together and cheered in a big dance circle. Rapper Common shouted out MoveOn (multiple times) and surprised us all by bringing a member onto the stage! Our emcee, MoveOn Director of Member Learning Chris Percy, literally had the crowd laughing out loud and cheering his name by the end of the weekend.

Rapper Common performs. Credit: MoveOn

Drag artist Trinity K Bone’t takes the stage. Credit: MoveOn

Rapper Common serenades MoveOn member Jewel Nunley on stage. Credit: MoveOn

Members laugh together during the Saturday celebration. Credit: MoveOn

MoveOn members share their main takeaways:

To build power for our movement, it takes all of us educating, organizing, and connecting with each other. And that’s why MoveOn members, partners, and staff hosted sessions to invest in members—to develop, train, and share experiences that we’ll need to win in 2024. The sessions provided expertise across many topics, including artificial intelligence (AI), LGBTQ+ campaigning, organizing tactics, and even TikTok dances—all with the goal to defeat MAGA and win the House, Senate, and White House in 2024.

Members brainstorm ideas with sticky notes at a breakout session. Credit: MoveOn

Members show off their new manicures at the Nail the Vote booth. Credit: MoveOn

Speakers take the mainstage. Credit: MoveOn

Members dance together during the breakout session, “MoveOn Shuffle: How to Create a Tik-Tok.” Credit: MoveOn

We asked members about their main takeaway following the Summit; here’s what they had to say:

“I really can make and have made a difference.” –Carol G.

“We are in this together. Our collective voices have power!!” –Bonita T.

“I am not alone. And, together, we can win the elections, because our policies and progressive ideas are also the ideas of the vast majority of Americans.” –Patrick C.

“I am more proud than ever to be a member of MoveOn.” –William A.

A huge thank-you to our members who sacrificed their time and energy to attend the summit, the dedicated volunteers who worked tirelessly to make the event run smoothly, our partners and guest speakers for sharing their experiences to help us build power for the movement, and our generous donors and sponsors who made it all possible. 

The work continues

Members gather around a table during a breakout session. Credit: MoveOn

Members dance and cheer at the closing session. Credit: MoveOn

Let’s be clear—we have a lot of work ahead of us to make our vision for the future a reality. MAGA Republicans’ attacks on our communities and freedoms continue to threaten our democracy. But like Maurice Mitchell from the Working Families Party said last weekend, “Where they have money, we have people power. And our people power is endless.” 

While our people power may be endless, we can make an impact only when we are organized and choose to collectively exercise it. That’s why MoveOn is starting our election program sooner than ever before. Join us by signing up now to be a vote mobilizer to defeat MAGA and win the House, Senate, and White House in 2024. 

The post Happy 25th Anniversary, MoveOn! Highlights from our Member Summit in Atlanta appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

From left: Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Mehdi Hasan, Rep. Gregory Meeks, and James Carville

The dark-money political party No Labels has made headlines this summer by qualifying for the ballot in a number of states. While they try to pitch themselves as a bipartisan third-party alternative to voters who aren’t interested in either Biden or Trump, the reality is their misleading and misguided presidential effort will only help put Donald Trump back into the White House. No Labels has no candidates on its slate, no math or path to get to 270 Electoral College votes, and no transparency about its donor base (though we do know they’ve been cashing checks from right-wing megadonors and are staffed by consultants with ties to MAGA candidates).

Here’s what some critics have said in recent weeks about No Labels’ dangerous third-party bid.

“Let’s be serious. Black folks know there are two choices in this election: [Biden, or] MAGA Republicans who are debating the benefits of slavery, banning books, a woman’s access to an abortion, and threatening our most precious right to vote. With all of this at stake, we won’t allow Black voters to be hoodwinked by a sideshow that can only dilute our power and roll back our progress.” –Congressional Black Caucus PAC chair, Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY)

Let’s be clear: Corporate-backed spoilers like No Labels serve only to hinder progressive policies and undermine President Biden and Democrats at every level. We won’t be fooled.” –Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA)

“They won’t tell you where their money comes from; they say they’re funded by undisclosed corporate dark money. And they won’t take a position on anything. But yet they’re offering the American people something new and fresh. That’s a good line of f—ing bullshit there.” –James Carville, political consultant and author

“Big donors are drawn to No Labels because they want and need another Republican in the White House to protect the tax cuts and deregulatory regimes through which they become richer.” –Charles P. Pierce, political blogger and liberal pundit

“I would say one simple thing to someone who wants a bipartisan person in the middle: That person exists. His name is Joseph Robinette Biden.”–Mehdi Hasan, political broadcaster and author

MoveOn members are joining these individuals in speaking out about this dangerous No Labels party. Keeping Donald Trump far from the White House is essential to protecting the progress we’ve made these last three years and defending our democracy, including gun violence legislation, tackling the climate crisis, and lowering Medicare costs for families. Join us now by signing the petition to stop No Labels from helping to elect Trump.

The post What Politicians and Pundits Are Saying About the No Labels Heist appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

GOP Candidates Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, and Vivek Ramaswamy face off at the Republican National Committee Debate in Milwaukee, WI. Credit: Win McNamee/Getty

In case you missed last night’s RNC debate for the sake of your mental health, we watched it so you don’t have to.

Despite Trump’s absence, his eight rival Republican candidates battled it out in an attempt to prove their ability to replace him as front-runner. Whether or not any of them were successful in upending his lead remains to be seen, but it’s hard to characterize their performances as anything but major fails.

And while it felt like two hours of total nonsense, thanks to social media, it wasn’t a total loss. By far the “best” part of last night’s debate were these reactions from the Twitter universe. Here’s how the night went: 

As the debate began, Dark Brandon helped kick things off for Fox News audiences:

Dark Brandon got the FIRST word before tonight’s #GOPDebate, and it slayed!

Boss move.pic.twitter.com/e8mxoHXNPz

— Grant Stern  (@grantstern) August 24, 2023

Which was followed by a little desperation and plagiarism:

Vivek Ramaswamy joins the long tradition of Republicans plagiarizing the Obamas…steals Barack Obama’s “skinny kid with a funny name” line…

(Truly laughable and reflects just how desperate Republicans are to try to relate with a younger generation the way Obama did.) #GOPdebate pic.twitter.com/BXomxMsrzq

— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) August 24, 2023

Then it was time for some climate change denial.

Moderator: Raise your hand if you believe human behavior causes climate change.#RNCDebate candidates: pic.twitter.com/azLULFVeMe

— BoldProgressives.org (@BoldProgressive) August 24, 2023

And just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse …

“Burn coal” says a GOP presidential candidate on the debate stage, to cheers and applause, after the hottest summer in memory. pic.twitter.com/PnHbPnC3Ho

— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) August 24, 2023

Followed by a cacophony of non-answers:

The question was “is climate change real?”

Tim Scott: “I had a single mom..”
Haley: “Margaret Thatcher once said…”
DeSantis: “Corporate media is biased”.
Vivek: “I’m not bought and paid for!”
Christie: “You sound like ChatGPT!”

These are not serious people. #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/zyJcoCqbnB

— Jay (@JayNCtoDC) August 24, 2023

Chris Christie chimed in to show how tech-savvy he was: 

christ christie mentioning chatgpt #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/9s00tWEHzq

— luke bosley (@bosley_luke) August 24, 2023

And then the moment we all knew was bound to happen—they were asked about abortion:

When Republicans start mansplaining what should happen in a woman’s womb. #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/TeBhQc29P8

— Rachel Irwin (@rachelgirwin) August 24, 2023

No surprise here:

Ron DeSantis is proud of stripping a Women’s right away. #RNCDebate pic.twitter.com/K99fGv4f04

— The Chanteezy Is Real (@iamchanteezy) August 24, 2023

Then it was time for a commercial break with a casual mention of Donald Trump turning himself in to the authorities. (We can’t make this stuff up.)

Actual words uttered during a GOP primary debate: “Right now you are looking live at Fulton County Jail, where former president Donald Trump will be processed tomorrow. Next, the candidates will have an opportunity to talk about the coming trials of Donald Trump.” pic.twitter.com/HN0Wr7dhm3

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) August 24, 2023

Moments later on the debate stage, the math wasn’t mathing for Vivek Ramaswamy:

Vivek Ramaswamy says we should hand the country over to a new generation but advocates for raising the voting age. #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/NrHD0UOHjU

— Eve Levenson (she/her) (@eve_levenson) August 24, 2023

Then Ron DeSantis talked about the importance of education:

“We need education in this country.” Says the man who banned every book in America from Floridian schools.#GOPDebate #RNCDebate #republicanDebate #RNC #GOP #republicanDebate pic.twitter.com/vf860hApK3

— Dana Abercrombie #AmplifyBlackVoices (@sagesurge) August 24, 2023

The Republican candidates shared how they really feel about taking care of the less privileged in America:

Q: How do you plan to fight homelessness

Pence: Cut taxes, close the department of education

Christie: PROSECUTORS NEED TO LOCK THEM UP

Us: #GOPDebate #RNCDebate pic.twitter.com/RPduuvwsBN

— NoChillMood (@ritaag) August 24, 2023

And then Nikki Haley decided to shake things up with … the truth?

Oops. Nikki Haley let the cat out of the bag! Trump and GOP added $7.8 trillion to the national debt. They gave the store away to the super-rich and spent us into the ground! #GOPDebate

— Jamie Raskin (@jamie_raskin) August 24, 2023

What she said. pic.twitter.com/GvDRWUI1hK

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 24, 2023

Mike Pence felt a bit left out, so he had to say something: 

“I’m intensely proud of the record of the Trump-Pence administration,” says man who ended the Trump-Pence administration by running from a crowd of Trump supporters trying to kill him.#GOPDebate

— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) August 24, 2023

And, thankfully, just like that, the first Republican debate was over …

Imagine looking at this debate as a Republican voter and having to choose between one of these candidates and the guy getting his mugshot taken tomorrow

— Acyn (@Acyn) August 24, 2023

I didn’t see one possible President on the stage of the Republican debate tonight. And the one who wasn’t there must never be again.

— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) August 24, 2023

… with the biggest takeaway of all:

I’ve seen enough: The winner of tonight’s debate is President Biden! #DarkBrandonWins pic.twitter.com/ImWdAWKATv

— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) August 24, 2023

All jokes aside, this debate clearly proves that if you haven’t yet gotten involved with next year’s election, now is the time to get off the sidelines. 

MoveOn is preparing to launch the biggest election program of our 25-year history, and we need your help to make it happen.

The messages shared by the GOP candidates last night were wrong. They were dangerous. And they must be defeated.

Join us in fighting for an America where everyone can thrive. Click here to chip in now.

The post Recap of the Republican Debate 2023: A Complete Dumpster Fire appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

No Labels is a third-party dark-money group that would put Donald Trump back in the White House in 2024. Disguising themselves as a group of moderates trying to save America, right-wing corporate donors are funding a $70 million campaign, through a party called No Labels, to create a spoiler ticket that would pull votes from Joe Biden in swing states.

This third-party bid is not some fly-by-night operation trying to promote bipartisan progress. Cloaked in mystery, the group won’t disclose their donors and has yet to offer up a platform or agenda. What we do know: They are well funded by right-wing mega donors aligned with Donald Trump and serious about defeating Biden to advance a MAGA agenda. According to their own website:

• Twenty of the 22 states they are targeting are states Biden won in 2020.

• Two-thirds of the delegates they want to siphon off come from blue states.
• They are already on the ballot in five states, including the battleground state of Arizona. 

Make no mistake, this third-party spoiler bid will put Trump back in the White House (or DeSantis if Trump falters). We must stop them. 

While No Labels has existed for more than a decade, its recent push to advance a spoiler ticket has its former members and acolytes attacking and distancing themselves from the group. Representatives Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and Brad Schnieder (D-IL) are members of the Problem Solvers Caucus founded by No Labels, and they have recently denounced its presidential bid. No Labels attacked Rep. Schnieder by sending a mass text message to his constituents and calling him “out of step” with his voters. In response, Rep. Schneider said, “No Labels’ attacks are the kind of division the country needs less of right now, and it’s a betrayal of every moderate and every problem solver in Congress.”

Who is funding this third-party effort? Remember Harlan Crow, the right-wing billionaire donor to Republicans who has been lavishing Clarence Thomas with financial gifts for years? He made a six-figure donation to No Labels. Crow is the type of donor who has deep pockets to corrupt our political institutions and advance an anti-democratic, extremist agenda. With donors like these, no wonder No Labels refuses to disclose who else is bankrolling their unscrupulous attempt to undermine the 2024 election.

And their tactics are already being exposed as less than ethical. In Maine, the secretary of state told No Labels to “cease and desist” for duping voters into changing their political party affiliation. In Arizona, they are being sued for failing to disclose donors. With billionaire backing, they are not concerned about the consequences of breaking laws. Their donors want Biden defeated. That’s why MoveOn has alerted secretaries of state and election boards in all 50 states about the deceptive efforts of No Labels.

MoveOn has joined a coalition to stop this third-party bid as part of our 2024 strategy to keep MAGA Republicans out of the White House. We’re raising funds to launch a counterattack and to continue creating an America where everyone can thrive. Will you chip in?

Our plan will expose them for who they are—billionaires who want MAGA back in the White House. Donald Trump would roll back our freedoms, our democracy, and the hard-fought progress we’ve made to advance economic, racial, social, and environmental justice. And that’s why we must stop them.

If they raise enough money, get on the ballot, and recruit their candidates, it will make our 2024 efforts that much harder and that much more expensive. If—like us—you are concerned that a third party will put Trump back in power, add your name to the petition to stop No Labels today.

The post No Labels: Right-Wing Dark-Money Group Would Put MAGA Back in the White House appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

Credit: PEN America

Governor Ron DeSantis has banned hundreds of books across the state of Florida, censoring themes centered on race, history, sexual orientation, and gender in an effort to silence the voices and narratives of marginalized communities and further push his MAGA vision for a “Great American Comeback.”

Just last month, a Florida school banned “The Hill We Climb,” the moving poem Amanda Gorman recited at President Joe Biden’s inauguration, saying it would now be off-limits to young readers after one parent claimed the poem was “indoctrinating” students. The school, which claimed the poem is “not educational,” also banned “The ABCs of Black History,” a book intended for readers ages 5 and older.

In response, Gorman, the first national youth poet laureate, described feeling “gutted,” explained that she had written the poem “so that all young people could see themselves in a historical moment,” and said, “We must fight back.”

And we are fighting back.

With Ron DeSantis officially in the race for president, MoveOn is launching a “Banned Bookmobile,” filling it with books that DeSantis and other MAGA Republicans have banned in recent years, and driving it around the country to hand out those books for free. We’re able to make the Banned Bookmobile a reality thanks to the generosity of MoveOn members. 

This response matters because in the past year alone, DeSantis has instituted all of these extremist policies in Florida:

• Instituted sweeping book bans targeting books written by or about people of color and the LGBTQ+ community, books about antisemitism and the rise of the Nazis, and accurate descriptions of American history, leaving entire classrooms and school libraries “suspended, closed, or emptied of books, either permanently or temporarily,” according to PEN America.

• Banned the teaching of AP African American Studies in Florida classrooms, claiming that the course “lacks educational value.”

• Signed one of the strictest abortion bans in the country, banning the procedure after six weeks, long before many people even know they are pregnant.

• Passed laws making it a felony to provide gender-affirming care for trans youth and making it more difficult for trans adults to access care.

• Expanded his “Don’t Say Gay” bill through 12th grade.

• And much, much more.

That is DeSantis’—and the MAGA movement’s—vision for America: a place where our stories, our identities, and our communities are banned. The stakes are high: We must come together to fight for our freedom of expression, to build community, and for young people to be able to see themselves reflected in the classroom through their stories and identities. DeSantis’s bans are an attack on all of our freedoms, but he cannot erase us.

That’s where our Banned Bookmobile comes in.

Our members have come together to fund the Banned Bookmobile, which will launch this summer. We will use this as an opportunity to have conversations with voters about the MAGA vision for our country, provide resources for people to get involved to help defeat the GOP in 2024, and keep the topic of book bans surrounding DeSantis on the campaign trail. 

All while giving out as many banned books as possible to students and others who have lost access to them thanks to MAGA politicians like Ron DeSantis.

Your dollars could expand the route of the Banned Bookmobile to follow DeSantis on campaign stops across the country into more early primary states if enough funds are raised. Because the MAGA Republicans aren’t just passing bans in Florida–they’re staging attacks on classrooms and instituting bans on our bodily autonomy all across the country.

Here are the first 10 books we’re purchasing and giving away in our Banned Bookmobile. All of these books are banned in Florida, and five were among the top 10 most banned books nationwide in 2022:

• “The 1619 Project: Born on the Water” – Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson
• “All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto” – George M. Johnson
• “And Tango Makes Three” – Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
• “The Bluest Eye” – Toni Morrison
• “Gender Queer: A Memoir” – Maia Kobabe
• “The Hill We Climb” – Amanda Gorman
• “I Am Jazz” – Jazz Jennings and Jessica Herthel 
• “Looking for Alaska” – John Green
• “Maus” – Art Spiegelman
• “Out of Darkness” – Ashley Hope Pérez

“Gender Queer: A Memoir,” a graphic novel about nonbinary author Maia Kobabe’s journey toward self-discovery, was the most banned book across the United States in 2022 and has received the most challenges of any book in 2023 as well.

We want to make sure that as many people as possible have the chance to read these books and that we spread the word far and wide that DeSantis and the Republican Party are supporting book bans and censorship, on top of their other dangerous and extreme policies that restrict our freedoms. These policies are attacking our bodily autonomy–from abortion, to trans rights and gender-affirming health care. They are enacting voter suppression and mounting attacks on the poor.  Our rights, our stories, and our identities are all under threat.

How you can get involved:

• Chip in monthly to support the Banned Bookmobile. With just a $5 monthly donation, you can help power MoveOn’s Banned Bookmobile cross-country tour so we can keep buying as many copies of DeSantis’s banned books as we can, giving them away for free, informing voters about the MAGA Republicans’ agenda for our country, and hammering DeSantis and the GOP with bad press for as long as it takes.

• Learn more about the Banned Bookmobile and its current stops. You can even request a stop to bring the Banned Bookmobile to your community.

We can’t wait on the sidelines while politicians like Ron DeSantis try to erase history and silence Americans. The more we can get the word out not just about DeSantis but the GOP as a whole, the less they can hide from the consequences of their own actions.

The post MoveOn Launching Banned Bookmobile This Summer: Full of Censored Books appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

The LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender folks, is under attack from Republicans. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, nearly 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have gone before state legislatures since the start of this year alone, and anti-trans bills have doubled since 2022.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed several anti-LGBTQ+ bills, which Joe Saunders, senior political director of Equality Florida, called “an all-out attack on freedom.” One bill prohibits transgender children from receiving gender-affirming care, while another restricts teachers, faculty, and students from using the pronouns of their choice in public schools. Other bills ban children from attending drag shows and prohibit trans people from using restrooms, changing rooms, and other public facilities that match their gender identity.

Meanwhile, Target caved to a concerted campaign by anti-LGBTQ+ bigots and pulled merchandise honoring Pride month after facing public backlash from the right, joining Bud Light, the Dodgers, and Disney as yet another brand drawn into the center of the conservative plan to target LGBTQ+ people. 

In April, transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr was silenced by her Republican colleagues, who wouldn’t allow her to speak on the Montana House’s floor unless she apologized for saying lawmakers would have “blood on their hands” if they passed a law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth in the state. Despite the dissent of hundreds of protesters, Zephyr was voted off the House floor for violating its rules of decorum.

And these are just a few of the latest challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community in their fight for equality in America.

Now is the time to take action in the LGBTQ+ fight for equality.

All these examples point to Republican efforts to attack, exclude, and eradicate queer people, particularly trans folks, from living and coexisting peacefully. But while this Pride month feels hard as we strive to counter these efforts rooted in hate, we refuse to be silenced. They’ve tried over and over, and they have failed, over and over. 

The movement for liberation and gay rights continues to grow–despite the right’s hatred–across the country and globally. We see their tactics. And we’re fighting back. 

What has MoveOn done in the last year to support the LGBTQ+ community?

• We launched our official Generation Rainbow campaign. One obstacle confronting the LGBTQ+ community is a lack of education about how to protect and support LGBTQ+ folks across the nation.
  
  That’s why we created Generation Rainbow, a hub of resources and action items geared toward protecting LGBTQ+ youth. On the site you will find resources like the Trevor Project, SnapCo, and Advocates of Youth–resources that will foster a more in-depth understanding of the LGBTQ+ community that goes beyond visibility.

• We sent out the ACLU petition for trans youth around H.R.734—a federal bill attempting to ban youth from school sports just because they’re transgender—which has now surpassed 40,000 signatures.

• Thousands of MoveOn members called Target to demand that they stop caving to bigots, homophobes, and transphobes and reinstate their LGBTQ+ Pride merch.

• MoveOn members wrote and posted more than 1,000 comments to support telehealth care options, advocating to protect gender-affirming care for trans folks and MoveOn members in rural areas.

• We uplifted MoveOn members’ voices (from petition comments) on social media for the Trans Day of Visibility.

Join us in the fight to protect and support LGBTQ+ rights:

It’s more important now than ever before that we come together—whether you’re in the LGBTQ+ community or an ally—to fight back and show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. Here are a few ways you can do that:

• Sign the petition telling Target to stop caving to bigots, homophobes, and transphobes and reinstate their LGBTQ+ merch now.

• Wear MoveOn Pride merch proudly. Even though Target chose to cave to conservative attempts to silence the LGBTQ+ community, we refuse to back down. 
  
  That’s why we’re giving you a different option for snagging your 2023 Pride gear, and we’re thrilled to release our 2023 Pride collection! Unlike when you buy from a large corporation, your purchase will support LGBTQ+ advocacy and the work we do year-round to fight for LGBTQ+ people and other marginalized communities—and to elect politicians who will work to protect our rights. You can purchase MoveOn Pride merch here and proudly wear it throughout Pride month and all year long!

• Find a local LGBTQ+ advocacy group to donate your time or resources to.  

This Pride month and beyond, let’s work toward a world where our LGBTQ+ community members can thrive. We can practice our allyship and take steps to build the future we want, together.

The post How MoveOn Is Working to Support the LGBTQ+ Community appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.

The road to end MAGA Republican control of the House of Representatives runs through this handful of key districts. In 2020, Joe Biden won the presidency and triumphed in congressional districts across the country, and in the 2022 midterm elections, 18 of those congressional districts elected Republicans to the House of Representatives.

That’s right: just 18 districts! And if we can flip just five of them, we can send Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Greene to the minority and empower Democrats to legislate for an America that works for all of us. Scroll down to the bottom of this page to see the full list of the 18 vulnerable GOP representatives who make up the Complicit Caucus.

What is the Complicit Caucus?

We’re calling these 18 members of Congress the Complicit Caucus because they are complicit in empowering the MAGA extremists who run the Republican Party. And the more we can expose them, the more we can prepare to defeat these vulnerable Republicans in their swing districts around the country. Here are the facts about each of these reps:

1. They represent a district that Democrats can win again.
2. Their constituents include many Democrats and moderates—who would be appalled at the way these representatives are enabling the MAGA agenda by supporting Kevin McCarthy, voting with Marjorie Taylor Greene, and appointing extremists to chair key committees—which is why we need to show that these representatives are NOT the moderates they masquerade as.
3. Every week, the Complicit Caucus is enabling the MAGA agenda in ways that are unpopular—and if we can call them out, we can build up the grassroots energy to defeat them.

How We Can Defeat the Complicit Caucus

We can all work together to expose the Complicit Caucus, pressure them on key votes, and lay the groundwork to defeat them in 2024. Here are a few steps already underway—and how we can take action, especially those of us who live in these districts:

• Share the information about the Complicit Caucus’s voting record—you can post, forward, and spread the word about the analysis conducted by MoveOn that demonstrates the voting records of these members.

• You can demand that Republicans keep their hands off of Social Security, Medicare, and other essential programs—just use this great tool that makes it easy for you to record a short video message that we can post and share to keep creating momentum.

• You can start a petition aimed at any of these Republicans—to demand they represent their constituents and buck GOP leadership, to call them out for allegiance to MAGA Republicans, or to accomplish whatever else is a priority in your area. Some MoveOn members have started petitions demanding members of Congress hold town halls and face their constituents directly! Any petition you start can help focus pressure on these reps and build up the local, grassroots power to ultimately defeat them.

• You can learn more about the 18 Complicit Caucus Republicans by signing up for updates from MoveOn and being on the lookout for more blog posts, emails, and text messages like this, with research we’re compiling on just how extreme they all are and actions you can join with other MoveOn members to make a difference.

• You can donate to MoveOn to help fuel our all-in efforts to defeat these phonies, from in-depth opposition research and district-specific polls to flooding their offices with calls to targeted ads that call out their hypocrisy—while building our local, grassroots muscles to oust them in 2024.

You can also follow MoveOn on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok as we continue to share special opportunities and additional information—because these key districts are critical to what’s happening in Congress this year and what will happen in the election next year. YOU will be essential to helping take back the House in 2024.

Are you a constituent of a Complicit Caucus member? Check out the list of members and their congressional districts below. 

Rep. Don Bacon (NE-2)
Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-5)
Rep. Juan Ciscomani (AZ-6)
Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (NY-4)
Rep. John Duarte (CA-13)
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1)
Rep. Mike Garcia (CA-27)
Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. (NJ-07)
Rep. Jen Kiggans (VA-2)
Rep. Young Kim (CA-40)
Rep. Nicholas LaLota (NY-1)
Rep. Michael Lawler (NY-17)
Rep. Marcus Molinaro (NY-19)
Rep. George Santos (NY-3)
Rep. David Schweikert (AZ-1)
Rep. Michelle Steel (CA-45)
Rep. David Valadao (CA-22)
Rep. Brandon Williams (NY-22)

The post The Complicit Caucus: Flipping 5 Vulnerable Republican Seats Ends MAGA Control of the House appeared first on MoveOn: People-Powered Progress.