Dear John,

We’re taking off for the long weekend, so straight to the news. 

Here’s what we’re reading, watching, and listening to this week: 

1. Worker Uprising

Our friends at the Minnesota Nurses Association rallied in St. Paul earlier this week because they need more protective equipment to keep themselves and their patients safe. They’re not alone. Across the country, workers are rising up demanding more safety measures. Read more.

2. Homes for All 

Tenants organizing in Minneapolis won big this week when their landlord finally agreed to sell them their buildings. Their vision of cooperative housing is rooted in strong, organized communities. Read more.

And if you’re able, give to support their plans for community ownership.

3. Dominant Narratives

Checkout our third IGTV series from Igniting Change on the power of dominant narratives. Watch here.

4. Megan Thee Stallion

This has nothing to do with politics, but we want you to know who Megan Thee Stallion is. Check out this interview with one of the world’s biggest rappers.

5. Reproductive Justice

A new documentary, AKA Jane Roe, reveals that Norma McCorvey – the plaintiff in the Roe v. Wade case – was paid nearly half a million dollars to denounce abortion in the 1990s. Read more about the new documentary, premiering tonight.

6. Abortion Care

Texas was slow to shut down due to COVID-19, but the governor wasted no time in attempting to ban abortion. While that ban has lifted now, the campaign to ban abortions in the state hasn’t let up. Read more.

7. Organizing

TakeAction was mentioned in this Teen Vogue article about grassroots organizing and the 2020 election. #HumbleBrag. Read it here.

8. Zoom Calls + Cats

One of our readers sent in this piece: Every Type of Zoom Call Participant, Illustrated by Cats. Check it out and let us know which one you are.

9. Grief

“We know that history is not over, that enormous events are inevitable. But the mind takes time to adjust. It still feels unreal to wake up every morning in a world as strange as dreams.”

Nearly 100,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. This beautiful personal essay in the New York Times tries to understand where our grief is. Read more.

10. New Moon

Happy New Moon in Gemini! This new moon marks the end of Ramadan and we’re just two weeks from three eclipses. Get your new moon forecast here. 

That’s a wrap. Have a great weekend.

-- Kenza Hadj-Mouss and Patrick Burke