Hi John,

I hope you stocked up on discounted Valentine's Day candy (my local CVS has been cleaned out)! It’s love month, Black History Month, and we’re slowly getting longer and longer days, so, obviously, life is great?? Right?? Definitely no feelings of impending doom???

Well, you know I’m kidding, and my therapist knows I’m kidding, so there’s no point in hiding it. While joy has shown up for me in a number of ways these past few weeks—including countless scoops of ice cream, intimate gatherings with friends, and cozy crafting nights—that joy also coexists with whirling dread. As a late Valentine's Day gift, I wanted to give you a country that isn’t run by someone who thinks of themselves as a king. I had the perfect gift wrap for it and everything! But that’s out of stock for…a while. Will a newsletter and virtual box of chocolates suffice?

A Roundup of February Foolishness 📋
While most of us tried to celebrate the love in our lives, Trump busied himself this month by allowing life-saving medicines to spoil from hollowing out USAID, signing executive orders that ban trans women from school sports, removing diversity, equity, and inclusion “language” and initiatives within the federal government, and banning gender-affirming care for people under 19 years old. The Department of Education started investigating universities that have allowed trans athletes to compete and into schools that have inclusive clubs and auxiliary groups.
In the midst of the confusion caused by the OMB-directed spending freeze, federal workers and contractors have been laid off in droves and there have been a number of disruptions in accessing key federal programs, including Medicaid and Head Start, which are having ripple effects across the country. The chaos caused by these intentionally harmful actions is not accidental: it is meant to keep us tired and distracted from focusing on what we’re fighting for. We must take care of ourselves and our communities so that we can fight for our rights.

Betsy DeVos, Final Boss Edition 😵
Linda McMahon at WWE

Secretary of Education nominee Linda McMahon, pictured above watching a body slam during her WWE tenure, was advanced by a Senate committee last week, and all that remains is a full Senate vote to decide if she will lead the Department of Education. Her impending confirmation comes as she failed to prove during her hearing [[link removed]] that she will prioritize student safety, enforce the rights of students, or even maintain the operations of the Department itself. With Trump’s stated commitment to dismantle the Department of Education [[link removed]] , putting millions of students and families at risk, the Senate must not confirm McMahon and should instead focus on student success and inclusion [[link removed]] .

Must-Dos and Must-Reads ✅📖
* TELL CONGRESS: PRIORITIZE WOMEN AND FAMILIES: Congress is writing a big tax bill, and we must tell our legislators: no more tax breaks for billionaires and wealthy corporations at the expense of women and families. Click here [[link removed]] to tell them to do their jobs and help their constituents!
* “BIGGER THAN MY FEAR OF THE FUTURE IS MY FAITH IN THE POWER OF MY HUMANITY” 🏳️‍⚧️💖 One of my colleagues wrote [[link removed]] a beautiful blog about raising and loving their trans daughter while attacks on gender-affirming care are happening across the country. It’s powerful and one of the most important must-reads to date.
* BLACKER THE BERRY… 🎶✊🏾 The sweeter the love song, according to me and my colleagues! Check out our blog [[link removed]] where we broke a sweat trying to pick the best songs to celebrate the loves of your life year-round!
* INFLATED INFANT CARE 🍼💸 NWLC’s latest child care analysis [[link removed]] found that a family must make more than $180,000 per year to reasonably afford the national cost of infant child care. Read more [[link removed]] about how child care is unaffordable for families in every state and why public investment in child care is crucial.
Person that lived rent free in my head in February: Doechii 🐊🌬️

Rapper and musical artist Doechii stole the show with her performance and acceptance speech at this month’s GRAMMY awards. She ended her acceptance speech for “Best Rap Album” by saying:

“I know that there is some Black girl out there, so many Black women out there, that are watching me right now, and I want to tell you, you can do it. Anything is possible. Anything is possible. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you, to tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark, or that you’re not smart enough, or that you’re too dramatic, or you’re too loud. You are exactly who you need to be to be right where you are, and I am a testimony right now.”

I was watching the show along with my mom, and I felt my heart grow as Doechii teared up on-screen. I have been rooting for her since her latest mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal , began to make waves in late 2024, but she has been making music for years. Her seemingly meteoric rise to fame was the product of years of hard work and manifestation… sound like so many other big artists you know? (Victoria Monet, Chappell Roan, etc.) Doechii is that girl and not afraid to be seen being weird, fun, or trying hard in a crowded, harsh music industry, and that’s the energy that I’m embodying this year.

Feminist Moment of Joy: Reclaiming my attention this Black History Month 🧘🏾‍♀️

With February being the shortest month of the year and the last full month of winter, I am trying to do the brave thing and *pause* whenever I feel like life, work, the news, or distractions get to be too much. I can simply put my phone away, walk away from my laptop, remove myself from a situation, and take a second to focus on what I’m doing. Throughout this month, I realized how much I miss going down research rabbit holes, making art with my hands, and having time to digest the media I consume and the thoughts that come along with it.

I am grateful for many things, but I’m most grateful for the gift of time: time to explore, play, and process. My ancestors didn’t always have the luxury to pause or rest, so I take it very seriously as I honor them this month and always. I hope that you’re doing what you can to rest and not let work, the news, or algorithms dominate your life; I believe in you.

With brown sugar, spice, and everything nice,

Jessica Baskerville
she/her/hers
Media Relations Manager
National Women’s Law Center
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