Hi John,

This year, and every year since 1887, the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania celebrates Groundhog Day. Back in college, I had a roommate who was from Punxsutawney and was obsessed with this tradition. While we were in college, she brought in coloring pages where you’d color in Punxsutawney Phil and cookies that kind of resembled a groundhog. It was weird and new to me, as someone who had never celebrated this tradition before (or really remembered what month it was in). But it was also fun and delightful, and led to memories I still think of fondly a decade later.  

Finding moments to celebrate and rejoice is important. To use the overused-but-still-apt phrase: now more than ever, we need moments that bring people together and spark joy and laughter.

It’s also Black History Month—and not just any Black History Month, but the 100th celebration of Black History Month! While it can feel counterintuitive to celebrate while so much goes wrong in our society, I’d argue that we desperately need these pockets of hope and joy. As my old colleague Lark wrote in a piece last year about the importance of identity-based celebrations: Like many things created by women, Black people, people of color, and the LGBTQIA+ community, these observances were meant to, yes, recognize the struggle and strife of particular groups, but also (and this is the part that often gets lost!) to serve as a source of community and fellowship for the group.

You can join in our Black History Month celebrations by checking out this piece on Black love songs (yes, we have an accompanying playlist) or our love letters to Black women from a few years back. 

Love in the Time of Fascism 

Speaking of celebrating amid the existential dread, it’s almost Valentine’s Day!

If you, like me, are trying to balance the two, try this pick-me-up to beat the February blues: send an NWLC Valentine straight through the heart of your least favorite Trump-adjacent authoritarian! My colleagues have crafted six cards to choose from this year, each one specially targeted at some of the worst people to ever serve in the federal government. Here’s my personal favorite: 

Send your valentine today! It costs less than a box of chocolates, and it’ll taste even sweeter, too.  

MUST-DOS 

• Tell the Senate to REJECT Trump’s anti-worker nominee for a U.S. District Court: Trump is continuing his campaign to pack the federal courts with dangerous, biased judges who won’t protect the rights of vulnerable populations. His latest pick is Anna St. John, who has a long record of favoring wealthy corporations and undermining the rights of survivors of sexual assault, people of color, consumers, and LGBTQIA+ people. Tell the Senate to reject St. John for a federal judgeship!
   
• Tell Congress to protect abortion access for veterans: Trump is trying to chip away at access to abortion any way he can—which means, yes, even for veterans and their families who get care from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Under Trump, the VA approved a new policy banning abortion care for veterans and their families unless the pregnant person is on the brink of death. It also bans abortion counseling in all circumstances. Congress can roll back this harmful rule—contact your representative now!  
   
• Save our voting rights: Last year some extremists who wanted to make it easier for Trump to execute his authoritarian takeover introduced a bill (the SAVE Act) that would make it harder to vote. The public mobilized to stop the Senate from moving forward with it last year. But now, extremists are hoping they can slip even worse versions of that same policy past us without us noticing. These SAVE Act 2.0 bills would make it more difficult for married women and other people who have changed their names to register to vote, potentially suppressing the votes of millions of eligible Americans. Tell your senators to oppose this attack on our right to vote.

MUST-READS

• The Oscars forgot about women, but we haven’t. NWLC’s very own Kat Menefee wrote about the women-directed movies from 2025 you need to see—which is even more important given that the award nominations snubbed women-directed movies this year. There’s only one such film among the nominations for best picture, best director, and best screenplay.  
   
• Per the 19th: “Black women’s unemployment is now equivalent to White women’s rate during the bleakest moments of the Great Recession.” Read about how the poor job market for Black women lets additional discrimination in hiring seep in, featuring analysis from our own VP of Research, Jasmine Tucker.  

That’s all I’ve got for you! I hope you find reasons to celebrate with friends and loved ones this month—reply and let me know if you do! 

In celebrations and solidarity, 

Hannah Finnie
she/her
Writer/Editor
National Women’s Law Center