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LISTS

Our biweekly lists lay out notable issues in the news and tell you what you can do about them.
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5/28/2018 0 Comments

*Emergency Action* Where Are The Children?: What You Need to Know and What You Can Do

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Children at a holding facility in 2014.
When news broke late last month that the Dept. of Health and Human Services had "lost" 1,475 immigrant children, people were outraged. But the story has recently gained traction more, blowing up on social media and news shows around the country. The children who the government lost track of were unaccompanied minors, meaning they arrived at the border alone, without their parents. After falling through the cracks in the faulty HHS system, they were left susceptible to human trafficking and worse. 

As if this weren't bad enough, on May 7th, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that US immigration enforcement would now be separating parents and children when they arrive at the border together. The idea behind the policy is that it serves as a deterrent for parents to try to illegally immigrate to the United States. But in reality, it is creating deplorable circumstances for people, and is an example of the disgusting abuse of power that is the Trump administration. 

As for the children, “The children will be taken care of- put into foster care or whatever,” is how White House chief of staff John Kelly put it. ​
What this translates to in real life is that parents are having their children ripped from their arms at the border. The children are then put into government run "shelters" to punish parents. 
But the government's losing of the nearly 1,500 children is an example of the fact that they do not have the wherewithal, nor the bandwidth, to take care of these children. Even if it weren't horribly evil to rip children from their parents. 

Laura St. John, Deputy Director of The Florence Project in Arizona, said that they had seen a 53 week old infant in court without a parent last week (that's just over a year old). That baby was forcibly taken away from their mother by someone in a US Government uniform. The Office of Refugee Resettlement has always been responsible for managing the system of unaccompanied minors (usually around 14 or 15 years old), but recently, that system has grown to include accompanied minors who were made unaccompanied by the government, which includes young children. "This is the worst thing I've seen in 25+ years of doing this civil rights work," said Lee Gelernt of the ACLU, "If the policymakers could sit in those ICE offices down at the border for a day and watch these little kids begging not to be taken away; they're already traumatized from having to flee their countries, and then they're being taken away. The medical evidence is overwhelming that we may be doing permanent trauma to these kids." Asylum seekers who followed protocol and went to a point of entry seeking asylum, still had their children taken away. 
This is unprecedented, says St. John. She says this is not confusing or complicated: it's simply inhumane. As Chris Hayes put it, it's morally odious. All of this is also on top of the murder of Claudia Gonzalez at the US border. 

Here are some of the stories from the border:
“I have not seen my baby for more than a month and am so anxious to be reunited with him," said a Honduran mother, "The US immigration officers then told me they were taking my son from me. They said he would be going to one place and I would be going to another... the immigration officers made me Walk out with my son to a government vehicle and place my son in a car seat in the vehicle. My son was crying as I put him in the seat. I did not even have a chance to try to comfort my son, because the officers slammed the door shut as soon as he was in his seat. I was crying, too. I cry even now when I think about that moment when the border officers took my son away."

One mother from El Salvador was separated from her three children as they fled gang violence. One mother arrived in San Diego with her 7 year old daughter from the Congo. They arrived at a point of entry, asking for asylum, according to protocol. The two were held in a hotel room in San Diego. One day, the officials took her daughter into another room. The mother heard her child screaming from the other room. They took her daughter away from her. For four days, she didn't know where she was. It was then revealed that her daughter was in Chicago at a holding facility, while she was held in San Diego. 

If these stories make you upset, angry, or emotional, then you've come to the right place. There are things you can do- so keep reading to know what's being done, and how you can help.

Before anything: Watch the MSNBC segment. It is informative and outraging. 
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WHat You Can Do:

DONATE ​to help these three women post bond before their May 30th asylum hearing.

​CALL:

Calling ICE:

Script: Hi, I'm calling to express my disgust and outrage that ICE is separating parents from their children at the border. This is an extreme human rights violation that I would expect from dictatorships that practice political terror, not a democratic government. I ask that you report my opposition to this to your superiors at ICE. Thank you.

Comment: (866) 347-2423
Reporting "Illegal Alien":
1-866-DHS-2-ICE (This one is kind of a baller move, because you're obviously not reporting someone. It's bold and brave, but could be very cool.)

Calling Gov: Click here to sign up to call for United We Dream to demand justice for Claudia Gonzalez and the 1,475 missing children.

Script: (adapted from Americans of Conscience)
Hi, my name is ______. During a Senate oversight hearing, Steven Wagner stated that the whereabouts of 1,475 immigrant children are unknown. Our nation has a moral responsibility to protect children and treat them with basic decency, regardless of immigration status. This means we must vet caretakers thoroughly to prevent exposing kids to work- and sex traffickers. We must hold detention facilities accountable for child abuse. We must track kids post-release to ensure their well-being—especially those currently missing. Additionally, we must stop the inhumane practice of separating children from parents as an immigration deterrent. As a taxpayer funding this egregious neglect of duty, I urge you to take full and immediate responsibility for the well-being and safety of vulnerable children and infants. Sincerely, [name, state].

Numbers
:
Attorney General Jeff Sessions:
202-353-1555
DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen: 202-282-8495

Chief of Staff John Kelly: 202-456-1414
HHS Secretary Alex Azar:
202-690-7000
Office of Refugee Resettlement Director Scott Lloyd:
202-401-246
SIGN this ACLU petition (LESS THAN 1 MINUTE).
*VERY IMPORTANT* Stay Updated and Informed
- Click here to read a list of helpful immigration orgs that might need help or have actions.
- Click here to read a very helpful article explaining what's going on.

Stay updated with: United We Dream, Glennon Doyle, ACLU & Moms Rising for more info as it comes out and info about marches, etc.

And keep spreading the word! This is something people need accurate information about. Share this list, and all the other resources, on social media.
0 Comments

5/21/2018 0 Comments

Keeping it going: May 7th-21st

Hello Teen Resisters! What a week it has been. We hope you have all been able to revel in a little happiness, perhaps through the beautiful wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (look at our instagram for an adorable video of Meghan as a young activist), or through other means. Things have been pretty jam packed. We're here to fill you in.
FIRSTLY: At 7:30 A.M. on Friday morning, 10 students were killed and 10 more were injured by a gunman in Santa Fe, Texas. The shooter was a classmate of the victims, and he used a shotgun and a .38 revolver hidden under his trench coat. This  puts the number of students killed in schools by mass shootings this year higher than the number of military personnel killed in active service this year.

Don’t let mass school shootings become normalized. Keep calling, writing, protesting, and speaking out; some real change in terms of gun control did happen in Florida after Parkland, and youth have an insane amount of power to keep the change coming.

Check out this easy-to-read, comprehensive list on gun control (Some Things You Should Know About Gun Control) for ways to take action.

WHat Went Down

Net Neutrality Update: People across America rejoiced at the news last week that the Senate had voted to keep net neutrality in place, despite the major blow it took when FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced it would be repealed in mid-December. (Confused about what Net Neutrality is and why it’s important? Read our Net Neutrality briefing from December.) However, the fight is far from over. The important ruling now goes to to the House of Representatives, which is unfortunately currently Republican controlled. While public opinion highly favors net neutrality, Republicans have refused to listen.
    What you can do:
    Call Republican reps around you! Search for their office numbers on google and call using this script:
    Hi, my name is ________. I’m calling to ask that you choose to vote against the repeal of net neutrality in the upcoming vote. A large majority of Americans believe in net neutrality, and repealing it would jeopardize free speech, an open and free internet, and important leaps being made in online communities. I urge you to choose the interests of the American people over party lines in this crucial vote. Thank you.
​
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Chikesia Clemons' Assault: On the 22nd of April, a woman by the name of Chikesia Clemons was arrested in a Waffle House in Alabama. A video circulated the internet of her being assaulted by police officers, being pushed forcefully to the ground while her top was pulled down, exposing her breast. This conflict stemmed from Chikesia and her friend Canita Adams asking for plastic utensils. When told that they would have to pay fifty cents for them, the two of them refused, claiming that they did not need to pay for utensils when they were there the night before. According to her mother, Chiquitta Clemons-Howard, the waitress they were speaking to cancelled their order while Clemons was waiting for the card of the district manager so that she could file a complaint against one of the waitresses. At no point before or during this interaction was Chikesia asked to leave the establishment.
While the staff of the Waffle House was retrieving said card for her, the police arrived. The video that went viral depicts one of the officers gripping Clemons’ wrist and shoulder while she argues, repeating, “We haven’t did nothing…. The only thing I asked for was corporate’s number.” She then resisted arrest, telling the officer not to grab her while he was trying to get her wrists behind her back, and addressed her friend, saying, “C’mon… let’s just go outside.” Her friend, who appears to be the person who took the video, says, “All she did was ask them what they number was,” referencing the Waffle House staff. The clip then cuts to two officers forcing Chikesia on the floor and pulling down her top, leaving her breast exposed. During the struggle, Clemons asked the officer what he was doing, to which he responded, “I’ll break your arm, that’s what I’m about to do.” She was eventually arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, and then later released on $1,000 bond.
Actions you can take:
  1. Visit www.joincampaignzero.org and figure out actions you can take to resist police brutality. Visit justiceforchikesia.org for info specific to Chikesia's case.
  2. Repost the video of her harassment on various social media handles. Keep it circulating-- don’t let Chikesia’s story be forgotten!
  3. Boycott Waffle House until they take further action to prevent situations like this from happening again.
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New Anti-Choice Laws: The Trump administration announced on Friday that they were to cut federal funding from clinics providing abortions to their patients. It is the newest tactic in the conservative anti-choice agenda to prevent women from getting abortions. In 1988, Ronald Reagan instituted a rule that abortion clinics have “physical separation” and “separate personnel” from other family health services. This purposefully prevents providers of other pregnancy or family planning services from providing or giving specific details about abortions.

These laws specifically target Planned Parenthood. Current federal laws prevent the direct funding of clinics who suggest abortions as a family planning method. Many conservatives are fighting for more aggressive legislation that bans abortions from happening entirely in clinics that receive this federal funding.

What you can do:
- 
Click
 here to donate money directly to Planned Parenthood. Click here to learn about other opportunities that exist to get involved with Planned Parenthood without donating money.
- Use ResistBot on Facebook Messenger or test RESIST to 50409 and follow the prompts to send a message to the President. Here is a template you can use:

My name is _____ and I am a [___-year old] in [your town/state]. I am writing because I believe that a woman’s right to have control over her body and decide to have an abortion is a right that should not be infringed upon. I urge you to think twice before taking detrimental actions against vital organizations like Planned Parenthood and keep women's health at you highest priority.
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Islamophobia on the Rise: Recently, there have been major bouts of Islamophobia, which, despite some popular belief, is most definitely on the rise in the US. Just last week, at a California coffee shop, a Muslim woman dressed in a niqab was verbally assaulted by a random man. This is just one example of amplified Islamophobic harassment and assaults around the country over the last several months. Here are a few ways to combat Islamophobia in daily life and on a national scale:
  • Donate to and support organizations that work to fight Islamophobia across the country such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which combats obstruction of free speech, hate crimes, and more, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which works to advocate for Muslims, start dialogues about Islam, and protect Muslim civil liberties in the US, and the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA). Check out this article in Bustle to find more beneficial organizations that you should support.
  • Educate yourself on Islam so that you properly understand the faith when engaging in discussions with or about Muslim individuals. Islam is one of the most misrepresented religions in the world, and taking a few minutes to learn the facts will help combat discrimination against Muslims across the world.
  • Research your local representatives and make sure they work to actively protect, include, and represent Muslims in their communities. If they do not, write to them or call them (or, even better, pay them a visit!) and ask that they add it to their initiatives.
  • The Trump Administration continues to pursue discriminatory and exclusionary “Muslim bans,” which heavily regulate/ban the immigration of individuals from predominantly Muslim countries to the US. Although fortunately, the bans have been shot down multiple times by federal courts, it is important to stay persistent and make sure they are not permanently put in place. Stay updated on the evolution of Trump’s Muslim Ban at this link, and check out old Teens Resist scripts to call your reps and demand that they fight the ban.​
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Pup Video of Week: In honor of royals, a corgi video.

All our best,
TR
0 Comments

5/7/2018 0 Comments

Flying Under the Radar: Apr. 23rd-May 7th

Hey Teens Resisters!
A lot has happened throughout the past two weeks, and the constant flow of news never seems to stop.  At times, it can be hard to keep track of what is going on beneath the radar or even just of smaller but still equally significant news.  This week, we've chosen three things that you may or may not have heard of before but that are essential to both know about and take action on: Chechnya queer purges, Puerto Rico's continuing recovery, and new, extraordinarily restrictive abortion laws in Iowa.
We hope you get a chance to educate yourselves, take concrete action, and stay involved in the weeks and months to come.
Peace & power,
​TR
New: TEEN RESISTER OF THE MONTH!!
This month, we were honored to feature Brandon Gonzalez as our first ever Teen Resister of the Month. He has been a longtime advocate for issues such as the Afro-Latinx diaspora, LGBTQ+ issues, race disproportionality in the school system, police brutality, and recently gun control, on our instagram.  Click below to apply to be our next TRer of the month or to nominate an inspiring friend!
Apply/nominate

What went down:

Queer Purges in Chechnya
Roughly one year ago, on April 28th, 2017, news broke of queer purges going on in Chechnya, Russia. The news detailed intense, state-initiated violence towards queer people, which involved coercion and torture. Many have been rounded up and not seen since, others were tortured and let go, and still more were handed over to their families to be killed once they had been tortured. The testimonies are harrowing- tales of forced suicide, genocidal killing tactics, and chilling capture, and are painful to listen to. Elena Milashina, the Russian journalist who broke the story, has said that for Chechen queer people, “it is not about the right to love, it is about the right to live.” In the past year, groups of American allies like Voices 4 have mobilized to end the persecution of innocent queer people in Russia. Voices 4 has a set of demands that includes a US investigation into the persecution in Chechnya, the acceptance of more asylum-seekers from the region, and more mainstream media coverage.


This is an issue many people are not aware of, which is one of the many problems with how it is addressed in America. These situations are unlivable, and America needs to step up.

    What you can do:
  • Sign this petition! It takes a few seconds.
  • Raise awareness! Post on social media and tell your friends this is going on.
  • Get involved with Voices 4! If you live in NYC, go to their demonstrations and/or weekly meetings on Wednesdays. If you don’t, be sure to follow them on social media!! They have many opportunities to get involved, even from afar.​

Two helpful articles:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43658689
http://www.gaytimes.co.uk/news/103199/a-year-after-the-anti-gay-purge-in-chechnya-heres-what-you-can-do-to-help/

​
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A Voices 4 rally in New York City commemorating the one year anniversary of the news breaking of queer purges. (Photo credit, The Advocate)

​
Puerto Rico's continuing recovery
Last year, Hurricane Maria became the worst natural disaster on record in Dominicana and Puerto Rico. At its peak, it caused catastrophic damage and numerous fatalities across the northeastern Caribbean, destroying recovery efforts in the in the areas of the Leeward Islands previously struck by Hurricane Irma. Although Hurricane Maria struck several territories, it affected Puerto Rico tremendously. In Puerto Rico, the power grid was effectively destroyed leaving millions without electricity. It took months for the island to regain electricity and a mediocre level of resources. Today, there is still a small section that hasn’t fully recovered from Hurricane Maria and are still left without power/ electricity. The Trump administration hasn’t done much to help them, although American citizens - most of the work done to help Puerto Rico has come from non-political organizations. Here are some more ways to help and ensure that Puerto Rico and other territories are able to fully recover from the terrors of Hurricane Maria.

What you can do:
The best way to help is by donating. When donating, make sure the intents of the organization or company are clear because some don’t donate directly to the people of the affected area. There are amazing companies out there that will match all of the donations made like the Phillips Lighting Foundation. There are also organizations that were made specifically for Puerto Rico relief. You can also donate to organization that are dedicated to rebuilding houses in territories affected by Hurricane Maria.

Since there are so many places to donate, it’s really easy to make your donation personal and think about where you want your money to go!  Check out our Holiday Giving List to learn more about amazing organizations and what they do to be a more informed giver.

However, we know that, as teens, you most likely do not have the resources available to constantly give your money.  Instead, give your time! Organize fundraisers like bake sales, walk-a-thons, or raffles.  Alternatively, hold a food/clothing drive for Puerto Rico/other affected areas.  
  • Additionally: Call FEMA and tell them to do better re: aid for Puerto Rico.
Number: (202) 646-2500
Script: 
Hi, my name is ______ and I'm from ______. I'm calling to ask that more aid be provided to the people of Puerto Rico to help them rebuild their beautiful homeland. Puerto Ricans are American citizens, yet are being ignored by federal agencies. They deserve to have their electricity and communities restored. Please do more to ensure that this can become a reality. Thank you.
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A devastated Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.
Abortion Laws in Iowa
On Friday, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed the “Heartbeat Bill” into state legislature, an extremely restrictive abortion bill that bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected (i.e. at roughly the six-weeks-pregnant mark) with exceptions in the case of rape, incest, or medical emergency. The bill was supported by almost all Republican state lawmakers in Iowa. Evidently, this ban is wildly restrictive to any pregnant individual, who should have the legislative right to make decisions about their own body. Six weeks is an incredibly short amount of time, with many pregnancies going completely undetected before that point. How do Iowa legislators expect women to be able to regularly suspect pregnancy, take a pregnancy test, and make (and go to) an appointment at an abortion clinic before six weeks is up?


So, what can you do?
Here are some quick actions you can take to make sure that individuals in Iowa and across the US will be able to protect their reproductive rights and maintain reproductive and sexual independence under the law:
  • Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have already pledged to fight the bill in court. Support these organizations in any way you can, including supporting them on social media, volunteering for them in person, and donating money to their funds if you can.
  • Reach out to your representatives to demand that they publicly denounce the bill and fight to make sure nothing similar happens in your state or on a federal level:
    • PHONE SCRIPT: Hi [rep]. My name is [name] and I’m calling because I think everyone should have the right to make choices about their own bodies, and I hope you do, too. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds recently signed a “Heartbeat Bill” that prevents abortions following six weeks pregnancy. Not only is this bill highly restrictive,  its implications are also simply infeasible given the incredibly short amount of time it allows to suspect and verify pregnancy and follow through with an appointment at an abortion clinic. I’m asking you to publicly denounce the bill in [congress/the house] and ensure that one like it is not signed in any other US state in the future. Additionally, I’m asking that you support legal measures that the ACLU and Planned Parenthood are taking to fight the bill, and advocate for a bill in federal legislature that will prevent such restrictive abortion bills on a national level. Thank you so much for your time.
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Pro-choice rally
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Planned Parenthood demonstrators/fighters
And, of course, we would never forget:
Puppy Video!!!
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