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10/22/2018 0 Comments

Confronting the Storms: Oct. 10th-22nd 2018

Hello Teen Resisters! This week has been chock full of important and complex news. We're here to unpack it all and give you some guidance.
We've included a briefing and action at the beginning about the recent news of the Trump admin's new anti-trans efforts. In addition to sending these resources your way, we are sending love and support to our trans and gnc family. We hope that you are taking care of yourself and doing ok in the face of all of this media, both the bigoted parts and the performative ones.
So let's jump in:
*The briefing on the trans memo was written by Kai Franks. They are not a staff writer and therefore do not have their name on the website, so this is to give them credit where (brilliant) credit is due.*

What Went Down:

Anti-Trans Memo: On Sunday, The New York Times reported on a memo circulating through the Trump administration, which would strictly interpret Title IX’s prohibition on gender discrimination in education to exclude transgender and gender non-conforming people. As The Times reports, the “proposed definition would define sex as either male or female, unchangeable, and determined by the genitals that a person is born with." Nothing has happened yet, but the Department of Health and Human Services, which is spearheading the effort, has called on numerous other federal agencies to adopt its interpretation of Title IX.
Historically, the purpose of federal civil rights law has been to offer federal protection to marginalized groups in places where they might otherwise be persecuted. So, for example, while Jim Crow laws did not exist in the North, there was no way Southern legislatures would ever overturn them: hence federal protection. Likewise, while transgender and gender non-conforming people might be protected in states like California, the Obama administration recognized that without federal protection they were being discriminated against in much of the country. They understood that federal civil rights law could not be static, and so interpreted Title IX to include gender identity, acknowledging what medical professionals know: that being transgender is not simply a choice.
While the Trump administration may promulgate its own interpretation of the law, it is ultimately the courts that will determine what it means. But as civil rights groups have pointed out, “The overwhelming majority of courts to address the question since the most relevant Supreme Court precedent in 1998 have held that anti-transgender bias constitutes sex discrimination under federal laws like Title IX.”

What you can do:
Because this is only a memo, there is little we can do to directly halt it right now. Stay tuned for updates if it becomes a rule.
For now, focus on helping trans and gender non-conforming people in your own communities and circles, especially if you’re cisgender.

Always ask people’s pronouns and apologize if you mess them up.
Make sure that if you’re planning events that you’re accommodating of people’s gender identities.
Even if you think your own pronouns are obvious, include them on your name tags or bios. Correct people when they misgender someone. Start conversations with other cis people about this and reflect on your own behavior. There are lots of ways to be a good ally.
Support trans law centers such as the Audre Lord Project, The Sylvia Rivera Law Project, and Lambda Legal.
Study up! Check out this list of ways to help. Read the original article.
Go to this thread for a list of GoFundMes of trans people to donate to.

A person holds a trans pride flag at NYC's Hell No To The Memo rally on Sunday night. Image from Them.

Midterms Update & Georgia Voter Suppression: The midterms are closer than ever… and it’s more important than ever to be working hard to get out the vote for progressive candidates. This week we’re highlighting the voter-suppression controversy in the governor’s race in Georgia.
The race for governor in Georgia is hotly contested between Teens Resist favorite Stacey Abrams and Brian Kemp, an ardent Trump supporter and currently Georgia’s Secretary of State. Kemp, who has already been accused of voter suppression before the current election cycle, put the registrations of 53,000 voters on hold as an execution of the state’s recent “exact-match” policy. The law, which requires voter registration materials to match records from the Social Security Administration or the Department of Driver Services, letter for letter, hyphen for hyphen, is claimed to be an attempt at curbing voter fraud. But the scarcity of actual incidents of voter fraud, coupled with the fact that the policy disproportionately affects minority voters (70% of the voters with registrations on hold are African American) reveals the policy’s true nature: an attempt to disenfranchise minority voters, who tend to lean Democratic in elections for both governor and other offices.
Abrams’ campaign, and politicians like Joe Biden, have decried the policy as a clear effort at voter suppression in Kemp’s favor. Despite the fact that on-hold voters can still vote if they come to the polls with photo ID, the policy will likely cause confusion among poll employees about how to deal with these voters, could convince certain voters that they won’t be able to vote, and could deter others from coming to the polls as well. The confusions in the process echo the racist voter suppression that went on in Georgia in the 1960s.
Read this article for a more complete explanation of the whole controversy.

What you can do:

Start calling voters in Georgia. If you already are, keep calling. Voters who have had their registration put on hold need to be reminded that they can still vote if they come to the polls with a valid photo ID. Plus, one of the biggest concerns about the effect of voter suppression tactics like the ones at play in Georgia is that they not only restrict certain people from voting but scare off or discourage the rest. That means we need to double down on our efforts to get out the vote for Stacey Abrams. Check out this list to learn how to help her out!
If you live in Georgia, or know people who live in Georgia, spread the word: you can still vote, and you should! Post on social media, text friends and family, and do all you can to encourage voters to cast their ballots for Abrams. (For that matter, remind everyone you know to vote, from everywhere).

Don’t stop at helping out Stacey Abrams; extend your efforts to other candidates as well. Check out this list to remind yourself of Teens Resist’s six highlighted candidates and ways to help; also head here to sign up for a phonebanking shift this week with Indivisible!

Stacey Abrams (<3)

Brian Kemp

Saudi Arabian Journalist Killed: Earlier this month, on October 2nd, Saudi Arabian progressive journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed by hitmen from the Saudi government. He entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey to obtain documents officializing his marriage, his fiancé waiting outside, but according to video surveillance, never left. During the following investigations by both Turkish and Saudi Arabian officials, Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammad bin Salman, of whom Khashoggi had been sharply critical, denied any involvement in the disappearance. But on October 20th, as evidence continued to mount against them, the Saudi Arabian government admitted that they were responsible for the abduction and eventual killing of Khashoggi.

According to police reports, Khashoggi was abducted, murdered, dismembered, and hidden in his fifteen killers’ briefcases. His murderers had been flown in the night before and left immediately following the killing, leaving behind a body double whom they dressed in Khashoggi’s clothing and sent out in an attempt to fool any surveillance.

Although it is overwhelmingly clear that the Saudi Arabian government perpetrated this brutal killing and coverup, President Trump has refused to push sanctions against Saudi Arabia, citing the economic importance of the country to the United States. This is still a highly partisan issue; Democrats and Republican senators are divided on whether to level sanctions on Saudi Arabia, economic or otherwise.

What you can do:

Inform yourself!
If this is something you are passionate about, call your representatives and tell them to push for sanctions against Saudi Arabia. Use this script:

Number: 202-224-3121
Hi, I’m [your name] and I’m calling today because I believe that sanctions against Saudi Arabia as punishment for the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi are a real and pressing issue. I believe that [rep name] should do everything in their power to push for sanctions. Saudi Arabia's actions are anti-freedom and anti-American. Thank you.

Khashoggi. Image from Metafora Productions.

Hurricane Michael: Hurricane Michael hit Florida last week and the outcome has been detrimental. At least 36 people have died, according to officials from all four states the hurricane has hit (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia), reports CNN. Hurricane Michael hit the US with 155-mile-per-hour winds and a barometric pressure of 919 millibars, making it the third-strongest hurricane to ever hit the continental US, according to Wired.

Michael started as simply a tropical storm, but quickly became a category 4 hurricane, increasing intensity more rapidly than most hurricanes do, making it all the more dangerous. Scientists blame global warming on the recent plethora of intense hurricanes. “Human beings pump more greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into the air, and the air changes. The planet’s overall temperature goes up, and that means, in part, more energy in the top of the oceans. That’s a hurricane’s engine,” reports Wired.
Floods and infrastructural destruction are among the many horrific outcomes of Hurricane Michael, and The Washington Post reports that even storm chasers were horrified by the amount of destruction Florida, specifically, is facing.

What you can do:

Raise money to send to the victims of Hurricane Michael–– any organization will tell you that the best thing you can do is donate money. Organizations can buy things in bulk for a lower price than you can, and you’re making sure what you’re donating will actually be useful!
- Click here to donate to the Habitat for Humanity relief effort.
- Do something in your school:
  - Bakesale
  - Sell tickets to a student-run concert
  - Sell t-shirts/pins/postcards/etc.
- Donate with Google
If you don’t want to donate money, make sure you’re not sending unsolicited goods–– Donating something organizations don’t need does more harm than good.
- Use this link to register your donation with National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster and see if what you’re looking to donate will be helpful
- If you live near/are willing to travel to the affected areas, consult this link on how to get involved with volunteering.
- If you’re eligible, donate blood. The Red Cross and other aid organizations are always looking for blood donations, but especially in times of crisis. Click here to find a location near you and make an appointment to donate blood.
Open your home
- Sign up with Airbnb here to allow displaces victims of Hurricane Michael to stay with you until they can get back up on their feet.
Help the animals–– many animals were also displaced by the hurricane, and organizations like the Florida State Animal Response Coalition are raising money for medical care and housing.
- Click here to donate to the FSARC’s animal relief effort.

Go to last week’s list to read our update and action on the troubling news about climate change that arrived last week (12 years to prevent environmental collapse anyone?).

Photo from Business Insider.

Don't forget to take care of yourself after all this unfortunate news! Sending love and light.
PUPPY VIDEO!

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10/10/2018 0 Comments

A Wake-Up Call: Sept. 25th-Oct. 10th

Hey Teen Resisters!
These past two weeks have been more tumultuous and emotional than ever. Here, we’ve laid out some key happenings: the Violence Against Women Act, family separation updates, climate change developments, and the recent passing of Indigenous Peoples' Day. We are sending infinite amounts of support and love; sometimes, things like Kavanaugh's confirmation can seem like defeats--and they're really, really tough--but they don't define resistance or make it pointless in any way. Keep calling, signing, campaigning, and protesting!!
peace&power,
TR

p.s. We're honored to publicize a super cool opportunity for NY State high schoolers: start a chapter of Coalition Z at your school! As defined by their website, Coalition Z is a national, youth-led, peer-to-peer network of chapters taking political action and engaging young people in our democracy. Their work involves traveling for lobbying and campaigning, planning and running events and initiatives, and more. If you're interested even the slightest bit, DM @coalitionz.hchs on Instagram or email [email protected] for more information!!

what went down

Kavanaugh Update and VAWA
Kavanaugh:
On October 6th, 2018, Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court was confirmed by a Senate vote of 50-48. Kavanaugh was accused by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford of sexual assault when the two were in high school. His confirmation followed a long and strenuous hearing addressing these allegations, during which Dr. Christine Blasey Ford recounted her sexual assault in painful detail. She described Kavanaugh’s inebriation as he attempted to rape her and detailed the assault itself as well. In Dr. Ford’s words, “It was hard for me to breathe, and I thought that Brett was accidentally going to kill me.”

The hearing was followed by an insufficient and brief FBI investigation that consisted only of nine interviews (not including ones with either Kavanaugh or Dr. Ford). Despite Dr. Ford’s testimony, recognized as credible by a multitude of senators and other individuals, Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court. Following the confirmation, protestors stormed the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, and 164 of them were arrested by U.S. Capitol Police.

All of this leads to this question: how could Kavanaugh become dangerous? His past actions indicate that he could potentially endanger Roe v. Wade, the ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. Kavanaugh’s other stances include increasing the power of the executive branch and reducing gun control. The decision to confirm Kavanaugh shows a disregard for women and for survivors, one that has been echoed by President Trump’s remarks throughout the entire confirmation hearing process. Trump has gone as far as to mock Dr. Ford’s testimony, and has made such statements as, “It’s a very scary time for young men in America.”

What You Can Do:
Vote (or tell everyone you know above 18 to vote)! On November 6th, every seat in the House of Representatives and a third of seats in the Senate will be up for reelection. A great way to show your support for a candidate even if you can’t vote is to volunteer by calling. Check out this TR list to find some candidates that we support and how to call them.

Expiration of the Violence Against Women Act:
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is a piece of federal legislation that was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in September of 1994. The VAWA is largely seen as the aftermath of Clarence Thomas’s hearing to be a Supreme Court judge, during which Anita Hill accused him of sexual harassment. The VAWA is legislation that expands the funds and the judicial tools available to fight violence against women and to give protection to women who have experienced sexual abuse. The reauthorization of the act in 2013 was largely opposed by conservatives. The Act was going to expire September 30th, 2018, but was extended and is now set to expire on December 7th, 2018. Expiration of the VAWA will result in a large loss in funds for social service agencies that help victims of sexual violence. Cases of sexual violence against women will become much harder to prosecute in the absence of this act.

What You Can Do:
Call your representatives! Ask that they sign on as a co-sponsor of the Violence Against Women Act. You can find your representative by using this link, and you can see if they have signed on to support the VAWA by using this link.

Family Separation Update: Kids’ Tent City and More
This issue has mostly flown under the radar recently, what with this week’s slew of headlines, but the Trump administration’s treatment of immigrant children continues to be an emergency-level problem. In some good news, a settlement was reached in September that allowed 1,000 of the 2,500 people separated from their children, denied asylum, and then reunited to re-apply for asylum. It’s a victory for asylum seekers for sure, but it doesn’t reach far enough.

Despite a federal judge’s ruling in July that mandated that the thousands of migrant children who were separated from their parents over the summer be reunited with them within 30 days, dozens of children* are still being held in federal custody away from their families. Many of these children’s parents have already been deported, making reunifications much more complicated. But the government hasn’t done nearly enough to bring these children and their parents back together. The settlement doesn’t guarantee that the government will reunify these families except in specific cases in which they think it’s merited—but when could it possibly not be merited?

On a separate but also horrifying note, more than a thousand children who arrived at the border as unaccompanied minors have been shipped to a tent city in Tornillo, Texas, which is relatively unregulated and doesn’t provide any formal education to its residents. The move is an attempt to manage the record of more than 13,000 immigrant children who are in government custody right now, straining the capacity of the shelters and foster homes. The problem was made worse by a new policy that orders potential sponsors of immigrant kids—many of whom have tended to be undocumented immigrants themselves —to submit fingerprints in order to have a child placed in their care. This deters potential foster parents from coming forward out of fear of their own status being discovered. This policy has resulted in the inhuman situation that’s currently ongoing, and it’s unacceptable.

What you can do:

Don’t let this issue go. It’s incredibly complex and multi-faceted, which makes it more important than ever to stay educated. These are a few of the articles that helped me have a better understanding of these issues and the context in which they fall:
- Migrant Children Moved Under Cover of Darkness to a Texas Tent City
- What Obama did with migrant families vs. what Trump is doing
Keep this issue in your community’s consciousness, too. Social media is a useful tool if used well - post articles from credible sources to make sure the issue isn’t forgotten and is well understood.

Call your representatives to demand that they call on the Trump administration to invest its resources in reuniting the remaining immigrant children with their parents.
Call DHS (202-282-8000) to tell them to discard the practice of collecting fingerprints from potential sponsors of unaccompanied immigrant children - it’s against the kids’ best interests. And urge them to use their plentiful resources to bring every last family that they separated back together.

These problems are emergency issues that demand immediate, short-term solutions, but they’re also symptoms of a broader problem: a strained immigration system incapable of carefully and humanely receiving the countless migrants that come to our borders every year, and a slate of politicians far too disinterested in caring for them as people—often families—in need of help. The best thing we can do to try to find a sustainable solution (besides running for office, when we can!) is to replace racist, xenophobic, or just lethargic politicians with leaders committed to making America a refuge for immigrants. So… the midterms are in four weeks (!) - check out our various features and updates on the midterms to take action!

*Information on this figure is difficult to determine, due to varying numbers offered, and the fact that things could have changed since the publication of most readily available articles.

Climate Change Developments
It is widely accepted that climate change has been around for a while. And yet, still, no one is doing anything to stop it. In fact, new government regulations and standards show that the problem is only catastrophically worsening, heading towards statistically irreversible conditions for our planet and the many creatures that call it home. Here are some of the most recent obstacles to progress in preventing climate change, their implications, and of course, what you can do to help!

The Trump Administration announced new standards in August for car production that dramatically reduce fuel-efficiency and increase pollution:

The new car standards will have dramatic effects on health, causing an estimate of up to 299 premature deaths annually by mid-century, and causing Americans to lose nearly 17,000 days of work annually because of increased illness
The Trump Administration’s plans take away agency from individual states to be more lenient with their regulations, rendering the federal requirements a lot more strict and costly

Environmentally, the government’s official report on the new plans states that, under current policies (including these new ones), the Earth will warm 7 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100; this margin is more than twice the 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit increase that scientists say Earth must maintain to prevent a catastrophic environmental outcome
On top of that, a new New York Times report suggests that the Earth is warming faster than scientists had previously estimated, and that the margin of global temperature increase tolerable to prevent environmental catastrophe is slimmer than formerly known.

And here’s what you can do:

Support the Environmental Defense Fund in any way you can (donate, share on social media, a leading environmental organization that advocates for environmental protection in terms of wildlife/nature conservancy, and — most importantly for our purposes — climate protection!!
Sign the open letter at this link that demands that the Trump Administration does not roll back the Clean Car Standards that are currently helping regulate toxic emissions into the environment.

In your daily life, limit use and emission of materials that are toxic to the environment. This may sound small, and big things need to change, too, but this does make a difference! If you can, use public transportation, ride a bike, or walk to navigate your city/town instead of driving!

Indigenous Peoples' Day
Most, if not all, American students are familiar with “Columbus Day,” and often only because it means a three-day weekend. Although getting a break is definitely something to celebrate, it’s key to reconsider and reflect on what you think you may know about Christopher Columbus.

I’m sure we’ve all heard the old “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue”, accompanied by romanticized stories painting him as a hero, a grand explorer, and even his feat of “discovering America.” None of this is true. What our school system has failed to tell us is that Columbus is a rapist, murderer, and thief (among other horrible things).

For one, North and South America were already occupied by a multitude of Native tribes, meaning that Columbus “discovering” America is a notion so false it’s almost laughable. In fact, his arrival in 1492 began the exploitation and genocide of Native Americans that is still ongoing to this day. Columbus and his crew stole land from the Arawak and Taino tribes, in addition to exploiting them, colonizing their land, pillaging and wrecking their communities, uprooting them, forcing them to assimilate Christianity, raping their people, enslaving them, and murdering them. The mistreatment, exploitation, and displacement of Native Americans in America is still rampant today.

This “Columbus Day” and every second Monday of October to come, you can celebrate Indigenous People’s Day (as declared by many counties in the US already since 2017!) by doing the following:

Perhaps the easiest on this list is not only advocating for Indigenous People’s Day, but staunchly advocating against Columbus Day. This can be as simple as educating peers on the history of our nation’s disenfranchisement of Native peoples or petitioning in your county/city.
Donate to organizations that protect Indigenous people and their human and environmental rights. A few include Bears Ears Intertribal Coalition, IWGIA, American Indian College Fund, and the Association of American Indian Affairs. ((lists courtesy of Bustle.com & DiversityBestPractices.com).
Participate in cultural appreciation. Not to be mixed up with cultural appropriation, cultural appreciation is done respectfully with the intent of honoring a culture by not downplaying important aspects of it and by understanding your role in the oppression of the aforementioned culture. This being said, your knowledge of the culture should come from people from said culture.
Attend vigils, rallies, and other events organized by Native people. Many events organized by Native activists are a great source of information on history, current events, and ways you can help! Doing a quick google search of such upcoming events is a great way to start.
Support Native artists and businesses. If donating to bigger organizations isn’t an option for you, supporting local businesses owned or run by Native Americans is a great way to help. Invite your friends and family to eat out at a Native-owned restaurant, invest in businesses, etc. Additionally, Buying art from Native artists is a great way to give back as well!

Click here for a more detailed list of actions to take!

On that final note, happy Indigenous Peoples' Day to everyone!

In lieu of our puppy vid this week, we're linking to SNL's Kavanaugh-themed cold open (it's clearly an incredibly serious topics, but sometimes humor can make things, however awful, feel just a tiny bit better).

LAUGHS!!

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Confronting the Storms: Oct. 10th-22nd 2018

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