And while that’s happening, there’s a money trail running through this war that you might’ve missed because there are a million other things coming at you every single day.

I broke it all down in this week’s episode of Breaking the Feed.

The short version: three things happened.

The $580 Million Trade

On March 23rd, at 6:49 a.m., stock market activity spiked, and oil prices began to move.

This happened exactly 15 minutes before the President posted on Truth Social that he was halting strikes because of “productive conversations”.

That post caused the market to jump and oil prices to drop instantly. According to the Financial Times, whoever made those trades 15 minutes before the announcement stood to make an estimated $580 million.

The Kushner-Saudi Connection

Jared Kushner is currently leading peace negotiations, but he is also being paid by the government that wants the fighting to continue.

After leaving office in 2021, Kushner received a $2 billion investment from the Saudi government, controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), into his private equity firm. Kushner has since collected over $110 million in fees from that investment.

Meanwhile, MBS has been lobbying the President to keep the war going, calling it a “historic opportunity” and pushing for strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure.

The Drone Deal

Last week, the Associated Press reported that Eric and Donald Trump Jr. signed a deal giving them ownership stakes in a Florida-based drone company called Powerus. Powerus is currently performing weapons demonstrations across the Middle East, targeting countries put at risk by the current war. As the Pentagon prepares to spend $1.1 billion to build up U.S. drone manufacturing, the President’s sons are now positioned to compete for those taxpayer dollars.

Here’s what this looks like when you put it all together.

MBS gives Kushner $110 million.

MBS gives the Trump Organization a $7 billion real estate deal in Saudi Arabia.

MBS privately lobbies Trump to start — and keep — the war with Iran.

Trump starts the war on February 28th without asking Congress.

On March 23rd, someone makes an unusually timed $580 million trade in the markets before Trump posts anything publicly.

And Trump’s sons sign a deal with a drone company that is now selling weapons to the countries this war put in danger.

This isn’t just about politics; it’s about a business arrangement where the people pushing for war are the ones getting richer.

That's the thread. And now you've seen it.

Con cariño,

I’m Sylvia Salazar. Breaking the Feed is where I break down what’s really happening in U.S. politics, clearly, without the noise. If this post was useful to you, consider sharing it with someone who needs to see it.

Sources:

Popular Information

UPDATE: After sending billions to Kushner and Trump, Saudis lobby to escalate Iran War

“I’m not going to start a war,” President Trump pledged during his November 2024 victory speech. “I’m going to stop wars…

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22 days ago · 852 likes · 90 comments · Judd Legum

https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/imo/media/doc/2026-03-19garciawydenlettertoaffinitypartnersrekushnerfundraisingfinal.pdf#page=2&zoom=100,0,876

Popular Information

UPDATE: Trump says Kushner helped convince him to go to war with Iran

At a press conference on Monday evening, President Trump said his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, was one of a handful of top advisers who convinced him to launch major combat operations in Iran. The disclosure raises additi…

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a month ago · 1213 likes · 92 comments · Judd Legum

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/13/business/jared-kushner-affinity-mideast-funds.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/24/us/politics/saudi-prince-iran-trump.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/23/volume-in-stock-and-oil-futures-surged-minutes-before-trumps-market-turning-post.html?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

https://apnews.com/article/trump-sons-powerus-drone-interceptors-iran-missiles-1d8d858fdad5104a56e4438994093594

https://www.npr.org/2026/01/05/nx-s1-5667232/polymarket-maduro-bet-insider-trading

https://www.propublica.org/article/us-officials-stock-sales-trump-tariffs

https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/donald-trump-launches-a-war-of-epic-fury-on-iran

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trumps-announce-7b-saudi-arabia-220453547.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68296877

If you feel exhausted, you aren’t alone. But there is a reason everything feels so overwhelming right now, and it’s not an accident. It’s a strategy.

While our attention is naturally fixed on the start of the war in Iran, which began on February 28th, there is a massive shift happening behind the scenes. It feels like they are using the headlines to cover up what’s actually happening to our rights here at home (and take our attention away from the Epstein files, too!)

• The War Bill: The bill for just the first six days of war was $11.3 billion. That is nearly $2 billion every single day for a war that Congress never actually voted on.

• The New Request: The Pentagon has now sent a $200 billion supplemental request to the White House. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the cost by saying, “It takes money to kill bad guys”.

• The Voting Bill: While those billions flow overseas, Republican senators are on the floor debating a voting bill called the SAVE Act. A dozen states are also moving their own versions of laws designed to keep millions of eligible Americans from voting.

Why This Matters

This is about priorities. When we are told there is “no money” for school lunches or healthcare credits, it’s a choice, not a fact.

To give you an idea of what that $200 billion request actually means:

• It could fully fund the school lunch program for every child in the U.S. for the next decade.

• It could fund the starting salaries of 4.2 million new teachers.

• It could replace every single lead pipe in America’s drinking water supply and still have $150 billion left over.

At the same time, the SAVE Act isn’t solving a real problem. Noncitizen voting is already illegal and “vanishingly rare”. Instead, this is about control. Senator Mike Lee even pointed out that Democrats are favorites to win the Senate in 2026, and his response was to push this bill to change the rules before the election happens.

Under this act, you could no longer register to vote online or by mail, and even your driver’s license wouldn’t be enough to prove your identity.

I see this as a classic Big Distraction. They don’t want us to notice our power being taken away in the other.

The goal is to exhaust us until we tune out. If we are too tired to look at the receipts or too overwhelmed to check our voter registration, they win. But the antidote to that exhaustion is showing up anyway.

We have to remember a very simple truth: Voters pick their leaders. Leaders do not get to pick their voters.

How to Take Action

We don’t have to just sit back and watch this happen. Here are two small, concrete things you can do this week:

1. Call your senators: Tell them to vote NO on the SAVE Act. You don’t need to be an expert. Just call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121, give them your name and zip code, and tell them you oppose the bill. It takes three minutes.

2. Mark March 28th: This is No Kings Day. People across the country are going to show up to remind the government that our tax dollars and our votes belong to us.

If you have plans for No Kings Day or just want to share how you’re participating, email me at shout@breakingthefeed.com. I’m here for you.

Con cariño,

But even when the world feels like it is moving at a hundred miles an hour, there are fundamental things happening behind the scenes that we cannot afford to look away from.

When the news cycle gets this loud, it is easy to get distracted by the surface noise. Today, I want to slow down and look at three specific stories from last week. They might seem disconnected, but they all point to the same question: how do we maintain accountability in a system that is showing some serious strain?

The FBI Director and the government jet

On December 13th, a mass shooting occurred in Providence, Rhode Island. The FBI’s elite evidence response team needed to deploy, but they could not get a plane.

Why? Because FBI Director Kash Patel was using one of the two available jets to visit his parents in South Florida.

The other jet was reportedly held for a different team that would not normally respond to that kind of emergency. The elite team had to drive through the night, through a snowstorm, to reach the scene.

Before taking this office, Mr. Patel built his brand on criticizing government waste and the use of taxpayer funds for personal travel. Now, he is the one using government resources for personal trips while his agents are forced to drive to emergencies.

The battle over AI and the Pentagon

The Pentagon had a contract with the AI company Anthropic, but they hit a major wall. Anthropic has two safety rules it refuses to break:

• it will not allow its technology to be used for mass surveillance of citizens,

• and it will not allow AI to make lethal targeting decisions without a human in the loop.

The Pentagon demanded that Anthropic drop these rules and give them unrestricted access. They threatened to blacklist the company as a “supply chain risk,” a label usually reserved for foreign adversaries, and are even considering using the Defense Production Act to force compliance.

Since I recorded this episode, OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has entered into a contract with the Pentagon that is receiving a lot of backlash.

We are watching the rules for autonomous warfare being written in private, under the threat of financial ruin.

The sealed report on classified documents

Last Monday, federal judge Aileen Cannon permanently sealed “Volume 2” of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report.

The American Manifesto

Breaking — Trump's Judge Cannon Permanently Buries His Crimes

While others stenograph, grift, or chase the next distraction…

Read more

2 months ago · 41 likes · 13 comments · Lukium

This volume documents what was found in the boxes at Mar-a-Lago, including classified national security documents.

Jack Smith testified under oath that this report contained “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that Donald Trump willfully retained those documents.

Judge Cannon, who was appointed by Trump and previously dismissed the criminal case against him, has barred current and future attorneys general from ever releasing it.

She created the procedural problem that led to the case being dismissed, and then used that dismissal as the justification to keep the evidence hidden from the public.

Why This Matters

These three stories are about more than just bureaucracy. They are about the systems that keep our country functioning.

When we talk about the FBI Director using a jet for personal travel, it is not just about the money. It is about whether those in power hold themselves to the same standards they demand from everyone else. When leaders preach about government waste but then engage in it, it erodes the public trust that an agency like the FBI needs to function.

The AI story is about the future of human safety. We are seeing a move to remove human oversight from lethal decisions, and the Pentagon is willing to use wartime industrial powers to bully companies that want to prioritize safety.

And the sealed report? That is about transparency. The public has a right to know the details of an investigation that was significant enough to warrant a forty-count indictment. When a judge buries evidence, she is not just protecting a defendant. She is preventing us from understanding the full scope of what happened regarding national security.

What’s my Take

I know stories like these can make you feel small or helpless. That is a natural reaction. But I share these with you because I want us to stay clear-eyed.

If we want to build a better country, we have to start by being informed. We cannot be distracted by the noise. We have to look at how people in power use their authority. We have to look at where the guardrails are failing.

Accountability is not something that happens on its own. It is something we demand.

That is why I am asking you to mark your calendar for March 28th. That is No Kings Day. We need people to show up in cities across the country to make it clear that in this country, no one is above the law. Not an FBI director, not a judge, not anyone.

Find your local event. Bring a friend. If you can’t attend, help make signs or find other ways to help!

Let’s show up and hold the line together.

Warmly,

What I found wasn’t just a global pop star. It’s a story about identity, resilience, and the kind of “All-American” success that some people seem very eager to ignore.

What’s Actually Happening

On February 8, 2026, Bad Bunny will make history as the first solo Latin artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show. While most of us are ready to dance, the announcement has sparked a strange and frankly exhausting backlash:

• The “International” Label: Some media outlets and one NFL player called this an “international” booking, arguing for an “American” headliner.

• A Basic Fact Check: Benito is Puerto Rican, which means he is a U.S. citizen by birth. This isn’t a “foreign takeover”; it’s a celebration of an American citizen.

• The Alternative: In response to the “MAGA regime’s” dislike of the choice, there’s been a push for an “alternative” show headlined by Kid Rock, whose own lyrics, let’s just say, aren’t exactly family-friendly.

Why This Matters

This matters because Benito’s journey is the quintessential American dream. Ten years ago, he wasn’t a global icon; he was a college student in Puerto Rico bagging groceries at a supermarket. He spent his nights uploading tracks to SoundCloud, building his own path from the ground up.

But it’s also about more than just music. Bad Bunny has consistently used his massive platform to speak truth to power:

• Political Courage: He has been vocal about the targeting of immigrant communities, even excluding the continental U.S. from his last tour out of fear that ICE would target his fans at the venues.

• Fighting with Love: At the 2026 Grammys, where he won Album of the Year for an all-Spanish release, he reminded us that the only thing more powerful than hate is love.

• A Voice for the People: His music has long been a tool for protest, calling out injustices and the manipulation of news in ways that feel incredibly relevant to what we’re all living through right now.

The “Benito Bowl” 🐰🇵🇷

We’re calling this the “Benito Bowl,” and doing it with a smile.

It’s easy to get bogged down in the arguments about who “belongs” on that stage, but when I look at Benito, I see a man who refuses to shrink himself to make others comfortable. He doesn’t feel the need to translate his lyrics or his culture to be understood. As he says, you don’t need to speak Spanish to enjoy the show, you just need to follow the “heartbeat dance”.

In a time when so much feels heavy, seeing a Latino man on that stage, standing in his truth and inviting everyone to dance, feels like a necessary win. It’s a reminder that our culture isn’t a “niche”—it’s a powerhouse.

So, this weekend, I’m choosing to ignore the noise. I’m going to get off my chair, loosen my hips, and celebrate a story of hard work and heart. I hope you’ll join me. Even if you don’t know a word of Spanish, just let your heart lead the way.

And if you’re wondering where I got my hoodie, check out Concho.org; 100% of profits will support anti-ICE efforts together in the States and on La Isla (Puerto Rico).

Con cariño,

But underneath the chaos, the numbers are starting to move in one clear direction: toward us.

In the latest episode of Breaking the Feed, I walked through why I think a blue wave in 2026 is not a fantasy; it is a real possibility.

1. Special elections are screaming that the environment is shifting

Let’s start with the receipts.

According to a New York Times analysis of 2025 special elections, Democrats have been overperforming their 2024 margins in special congressional races in Florida, Virginia, and Arizona by double digits, in some cases by between 16 and 23 points.

That is not normal. That is not just “good turnout for a special.” That is what it looks like when the political environment is shifting under both parties’ feet.

And it is not just special elections for Congress. In the governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia this year, Democrats did not just hang on. They won by margins that were much bigger than what we saw in 2024, another sign that the coalition that stopped Trump in 2024 is still very much alive and engaged. When you line up race after race, you start to see the same pattern: whenever there is an election, the results are nudging left.

2. Tennessee’s “red” district just became a single-digit race

Now, let’s talk about Tennessee’s Seventh District, because this is the race that really made Republicans sweat.

Here is the basic story:

• TN–07 was drawn to be a safe Republican district.

• Trump won it by 22 points in 2024.

• On December 2, 2025, there was a special election.

• Republican Matt Van Epps beat Democrat Aftyn Behn by under 9 points, roughly 54 to 45.

That is a 12 to 13 point shift toward Democrats in about a year. Every county in the district moved left. Turnout in this special nearly matched the 2022 midterm and could end up higher once all ballots are counted.

Democrats did not win the seat, but they closed the gap dramatically in a district that was designed to be out of reach. Analysts have already pointed out that there are dozens of Republicans sitting in the House right now with smaller victory margins than the 13-point swing we just saw in TN–07.

In other words, if this kind of shift shows up again in 2026, the House map starts to look very different.

3. It is not just Tennessee: local races are sending the same signal

Zoom out a little more.

On December 2nd, voters in Roswell, Georgia, a traditionally conservative suburb, went back to the polls for a mayoral runoff. Democrat Mary Robichaux defeated the Republican incumbent, Kurt Wilson, who was endorsed by Governor Brian Kemp.

This was not a sleepy local contest. Roswell has leaned red for years, and yet voters chose new leadership over an incumbent backed by one of the most powerful Republicans in the state.

Put that next to what we are seeing in New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Arizona, and Tennessee, and you get a very simple story:

• Voters are still engaged.

• They are willing to move toward Democrats when we give them a real option.

• The so-called “safe” Republican map is not as safe as advertised.

When you add in Trump’s collapsing Gallup numbers and the public image of a president who cannot stay awake in his own cabinet meeting, you start to understand why Republicans are quietly panicking about 2026.

4. What this means for 2026

None of this guarantees a blue wave. Special elections tend to exaggerate swings, maps are still gerrymandered, and Republicans are already working overtime to suppress votes and rewrite rules.

But taken together, the numbers suggest that a blue wave is absolutely possible if the current environment holds:

• Double-digit Democratic overperformance in key special elections.

• A 12 to 13 point shift left in a deep red Tennessee district, with turnout close to a midterm.

• Local flips like Roswell, Georgia, where voters chose change over a Kemp-backed incumbent.

The map is soft. Voters are movable. The question is whether we show up with enough candidates and enough organizing to meet this moment.

5. We need candidates everywhere

Here is the part that makes me excited.

After the results came in for Tennessee’s 7th District, more than 500 people signed up to explore running for office with Run for Something, an organization that helps first-time candidates figure out what to run for and how to get started.

That is exactly the kind of response we need.

The lesson from Florida, Virginia, Arizona, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Roswell is simple:

When Democrats show up and give people a real choice, the numbers move.

So if you have even a tiny voice in your head saying, “Maybe I could do this,” consider this your sign. Check out Run for Something, learn what seats are open near you, and see if something fits.

Blue wave 2026 is not guaranteed.

But the data is telling us that it is possible.

And as a certain former president once said, the answer to “Can we do this?” is still:

I hope you liked this episode! I’m trying to put more content out there that informs people and gets us ready for what is coming in 2026.

Un abrazo,

But today I can finally share it. I am officially joining network as the host of a brand new show called Breaking the Feed. And honestly, I am still processing all the feelings at once. Excitement. Gratitude. A little pressure. The good kind that reminds you why this work matters.

If you watch The Dangerous Ones, you probably already saw the announcement. The moment they said my name, I felt my cheeks get hot because this has been in the works for a long time, and because I get rattled when I feel too much attention. They have been incredibly supportive of my work, and from the very beginning, they made it clear that they believed in my voice, my style of explaining things, and that they wanted me to be part of the community they’ve built.

So for the last few months, we’ve been working together to figure out what a “Sylvia show” inside The Dangerous Ones Network would look like.

And that became Breaking the Feed.

Why this show matters to me

Every day, people tell me they feel guilty for not knowing everything that is going on. People feel overwhelmed by the news but scared to unplug. People feel embarrassed to ask questions because they think they should already know the answers.

I have said this for years, and I will keep saying it. Asking questions is a gift. It shows me where the gaps are and where I can help. And no one should feel ashamed for wanting to understand their own democracy.

Breaking the Feed is built around that idea. It is a chance to step back, zoom out, understand the big picture, and actually feel grounded again. Not plugged into every headline. Not drowning in crisis alerts. Just informed enough to take action without sacrificing your mental health.

Because action is the antidote to news anxiety. It always has been.

What the show will feel like

Imagine we are sitting together with a cup of coffee. I'll walk you through what’s going on. I break down the complicated parts. I translate political noise into something simple and human. I help you see where the pressure points are and how regular people can push for change.

And then I send you back into your day without the heaviness. Without the anxiety spiral. Without the feeling that you must solve everything.

What makes this show extra special is that you get to be part of it. You can literally call and leave me a message anytime.

503 212 4600

You can stay anonymous too. And you can email me at shout@breakingthefeed.com.

Your questions and reactions will shape the show the same way they have shaped so much of my content through the years.

This is a conversation. Not a lecture. Not breaking news that keeps you on edge. A space to understand what is happening and figure out what to do about it.

Why now

Everything happening in the country feels intense and exhausting. I am furious about many things. You know that. But I also believe that when things break apart, we can rebuild better. Moments like this create openings for new leadership, new strategies, and new ways of channeling our frustration into something useful.

Breaking the Feed is my contribution to this moment. My way of helping people stay informed without losing themselves. My way of helping us all choose action instead of despair.

And I want you with me from the very beginning.

Thank you for being here. I would not be doing any of this without you, and I cannot wait to take this next step together.

Before I wrap, I also want to express my gratitude to and James and Tiffany from for letting me be part of their incredible team.

Please, subscribe so you don’t miss any episodes.

With love, excitement, and a deep breath,

Events like that remind us that we can create change when we show up together. But after the excitement, I always find myself thinking about what comes next.

How do we keep that energy alive without running ourselves into the ground?

That’s when I remembered my Roomba Theory of Sustainable Advocacy, which I should probably trademark before someone else does 😂.

Where this came from

I came up with this analogy during a time when I was doing everything: reading every headline, posting nonstop, saying yes to every opportunity to help. And I still went to bed feeling like I hadn’t done enough.

Eventually, I realized I was pushing myself past the point of usefulness: running on fumes and refusing to stop.

Then one day, I noticed my Roomba doing its thing: quietly, consistently, and without guilt. When its bin was full, it stopped completely. When the battery ran low, it didn’t push through; it just went back to its dock, recharged, and came back later.

And I thought: that’s exactly what I need to learn how to do.

This little robot understood something I didn’t: doing the work well requires stopping, recharging, emptying out, and sometimes calling for backup.

The Roomba Theory of Sustainable Advocacy

1. Know your area

A Roomba doesn’t clean the entire neighborhood. It focuses on one space, the one it’s responsible for.

You don’t have to show up for every issue. You can’t fix the whole world, but you can make a difference in your corner of it. Pick your lane and own it. That’s where your impact multiplies.

2. Empty your bin

When a Roomba’s bin is full, it stops completely.

We should do the same, but instead, we keep trying to push through when we’re overloaded. And that’s when we crash.

The Roomba has it right: pause and clear out the emotional dust. The guilt, frustration, outrage, and fatigue that build up when we try to carry too much.

For me, emptying the bin can look like a day offline, an hour in a sauna and cold plunge, or dinner with friends.

Whatever helps you clear space to breathe again, do that.

3. Recharge without apology

When the Roomba’s battery runs low, it doesn’t explain itself. It doesn’t post about being tired. It just goes back to its station to recharge.

Rest isn’t selfish or indulgent. It’s what makes sustained advocacy possible. Because burned-out people don’t make change, recharged ones do.

4. Ask for help when you’re stuck

When the Roomba gets tangled or trapped under furniture, it doesn’t keep struggling. It beeps loudly until someone helps.

That’s the part I’ve had to practice the most. When we’re overwhelmed, we tend to isolate. I always try to solve everything by myself.

But advocacy is a team effort. Asking for help isn’t failure; it’s a sign that you’re still in it, still trying, still part of something bigger.

5. Build a rhythm

One of my favorite things about a Roomba is that it works on a schedule. It doesn’t wait until the whole house is a disaster. It does a little every day.

That’s how sustainable advocacy works, too, through small, consistent actions: staying informed, donating, mentoring, voting, volunteering. You don’t have to go viral to make a difference. You have to keep showing up.

Why it matters

The Roomba analogy stuck because it reminds me that stopping isn’t the same as quitting.
Sometimes you stop because you’re full.
Sometimes, because you’re drained.
Sometimes, because you’re stuck.

The important part is knowing when to dock, and trusting that you’ll start again when you’re ready.

If we want to keep doing this work for the long haul, we have to build systems that include rest, reflection, and community. That’s not a weakness. That’s wisdom.

So yes, if you’re feeling energized after No Kings Day 2.0, let’s Roomba. Let’s do the work, but let’s also recharge, clear our bins, and ask for help when we need it.

Because the goal isn’t to burn out in service of change, it’s to sustain the change by taking care of ourselves while we build it.

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored by Roomba. I just have deep respect for a little robot that understands boundaries better than most humans.

I had the chance to sit down with Senator Tina Smith (Minnesota) to talk about what’s going on with the government shutdown and how it’s already hurting families, workers, and anyone who needs health care (which, let’s be honest, is all of us).

Before we got into the serious stuff, we may have debated whose airport is better—Portland or Minneapolis. (Spoiler: only one has therapy llamas.)

This isn’t just political drama in D.C. It’s about whether people can afford their insulin, whether airport workers get paid, and whether Congress is doing its job.

Senator Smith was honest, clear, and genuinely kind. I’m so grateful she took the time to break it down with me.

Thank you to everyone who responded to last week’s newsletter with kind messages and support. It meant the world to know that I’m not alone, and that none of us has to be strong and brave all the time.

There’s power in being vulnerable and honest about how much this moment hurts. And there’s comfort in knowing that when one of us needs to pause and recover, others step in to carry the load.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

This week brought a little more energy, and with it, a chance to support others who were having a harder time. That’s what being in community looks like. It’s how we keep going. It’s how we get through these next 3.5 years: not by doing it all alone, but by taking turns, offering help, and building each other back up.

On Thursday, historian Heather Cox Richardson said something that stuck with me, and maybe it’ll stick with you, too. Watch this, starting at 31:25 until 32:10.

Now let’s talk about what else gave me hope this week, because yes, good things are still happening:

Another court win against Trump’s deportation machine

The Trump administration tried to overturn a judge’s order releasing Mahmoud Khalil from immigration detention, but a federal appeals court said no. The ruling blocks his deportation and keeps him free.

Teens nationwide can now access banned books, thanks to Long Beach

In a beautiful act of resistance, the Long Beach Public Library will soon offer free digital library cards to teens across the U.S. so they can access the full e-book collection, including titles banned in other states.

Illinois takes new steps to prevent gun violence

Governor JB Pritzker just signed two new gun safety bills into law. The Safe Gun Storage Act requires secure firearm storage to keep kids and vulnerable individuals safe, and another bill expands protections to help prevent self-harm and harm to others.

Roy Cooper is running for Senate and starts strong

North Carolina’s former governor is jumping into the race for U.S. Senate, and his launch made waves. He raised $3.4 million in just 24 hours—95% of it in grassroots donations. A new Emerson College poll shows him leading his Republican opponent, 47% to 41%.

We’re not powerless

Back to that Heather Cox Richardson clip: people are furious with what this administration is doing.

Simon Rosenberg said this, and I agree with him:

“I want to be clear - we are not where we want to be. Trump continues to do extraordinary harm to the country and his autocratic ambitious continue to grow; and we have work to do to strengthen our brand and lay out an agenda for what we will do when we are back in power. But we enter this August break with Trump flailing and us beginning to find our mojo.”

We may not be where we want to be yet, but we’re not standing still.

Every court decision, every banned book made accessible, every campaign fueled by small-dollar donations… these are signs that people are still fighting, still organizing, still believing.

And that includes us.

Let’s keep showing up. For each other. For what’s right. For the future we’re building. Together.

Warmly,

But every time something like this happens, the Universe sends me a signal to keep going.

This time, it came from one of my favorite people in this world. Heather Cox Richardson.
She’s been going live on YouTube, and on Thursday, she concluded her live stream by saying something that really resonated with me, and I hope it resonates with you as well.

“All of us have skills that we bring to society to make it better.

And that doesn't mean you have to be like everybody else and knock on doors or give money to candidates or do the things that are overtly political.

If you do what you love and you do it well and you put your heart into it, whatever that may be, you are working to create a society that supports the kind of progress that we are striving for.

And just because it's not the sort of thing you see on a checklist, that doesn't mean it's not important.

So, whatever your skill is, maybe you fix computers, maybe you arrange flowers, maybe you bake, maybe you are really good at reading to children, maybe you paint.

[…there’s] any number of these things you can do that contribute to making our society and our community better.

And that counts even if it's not knocking on doors for a political candidate. It's creating community. It's supporting each other. It's creating the kind of world that we want to see.

So don't lose hope and don't feel like you're not doing enough because of who you are. “

- Heather Cox Richardson

If you'd like a suggestion on something you can do right now, I encourage you to consider donating to World Central Kitchen. Chef José Andrés and his team are doing their best to feed people in Gaza.

Donate To WCK

We unpacked:

• The horrifying stories of grandfathers, mothers, and workers being detained after decades of living in the U.S., even when they’ve paid taxes and followed every rule.

• How ICE is now using Medicaid and IRS records to track people down, including the parents of U.S. citizen children.

• What’s really in that “one big, beautiful bill,” and how its most devastating cuts to healthcare and benefits are timed to hit after the next midterms.

• How misinformation spreads in our communities, especially through WhatsApp and unmoderated platforms, and why we have to be careful not to accidentally help it spread.

• Why repeating false claims (even to debunk them) backfires. Saying “No, undocumented immigrants are not voting” actually makes the brain store “undocumented immigrants are voting.” Instead, we need to state the truth in clear, affirmative terms.

We also talked about the many ways people can take action, even if you can’t be out protesting or don’t speak Spanish fluently. From babysitting for someone headed to a march to organizing a sign-making party, we all have a role to play. It doesn’t have to look the same for everyone. But it all matters.

This isn’t about border security anymore. It’s about targeting minorities. And it’s time we say that out loud.

But there’s still hope.

💥 79% of Americans now say immigration is good for the country

💥 85% support citizenship for Dreamers

💥 Trump’s immigration approval rating is plummeting, especially with Latinos

If you missed the live, you can still watch it and catch up. But if you only read one thing today, let it be this:

You’re not alone. You don’t have to do it all. And you’re allowed to rest without giving up the fight.

Join me for my next live video in the app.

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Hola!

It is Sunday again. And today is also Colombian Independence Day!

We don’t really celebrate it like folks do here on July 4th, so I’m not even sure why I’m telling you that… but hey, it’s a fun fact!

This week I’ve been trying a new strategy to manage my anxiety.

I’m focusing on what I need to handle right now and trusting that “future Sylvia” will know how to handle the rest when her time comes.

There’s a big presentation I have to give in September. Just thinking about it used to make me freeze. But the truth is, it’s not today’s problem.

“Future Sylvia” will take care of that in August.

Something else that’s helped? Sharing good news, not just here, but with some of my friends you probably know and love. We started a weekly series of good news stories, and it’s already getting a great response. So yes, it’s staying!

Now let’s talk about some of this week’s wins.

Survivors of domestic violence just won a major victory

The Department of Justice has officially dropped its attempt to cut federal funding for the American Bar Association’s domestic violence programs. These funds help survivors access legal services during one of the hardest moments of their lives. The government backing off means that support stays in place, and survivors can keep getting the help they need.

A father of 3 U.S. Marines is free

Narciso Barranco, an immigrant father from Orange County, was released on bond this week, three weeks after being violently detained by ICE while working his landscaping job in Santa Ana.

Video from the scene showed him being pinned to the ground and punched. His arrest drew national concern, especially given that all three of his children are active-duty U.S. Marines. After strong community advocacy, he’s now back with his family.

Baltimore is showing what’s possible

Baltimore is having a really good year, and it’s no accident. Homicides are down. School attendance is up. Communities feel safer.

This didn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of years of work: investing in education, youth programs, and community-centered safety strategies. It’s a hopeful reminder that when cities invest in people, good things follow.

Workers keep winning — from grocery stores to Hollywood

This week brought major labor victories:

• 45,000+ California grocery workers ratified contracts that include wage increases and protections.

• The DNC staff approved a union contract with strong raises.

• SNL’s visual effects artists secured a deal with healthcare and AI protections.

Momentum is building, and workers are making the most of it.

Over $1 billion in after-school funding is back on track

After pushback from states and lawmakers, the Trump administration is releasing more than $1 billion for after-school and summer programs. These funds support millions of students, and now, that support can continue.

Trump’s immigration approval hits a new low

Trump’s approval rating on immigration has dropped to 41%, the lowest since his return to the White House. The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll shows that most Americans disapprove of his harsh tactics, including public arrests and workplace raids.

Oh!! And I have some personal good news to share with you.

If you missed last week’s edition, I introduced you to Bob, the red dragonfly who likes to hang out on a stick in my backyard.

Well… this week, while I was filming Bob, he flew away, and then I saw not one but two red dragonflies flying around!

So I put out another planter with another stick, hoping they both decide to stay. If they do, I promise to keep you posted.

With love and hope,

Hola! Happy Sunday.

Before I share some good news with you, I have to ask:

Did you know that this weekly Sunday newsletter is called The Bright Side because it’s:

Bits of
Real
Inspiration
Giving
Hope
Today

Did I ever share that with you all?

To be fair and honest, I didn’t come up with the acronym. I asked ChatGPT to help me brainstorm because I wanted something cute that felt true to what this series is about: hopeful, real, and grounded.

And have I told you about my pet dragonfly?

There’s this red dragonfly that comes to my garden every summer. Obviously, I can’t be 100% sure it’s the same one… but if you’re thinking “that can’t possibly be true, their lifespan wouldn’t allow it,” I need you to meet the flame skimmer. It lives up to 1–3 years!

Every June, this little guy shows up and spends hours just chilling on a stick we placed in one of our planters. He lets you get really close, too. I like to think he remembers me.

The world feels heavy these days, I know. But we can still find things that make us smile, dragonflies, flowers, sunshine, a good book, or even just watching dogs play at the park.

And since we’re talking about things that bring us joy… I’ve been on a rom-com book streak lately. I know they’re usually a little predictable, but that’s kind of what I love about them. The happy ending is basically guaranteed, which helps my anxious brain relax a little.

I especially love the ones that still manage to surprise you along the way. (The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston is a good one if you’re looking.)

But I have to admit something: I always peek at the last chapter to make sure the couple ends up together. I know, I know, it drives my husband crazy. But I need the reassurance!

Okay. Enough of my silly habits. Let’s get to the good news:

A win for Planned Parenthood and everyone who needs care.

A federal judge stepped in to block Trump’s latest attempt to strip Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood. For now, this means hundreds of clinics across the country can keep their doors open, especially in rural and underserved areas where they’re the only option for cancer screenings, birth control, and more. The case isn’t over, but this pause gives patients and providers a critical lifeline.

A federal judge just paused Trump’s attack on birthright citizenship.

Trump tried to end birthright citizenship for babies born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrant parents, and a federal judge just said, not so fast. The judge blocked the order temporarily while the case moves forward, giving families across the country a moment of relief. That means those children are still recognized as U.S. citizens for now. The fight to protect the 14th Amendment is far from over, but this was an important stop along the way.

Democrats threw a science fair.

After Trump’s administration slashed funding for pandemic prep, cancer research, and more, House Democrats did something creative: they hosted a “science fair for canceled grants” on Capitol Hill. Scientists stood next to poster boards showing what their research could’ve accomplished if politics hadn’t gotten in the way. It was bold, it was smart, and it reminded us just how much is at stake when science is sidelined.

One Survivor’s Fight Led to a Law That Finally Defines Consent in Texas.

Summer Willis was told her assault didn’t “count” under Texas law. So she started speaking out and running marathons to raise awareness. Her most recent act? Crawling 13 miles on her hands and knees to highlight how hard survivors have to fight just to be heard.

It took years of advocacy from her and many others, but Texas finally passed the Summer Willis Act, which closes a dangerous loophole and clearly defines consent. The law is named after her, but this win belongs to every survivor who refused to give up.

A huge win for LGBTQ+ thanks to voters in Wisconsin

Conversion therapy is a dangerous and discredited practice that tries to force LGBTQ+ people, especially kids, to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. This week, Wisconsin’s Supreme Court cleared the way for the state to finally ban it.

And here’s the key: this ruling only happened because voters flipped a Supreme Court seat in April. It’s the same race that Elon Musk spent millions trying to win for conservatives. He lost. And now, LGBTQ+ youth are safer. It’s a powerful reminder: when we vote in local elections, we change lives.

If you’re feeling a little more hopeful than when you started reading, pass this along to someone who might need that reminder, too.

And if you missed it, last week I shared a story about Deja Foxx, the incredible young activist who is running for Congress in this year’s special election in Arizona's 7th district.

Now I want to hear from you:

What’s your favorite comfort read or a book that made you feel hopeful?

Leave a comment and help me build a community reading list! I’d love to share your recs in a future post.

Con cariño,

It is Tuesday, and some of you probably were wondering what the heck happened with The Bright Side edition last Sunday.

And that’s totally understandable!

To be perfectly honest with you, after the budget bill passed last Thursday, I had to go lick my wounds and hide my head in the sand like an ostrich for a few days.

I don’t know why I got my hopes up and really thought we were going to stop the bill from passing in the House. I get my hopes up every time, and then I get mad at myself for falling for it.

I’ve been messaging about this bill, and the millions of people who will be affected by the cuts to healthcare alone, for over 4 months. I’m tired. I’m frustrated.

But I’m not giving up.

I’ve been thinking a lot about everything going on and how so many people don’t even know what’s happening.

I think more than ever I need to keep talking about what’s happening, and sharing with my audience how we will all be impacted by these things, with the hopes of influencing people to talk about it to their friends and families.

But the other really important thing we must continue to do is share the victories around us. The big and the small. The acts of kindness.

I hope you enjoy and feel energized by this roundup of good news and please comment below to tell me which one was your favorite. And if you have something else I should include in the next edition, that’s even better! Please share.

A huge win for asylum seekers

A federal judge ruled Trump’s order banning asylum seekers at the southern border was illegal. The court made it clear: the president can’t override laws passed by Congress or treat immigrants fleeing danger as an “invasion.”

This decision affirms the right to seek asylum and protects people from cruelty disguised as policy.

Farmers just reclaimed their climate tools

The USDA has agreed to restore vital climate data it had quietly removed after Trump took office. These tools help farmers prepare for extreme weather, protect their crops, and access federal support. After public pressure and a lawsuit, the data will return, proving again that when we organize, we win.

Reproductive rights are protected in Wisconsin

The state’s Supreme Court struck down a near-total abortion ban from 1849, ruling that newer laws permitting abortion care up to viability take precedence. This ruling restores certainty for providers and patients, and it only happened because voters flipped the court last year.

If you want to read more about this incredible win, my friends wrote about it here:

Repro Ready

Hold On To Your Petticoats, WI Abortion Law Just Entered the 21st Century

It’s 1849. You’re a married women in the U.S. You can’t legally own property, control your paycheck, or sign contracts. You also can’t vote or wear pants. This is the context in which Wisconsin passed a near total abortion ban. Now, 176 years later, the state Supreme Court has joined us in 2025 and declared that more recent state abortion legislation sh…

Read more

9 months ago · 17 likes · Pari & Eve, MPH

Veterans stand with Afghan asylum seekers

(This was my favorite story this week)

After a former interpreter was detained at his asylum hearing, more than 200 U.S. veterans stepped up to attend immigration hearings with Afghan refugees. Their message is clear: this isn’t political, it’s personal. They’re showing up for the people who once showed up for them.

Veterans push back against VA cuts

And speaking of Veterans… After thousands of veterans organized a massive day of protest against cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs on June 6th, the Secretary announced he’s scaling back those cuts by 60%. This is a massive victory for veterans and against this callous and careless Trump administration.

Climate resilience law passed in Connecticut

Connecticut just passed two big climate bills that set bold emissions targets and invest in helping communities adapt to climate change. These laws expand clean energy access and fund local climate solutions. This is why paying attention to local governments really matters.

Trump’s mass deportation push hits a wall

A federal judge blocked an effort to revoke legal protections from more than 500,000 Haitians living in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The ruling protects families from being uprooted without notice, and calls out the administration for violating federal law.

Two young Latinas save 20 girls from Texas floods

Two young Mexican-American camp counselors secured 20 young lives in Camp Mystic during the Texas flood as the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in 45 minutes.

That’s it for this edition of The Bright Side.

Thank you for being here, for holding space for the frustration and the hope, and for caring enough to stay informed. If something here lifted your spirits, please forward it to someone else who could use a dose of encouragement.

And don’t forget: your voice matters. Your presence matters. And you’re not alone in this fight.

Un abrazo,

Some people are up in arms that , who’s running for Congress in Arizona’s 7th District, is active on TikTok. As if that’s somehow disqualifying.

Meanwhile, I’m over here thinking: isn’t that the point?

Deja’s not on social media for attention; she’s using it to connect. With young people. With working-class families.

With the folks politicians often overlook or ignore. And right now, that’s where people are. According to the latest Digital News Report, more Americans get their news from social media than from TV. And 39% of adults under 30 get their news specifically from TikTok.

So if anything, Deja is ahead of the curve. She knows how to meet people where they are. And she’s not afraid to speak up in the spaces where others stay silent.

I’ve been following her online for years, but I got to meet her in person last year while canvassing in Arizona. I didn’t even realize she was only 24 at the time because she carries herself with so much power and clarity. She is intimidatingly smart, wildly driven, and when she speaks, you feel it. Like, deep in your gut. She makes you want to do better, be better, build better.

And yes, she’s young, but she’s also incredibly qualified. Deja has lived the kind of challenges most members of Congress have never come close to. She’s been homeless. She’s relied on government programs to survive. She’s worked nights at a gas station while going to school. And she’s been organizing since she was a teenager, fighting for sex ed reform when her school board wouldn’t even talk about consent.

She doesn’t come from a political dynasty. She didn’t inherit a donor list. What she brings to this race is lived experience, a deep understanding of what’s not working in our system, and the energy and ideas to help fix it.

Honestly, I think Deja would be a wonderful addition to Congress.

If you’re looking for a leader who gets it, who understands what it’s like to struggle, and who wants to make things better for people like us, check her out.

Please help me share her story. Send her some love. Every bit of support makes a difference in a race like this.

We say we want fresh voices and bold leadership. Well… here she is.

👉 Learn more about Deja Foxx here.

And just to be crystal clear: nobody asked me to write this post. Nobody paid me to share this. I’m doing it because I truly love who Deja is, what she stands for, and the vision she’s bringing to this race.

I believe in her with my whole heart, and I want more people to see what I see. If I can help her, even a little, by sharing her story with you, I’ll consider that a win.

Hola!

It’s been a long two weeks for me. If you didn’t catch my update last week (don’t worry, you didn’t miss much), I was knocked out by a nasty virus I probably caught at the NO KINGS DAY march, and that put me in bed for a week.

This past Wednesday was the first day I was able to get out of bed. And, my goodness, it’s been really intense and busy.

I know that the last five months of this administration have been brutal, but I think the last two weeks have been especially intense and overwhelming for everyone.

Any one of the major stories we’ve seen in that time would’ve been enough to take over the news cycle—but having all of them hit at once is just too much.

So, please, don’t feel bad or guilty if you’re overwhelmed. That just tells me that you’re normal, and that what we’re living through is too much. It’s okay to take a pause and make space to appreciate what you have right now. Think about what fills you up and savor it.

The more you recharge, the stronger you’ll feel to keep going. And we need each other in this fight.

🌟 This week’s dose of hope:

A student-led group is delivering food and care to families too afraid to leave their homes.

As ICE raids sweep across LA, a group called Raíces con Voz is stepping up.

What started with 10 volunteers has grown to over 500 people dropping off groceries, hygiene products, and essentials to more than 200 immigrant families.

Their work is keeping people safe and connected in a time of fear.

A federal judge ruled Trump can’t take away union bargaining rights.

Trump’s executive order to eliminate union contracts across federal agencies has been blocked.

A judge called it what it was—retaliation—and restored workers’ rights to collective bargaining.

Another judge struck down Trump’s order targeting a law firm for standing up for diversity and democracy.

The firm was targeted for representing clients like Dominion Voting Systems and for supporting DEI initiatives.

A federal judge called it unconstitutional retaliation, making this the fourth time a Trump executive order against a law firm has been blocked in court.

900 scientific research grants are being reinstated.

Following a federal court ruling, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is reinstating nearly 900 research grants that were canceled under the Trump administration.

These projects focused on important issues like vaccine hesitancy, diversity in science, and racial health disparities.

The judge said the cancellations were illegal, and now, funding is being restored thanks to researchers and advocates who didn’t give up

Rhode Island just banned the sale of assault-style weapons.

Thanks to years of grassroots organizing, a new law will soon make it illegal to buy or sell assault-style weapons in Rhode Island.

Advocates called it a huge step toward preventing mass shootings and making communities safer.

Medical leaders are forming an independent vaccine panel.

After RFK Jr. gutted the CDC’s trusted vaccine committee and replaced it with anti-vaxxers, medical experts are fighting back.

A coalition led by respected scientists is building a new, evidence-based panel to protect families and public trust.

Trump is underwater on every major issue.

According to data analyst G. Elliott Morris, Trump’s net approval rating is negative across every major topic: jobs, trade, immigration, inflation, and his overall performance.

Nationally, he’s at -10.1%, and on trade? -16.8%.

3,400 young people signed up to run for office, inspired by Mamdani

After Zohran Mamdani’s surprise win in New York, Run for Something saw its biggest surge in candidate interest since the presidential election.

Denver is fighting heat inequality with air conditioning.

Through a pilot program funded by their local climate protection fund, the city gave out over 150 A/C units and 500 air purifiers to families in neighborhoods hit hardest by extreme heat and pollution.

A good reminder about the importance of getting involved and paying attention to local government.

Monday is June 30th. That means we’ve officially made it through the first half of 2025.

Whether this year has been a blur or a battle (or both!), I think this is a good time to pause and reflect.

I like to check in with the goals I set back in January.

What still matters?
What needs adjusting?
And what can I let go of?

So let me ask you:

👉 What have you learned about yourself this year?

👉 What’s something you’re proud of, no matter how small?

👉 Or what are you ready to leave behind as we head into the second half of 2025?

Hit reply and tell me. I’d love to hear from you.

We’ve made it this far. Let’s keep going, together. 💛

Un abrazo,

It’s Sunday, normally the day I send out The Bright Side.

But I owe you an apology. I completely left you hanging last week.

After the NO KINGS DAY protests, we had a quinceañera that kept us out past midnight. And then Sunday was Father’s Day, which we spent celebrating my husband.

It was a beautiful, exhausting weekend… and then I got sick.

I must’ve picked up something at the rally because by Thursday, I was in bed with a nasty cold. Thankfully, it’s not COVID, and I’ve got two wonderful nurses here taking care of me. But between the congestion and the constant coughing, I’ve had to slow way down.

Still, I wanted to share something I found really timely and relevant. I hope it gives you a little spark of hope, even if I don’t have the energy to write much today.

Fingers crossed, I’ll be back in shape next week.

Un abrazo,

I hope someone is able to talk to this family and get first-hand accounts to report on. It is very similar to what we’ve seen in other places around the country.

Less than two weeks ago, we heard about Marcelo Gomes da Silva, an 18-year-old high school student from Massachusetts who was taken by ICE. He was held for six days in a facility without being allowed to shower and had to sleep on a concrete floor. He was finally released last week.

Reading Erica’s post sent chills down my spine, not just because of the horror of what happened to these two kids, but because it reminded me of something that happened in Colombia, the country where I was born. I’ll get to that in a minute.

First, let me share her words verbatim:

"I had a really long in-depth conversation with an incredibly sweet woman who works at a cute little shop in Echo Park (neighborhood of L.A.).

Her two nephews who are U.S. CITIZENS AND MINORS (16 & 17) were taken by ICE on Saturday morning while they were getting groceries. Presumably because they look Hispanic and were wearing work boots and pants with paint on them. The "agents" were dressed in plain clothes with their faces covered.

Nobody knew where they were. They weren't allowed a phone call. The family found a human rights attorney willing to work pro bono & she called everywhere and could not find these boys.

They weren't in the system. They'd simply disappeared. When the attorney eventually found them yesterday, the boys were in a random basement somewhere where they'd been held with other men… no food, no water, no phone call, no bathroom (just buckets), and only the metallic emergency blankets to sleep under.

When the attorney demanded their release, they were moved to a traditional holding cell but still had to wait hours and hours while the attorney provided all of their documentation and proof of citizenship.

Finally, when they were released, one boy had a large cut going down the side of his face, a concussion, and a fever. They hadn't eaten or drank anything at all. Nobody had checked to see if they were okay. They have marks on their wrists from the zip tie handcuffs that were used on them.

They were released to their family at 4:48 am this morning.

The boys are in the hospital getting checked out now, but they are traumatized and in shock.

Please understand that ICE is racially profiling and taking ANYONE. These kids are U.S. Citizens. They had committed no crime. They are MINORS.

This is happening. Now. In front of our faces.

This is why the protests are only growing stronger."

The Colombian Mirror

When I read the story of those two teenagers who were picked up by ICE, U.S. citizens, minors, held in a basement with no food, no water, no phone call, my mind went straight to one of the most painful memories in Colombian history:

Los falsos positivos. The false positives.

Between 2002 and 2008, the Colombian military murdered thousands of innocent civilians, at least 6,402, though human rights groups say it could be over 10,000. Most were poor young men. They were promised jobs, taken far from home, killed, and then dressed up like guerrilla fighters to inflate the military’s success against insurgent groups.

Their deaths were reported as victories.

The motivation was brutal in its simplicity: under intense pressure to show progress in the war against insurgents, Colombian military officers received promotions, bonuses, and recognition based on their reported combat kills. This created a perverse incentive system where innocent lives became currency for career advancement: the more "guerrillas" you killed, the more successful you appeared.

So soldiers began luring vulnerable people from impoverished neighborhoods with promises of work. Once isolated, they were executed and their bodies staged as guerrilla fighters killed in combat.

The parallels to what's happening in Los Angeles are striking and disturbing:

Targeting the Vulnerable: Just as Colombian forces targeted poor young men who wouldn't be missed or defended, ICE appears to be racially profiling people based on their appearance, targeting anyone who "looks Hispanic" regardless of citizenship status, with work boots and paint-stained pants apparently marking them as additional targets for suspicion.

The Disappearing: Like the Colombian victims who vanished from their neighborhoods, these U.S. citizen minors were taken. No records, no phone calls, no trace. A deliberate erasure that prevents accountability and leaves families helpless.

Quota Pressure: While we don't yet know the full scope of ICE's internal incentive structures, the aggressive, indiscriminate targeting suggests a system rewarding numbers over accuracy, arrests over justice, statistics over human rights.

Dehumanization: In Colombia, civilians became "guerrillas" to justify their murder. Here, anyone who "looks" undocumented becomes an "illegal" to justify their detention, abuse, and denial of basic rights, regardless of their actual citizenship status or the fundamental human rights that all people possess.

Institutional Cover-Up: The plain clothes, covered faces, and off-the-books detention in a basement rather than official facilities all suggest an institutional understanding that what's happening is wrong and must be hidden.

Why This Matters

The Colombian military didn't start by murdering thousands of civilians. They started by bending rules, creating systems that valued numbers over human dignity, and looking the other way when the vulnerable disappeared. The horror that followed was the inevitable conclusion of those small compromises with justice.

We have the benefit of historical perspective. We can see the warning signs: systematic targeting based on appearance, disappearances from official systems, denial of basic rights, unofficial detention sites, injuries sustained in custody.

What happened to these two teenagers in Los Angeles is not an isolated incident; it's part of a pattern that history shows us leads to escalating violence against the innocent.

These are not the actions of a system protecting citizens. They are the actions of a system terrorizing them.

The Choice We Face

Do we normalize the disappearance of U.S. citizen minors because they "looked suspicious"?

Do we accept that teenage boys can be held in basements without food, water, or medical care?

Do we allow fundamental rights to become conditional on appearance and perceived immigration status?

Or do we act now, while there's still time to prevent rather than prosecute, to protect rather than apologize?

The boys from Echo Park are home, traumatized but alive. How many others are still in basements we don't know about?

One of the things you can do is march this Saturday, June 14th, on NO KINGS DAY.

You can find a march near you at nokingsorg.

If you want to know how to prepare, my friends (they really are my friends!) at prepared this post with 10 Must-Know tips for NO KINGS DAY!

The Teal & Orange Report

10 Must-Know Tips for NO KINGS DAY

On this explosive episode of The Dangerous Ones, we break down everything you need to know before hitting the streets for NO KINGS DAY—America’s nationwide protest against Trump’s wannabe-dictator military birthday parade. As the MAGA machine rolls tanks through DC, over 1,800 cities are rising up with peaceful power to say loud and clear: we don’t do k…

Listen now

10 months ago · 10 likes · The Dangerous Ones

I am sending you all a big hug.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ices-tactics-draw-criticism-it-triples-daily-arrest-targets-2025-06-10/

https://www.threads.com/@hellcatbetty/post/DKsy-p-yc50?xmt=AQF0mYqhYXjbYhvYbhwM2cFybH23c91-HGZ6vj1FbMCqIw

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-14055765

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-67005102

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56112386

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22False_positives%22_scandal

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/28/1103324447/colombia-war-crimes-tribunal

https://abcnews.go.com/US/massachusetts-high-schooler-detained-ice-speaks-out-release/story?id=122579911

What’s happening in California has so many of us feeling heartbroken and overwhelmed. And that’s understandable. If the news has started to feel like too much, please take a break. Step back. Breathe.

We are still the majority. Americans don’t want to see the military used against civilians. They don’t want extremism. They want peace, dignity, and accountability, and that’s why so many are showing up in protest. If you feel up to it, keep sharing videos that show non-violent resistance. Help others see the truth.

And if you need a moment to feel grounded again… you’re not alone. I needed one too. Let’s look at a few stories that reminded me what we’re fighting for, and that it’s working.

San Antonio just made history.

Gina Ortiz Jones is officially the next mayor, and the first LGBTQ mayor, of San Antonio. She ran a people-first campaign and beat back nearly a million dollars in attacks. Her win is a big deal for one of the country’s largest Latino-majority cities, and it’s also a reminder: when we vote for leaders rooted in compassion and experience, we win.

Mississippi voters are flipping the script.

This week, Democrats pulled off a string of surprise wins in Mississippi’s local elections, picking up mayor’s seats in cities like Vicksburg, Columbus, and Brookhaven. Even in races they didn’t win, like Gulfport, turnout surged and nearly flipped the result. Mississippi’s Democratic chair called it a “resurgence.”

Governor Shapiro isn’t playing.

When the USDA pulled $13 million from a food program that helps local farms supply food banks, Pennsylvania’s governor gave them time to fix it. They didn’t.

Now he’s suing.

“I’m tired of waiting for someone to stand up for our farmers and our food banks,” he said. So he’s doing it himself.

Marcelo is home.

An 18-year-old student from Massachusetts was detained by ICE on his way to volleyball practice last week, even though he wasn’t the target of the operation. After days of sleeping on a concrete floor and acting as a translator for other detained men, he’s finally been released.

They tried to deport a sick 4-year-old. The community fought back.

A little girl in Bakersfield, California, who depends on daily medical treatment to survive, was nearly deported after the Trump administration stripped her family’s legal status. But thanks to pressure from doctors, lawmakers, and the community, she’s been granted humanitarian parole and can keep getting the care that keeps her alive.

A judge ruled they deserve due process.

A group of Venezuelan migrants was secretly taken from a detention center in Texas, flown out, and imprisoned in El Salvador, all based on unproven claims that they were gang members. They were never told what was happening or given a chance to defend themselves. This week, a federal judge ruled that the government must provide a way for them to contest what was done to them.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia is finally home

After being wrongfully taken from the U.S. and sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador, Kilmar Abrego Garcia was finally brought back, something the Trump administration had claimed for months it couldn’t do.

But the story doesn’t end there. Just days after a court ordered his return, he was indicted in Tennessee on charges tied to a 2022 traffic stop. Legal experts and journalists have raised serious concerns about the case, including the sudden timing and the fact that he’s the only person named in the supposed conspiracy.
The good news? Kilmar is back in the U.S., where he can fight these charges with the full rights he was previously denied. And people are paying attention.

AmeriCorps is coming back.

After the Trump administration slashed programs and forced out thousands of AmeriCorps volunteers, 24 states sued. And they won. A judge just ordered the administration to restore the programs in those states, a huge victory for communities that rely on AmeriCorps for disaster response, education, and local support.

Newark’s mayor is fighting back.

Mayor Ras Baraka is suing interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for what he says was a political stunt, his arrest outside an ICE facility where he was conducting oversight with members of Congress. The charges were dropped two weeks later, and a judge criticized the prosecution for rushing to arrest him without a proper investigation.

Coco Gauff wins Roland Garros!

I know this has nothing to do with politics, but it makes me so happy that Coco won the French Open yesterday… and Carlos Alcaraz won in the men’s singles final today!

I’m writing this from my backyard, where two squirrels are chasing each other around a tree, and I’m taking deep breaths to stop the headlines from swallowing me whole.

Every spring for the last three years, a red dragonfly visits my garden. I named him Bob. He loves to sit on a stick I placed in a planter on my table, and yesterday, Bob came back!

You might be thinking: “Sylvia, how do you know it’s the same dragonfly?”

I don’t. It probably isn’t. But I don’t care. It makes me happy.

And right now, holding onto small joys like that feels really important.

If you’re looking for more ways to stay grounded, I wrote a post about how I manage my political anxiety after the 2021 inauguration. This might be the perfect week to revisit it, and maybe review your list of things to look forward to.

Here’s the post 👇🏼

For starters: the Wicked Part 2 trailer is out, and yes, I’ve already got November circled on my calendar.

What are you looking forward to this summer? Let me know in the comments!

The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, stood up in front of Parliament and called out the far-right party Vox, directly and without euphemisms.

And as I watched it, I wasn’t thinking, “Why don’t we have leaders like this in the U.S.?”

Because we do.

AOC, Maxwell Frost, Jasmine Crocket, Pete Buttigieg, Katie Porter, Elizabeth Warren, Adam Schiff, and others have been saying this.

But I think the problem is that not enough people are hearing them.

A lot of Americans are tuning out completely. And mainstream media too often treats the far right like just another side in a political debate, instead of exposing the very real danger they pose to our democracy. They’re not asking the right questions and letting this regime control the narrative and twist the truth however they please.

That’s why this speech hit me so hard. It reminded me how powerful it can be to say the quiet part out loud. No hedging. No softening. Just calling things what they are.

🎥 Watch the speech I subtitled here:

Transcript (as delivered by Pedro Sánchez):

I listen to you and think, “But how much hatred do you exude towards foreigners who live in Spain and work and contribute to the economic growth of our country?”

And what admiration do you have for the oligarchs who work from abroad to destroy Europe and against the interests of Spain?

Ladies and gentlemen, what threatens the prosperity of Spain and Europe is not immigration, but tariffs on agriculture and industry, the ones you are silent about.

What threatens, what threatens the democracy of our country, is not immigration that threatens the democracy of our country.

It’s those techno-oligarchs for whom you roll out the red carpet and who work for you, spreading hatred on social media, who threaten our society, our coexistence.

It’s not immigrants, it’s governments like Orbán’s, which yesterday banned demonstrations by LGBTQ groups in Hungary, or what you do by trivializing and denying gender violence.

What threatens, what threatens our security is not immigration.

What threatens our insecurity are denialist governments like the one you are supporting in Valencia, which deny scientific evidence, technical advice and amplify the drama of climate emergency catastrophes like those we experienced in Valencia last October.

The real threat, ladies and gentlemen, to Europe and Spain is this far-right international organization working from the outside to destroy Europe from within, and whose branch in Spain is you and your party.

A Bit More Context: Who Is He Talking To?

Pedro Sánchez was speaking to Santiago Abascal Conde, leader of the far-right wing political party Vox, Spain’s far-right party. If you haven’t heard of them before, think of them as Spain’s version of MAGA Republicans, but with even less subtlety.

They openly oppose immigration, deny gender-based violence, push anti-LGBTQ+ policies, and admire authoritarian leaders like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán.

But here’s the thing: Vox isn’t just a problem in Spain.

They’ve positioned themselves as a kind of international HQ for the global far right. They host summits, fund campaigns, and build ideological alliances with extremists across Europe, the Americas, and beyond. They’ve aligned themselves with Orbán in Hungary, Trump’s movement in the U.S., and far-right figures across Latin America.

This isn’t just about national politics anymore.

It’s about a coordinated effort to undermine democracy by scapegoating immigrants, attacking gender equality, and painting “patriots” as the victims of some imagined globalist elite. It’s the same fear-mongering playbook we see from Project 2025 here in the U.S., just with a different accent.

We’re not dealing with isolated right-wing factions anymore. This is a transnational movement. And Vox is at the center of it.

That’s why Sánchez’s speech matters. He wasn’t just confronting a local opponent; he was exposing an international threat that we also need to take seriously right here at home.

If this speech also lit a fire in you, let’s talk about it.

What stood out? What questions does it raise for you? What do you want more people to hear?

Drop your thoughts in the comments; I really want to hear them.

Sources:

https://jacobin.com/2024/05/vox-meloni-orban-milei-far-right

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/07/05/vox-quits-melonis-ecr-and-joins-orbans-patriots-for-europe

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/21/europe/spain-vox-womens-rights-intl/index.html

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2024/05/20/spain-s-vox-party-holds-rally-in-hopes-of-bringing-together-far-right-ahead-of-eu-elections_6672039_4.html

https://www.intellinews.com/spanish-far-right-party-vox-admits-it-secured-9-2mn-loan-from-hungary-s-mbh-bank-for-2023-elections-346185/

https://thediplomatinspain.com/en/2024/10/09/orban-justifies-loan-to-vox-by-a-hungarian-bank-financed-by-the-state/