Midyear Check-In (With a Dose of Hope)
From courtrooms to communities,progress is still happening if you know where to look.
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,
I read this after having an emotional outburst at my husband and daughter which quickly led to me apologizing and telling them out loud the feelings I’m feeling right now. It’s all too much and it is exhausting to feel this much anger and pain all the time. I know that this amplified 10x for those living thru the biggest atrocities and I can’t imagine their pain. It’s too much for me and I really lost it this morning ❤️
That’s the hardest part of it: our emotional distress is warranted, but the people who get the fallout are the ones we care about the most. You are not alone in that.💗