✨The Bright Side✨ #4 - They’re Not Untouchable. And We’re Not Powerless.
Real wins, real hope, and how you can be part of it.
Yesterday, I wrote about what it feels like to speak up, even when you’re scared you might get it wrong. And honestly? That fear is valid. But what I’m seeing more and more is that showing up, in whatever way we can, is what moves the needle.
And Senator Van Hollen reminded us what courage looks like. He flew to El Salvador alone to meet with Kilmar Abrego García, a Maryland man the MAGA regime had abducted and thrown into a foreign prison. He stood by himself, faced the cameras, and made clear this was about defending everyone’s right to due process.
That same spirit showed up in towns and cities across the country this weekend. According to Alt National Park Service, nearly 4 million people joined protests on April 19.
But… I’ve seen a few folks online criticizing the protests for looking like people were having too much fun. Some say it didn’t look serious enough, or that it wasn’t “enough” to make a difference.
It reminded me of something someone told me when we had our daughter:
“Let her dad put the diaper on her head if that’s how he changes her. Don’t micromanage. Don’t take over. Don’t criticize. He’ll figure it out.”
The truth is, my husband already knew more about diapering than I did, but the advice still holds. If you swoop in and make people feel like they’re doing it wrong, they’ll stop trying.
We are in a moment that requires more people trying. Some will get it wrong. Some will learn as they go. But if we shut down everyone who’s not doing it our way, we will lose.
So here’s to showing up anyway. Imperfectly. Loudly. Joyfully. And relentlessly.
📣 People are Rising Up Everywhere
The April 19 protests were massive. What made them so powerful was where they happened: small towns, conservative states, and places that rarely make national headlines. Indiana, Ohio, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina… all showed up.
Organizers estimate nearly 4 million people took part. Even Fox News had to cover it.
⚖️ Kilmar Abrego García Is Out of CECOT
After being abducted and sent to one of the most notorious prisons in El Salvador, Kilmar Abrego García has been transferred to another facility with better conditions. He’s now been transferred to a different facility with better conditions. He’s still not free. But this shift didn’t happen in a vacuum. It happened because people refused to look away.
The public outcry around his case has been loud, and it’s clearly breaking through. Even Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, pushed back against Trump’s proposal to start sending U.S. citizens to foreign prisons, calling it neither appropriate nor moral.
And people are paying attention. According to 5calls.org, this issue has sparked more calls than both tariffs and Signalgate over the past month.
This might sound like a small win, but it’s not. It’s proof that when we speak up and demand better, it moves the needle.
🛑 Supreme Court Halts Forced Exile Using a 1798 Law
These were not legal deportations. People were being held with no access to lawyers or judges and told they were being sent away. The Court’s pause doesn’t end the threat, but it sends a clear message: this is not normal, and it cannot continue unchecked.
🏫 Universities Are Pushing Back Together
Harvard said no to Trump’s attempt to control what they teach, who they admit, and how they run their campus, even after the administration froze billions in funding. That moment of defiance sparked a ripple effect. Stanford, Princeton, and others quickly backed Harvard, publicly defending the values of academic freedom and independence.
And now, universities in the Big Ten are taking it a step further. They’ve proposed a mutual defense compact, kind of like a NATO for higher ed, to protect academic freedom, research, and institutional independence from MAGA attacks.
The message is clear: Higher education is organizing.
⚖️ Charges Filed After Idaho Town Hall Assault
In February, a woman was dragged out of a Republican town hall in Idaho by private security guards after speaking up during the event. The video was disturbing, and for weeks there was no accountability.
Now, after sustained public pressure, six men have been charged with battery, false imprisonment, and security violations. This might not be front-page news, but it’s a reminder that when we don’t look away and demand justice, consequences are possible
🧑⚖️ Law Firms Are Taking Trump to Court (and Winning!)
Trump tried to punish the firm Susman Godfrey for defending democracy and voting rights. Instead of backing down, they took him to court. A federal judge blocked most of Trump’s attempts to punish the firm and called it a shocking abuse of power.
And Susman Godfrey isn’t alone. Other major firms like Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Perkins Coie have also taken Trump to court after he tried to strip their contracts and punish them for the clients they represented. So far, multiple judges have sided with the law firms and blocked parts of his orders.
👥 Legal Help for Federal Workers
A new legal network is offering free consultations and support for federal workers targeted by mass layoffs and political retaliation. The effort, backed by unions and advocacy groups, is a direct response to cuts pushed by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
🧭 What You Can Do This Week
If you’re wondering how to help, here are three simple actions that make a real difference:
Attend or host a May Day action on May 1. There are events planned everywhere across the country.
Join a Congressional Recess action. Your members of Congress are home through April 27. Use this moment to remind them who they work for.
Phonebank from home. If you can’t show up in person, help reach voters in key Republican districts and encourage them to pressure their reps.
✍️ In Case You Missed It
Yesterday, I wrote about the tension between wanting to get things right and needing to act anyway.
About what it means to show up carefully, but imperfectly.
And why we can’t afford to stay quiet.
Making Content Carefully (and Imperfectly)
Someone once asked me in a meeting if I’d ever consider doing a DITL video, a “Day in the Life” of a political content creator.
💬 Final Word
These wins didn’t happen on their own. They happened because people raised their voices, showed up, and kept pushing.
You don’t need to do everything. But if you do something, especially with others, it matters more than you know.
Let me know what’s giving you hope this week. I love hearing from you.
I respect the hell out of Van Hollen for going alone. This case really is a watershed moment. Even the conservative-heavy Supreme Court ordered Trump administration to facilitate release of Garcia. This will set a precedent for how brazenly Trump ignores the courts.