Welcome to the first edition of ✨The Bright Side✨ Bits of Real Inspiration Giving Hope Today
A weekly dose of good news, political wins, and grassroots energy, The Bright Side is where we celebrate the hope hiding in plain sight.
This is a space I’ve been wanting to create for a long time, a little corner of the internet where we can catch our breath, refocus, and remember what we’re fighting for.
Every week, I’ll be sharing the stories, big and small, that gave me hope. Sometimes, it’ll be political progress or grassroots wins. Sometimes, it’ll be something personal: something I noticed in my own life that reminded me we’re still moving forward.
Sharing personal things doesn’t come easily. I tend to keep those feelings close. But I’ve seen how powerful it can be when I do open up. A while ago, I shared a post about how I’m managing my political anxiety, and the response was overwhelming in the best way. People felt seen. People felt validated. And honestly, I did, too.
So, with The Bright Side, I’m pushing myself to be more open. Not just about what’s happening out there in the world but also what’s happening in my world.
This isn’t about ignoring what’s hard. It’s about making space for what’s good and letting that fuel us for what comes next.
And I wanted to share something I saw 2 seconds ago on Threads. It’s by Everyday Activist:
”We don’t need a handful of perfect activists. We need millions of people doing what they can, where they can, with what they have.”
I’m so glad you’re here. Let’s take a look at The Bright Side together.
❌ Louisiana Voters Say No, Loud and Clear
In a major blow to Republican Governor Jeff Landry, Louisiana voters rejected all four of his proposed constitutional amendments in a special election this weekend. That includes his top priority: a plan to overhaul the state’s tax system that would have made it easier for him to move money around and harder for people to access the support they need.
And here’s the part that really gives me hope:
Turnout was much higher than expected. Officials projected just 12 percent of voters would participate. Instead, 21 percent showed up, even though there were no other statewide issues on the ballot and only a few local races.
Voters also rejected a proposal that would have made it easier to send minors to adult jails and prisons for longer sentences.
They showed up, pushed back, and made it clear they don’t want change forced through with confusing language or political pressure.
This was a powerful reminder that when we are informed and engaged, we can stop even the most powerful agendas in their tracks.
You can read the full story here.
🗳️ Pennsylvania Sends a Message
This week, there was also a special election in Pennsylvania, and it was a big deal. Democrats kept their majority in the State House and flipped a State Senate seat that hadn’t been held by a Democrat since 1978.
I wasn’t even alive then.
To make it even more incredible? The people in that district voted for Trump by 15 points in 2024.
Republicans are starting to freak out. So much so that there’s now panic about what could happen in Florida’s upcoming special elections. And while I won’t pretend those races aren’t long shots (they are), if Florida Democrats pull off a miracle, it would be one hell of an earthquake.
Trumpelstiltskin is clearly feeling the heat. He reportedly pulled back Elise Stefanik’s nomination for UN Ambassador because the House GOP margin is too tight, and a special election in Florida next week for former Rep. Michael Waltz’s seat is closer than expected.
“The Trump administration has grown concerned about the tight GOP margin in the House. A special election in Florida next week for former Rep. Michael Waltz’s (R-FL) seat is closer than expected, adding urgency to the matter.”
💌 250,000 Letters of Hope
This is from an email I got from Vote Forward, the group that mobilizes volunteers to write personal letters to voters:
“Our first letter writing campaign of 2025 is officially complete.
The race for Wisconsin’s next Supreme Court Justice will be decided on Tuesday, April 1.”
Earlier this week, volunteers reached the final mailing deadline. By then, they had adopted and sent letters to over 250,000 Wisconsin voters.
In an off-year election like this one, grassroots efforts to turn out voters could end up making a big difference. This is the kind of quiet, behind-the-scenes organizing that gives me so much hope.
🗣️ Thousands are saying, “I’ll Run”
This one made me smile. Run for Something is still averaging about 500 new people signing up every day to consider running for local office.
Their candidate intro call this week? The biggest one ever.
People are fired up. People are stepping in. And this is how we build power from the ground up.
🌟 A Win for Consumers
On Friday, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from dismantling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and ordered them to reverse the damage they’ve already done.
This agency was created after the 2008 financial crisis to stop the big banks and payday lenders from taking advantage of people. It protects us from credit card scams, shady mortgage deals, student loan traps, and more.
I tried my best to make the CFPB explanation a bit more fun. I was inspired by an episode of “The Newsroom” and made this video breaking it all down:
Trump’s team keeps trying to tear it down. But for now? It stays standing. That means everyday people keep their watchdog.
You can read more here.
✊🏽 Coming Up: The Hands Off! National Day of Action
Get ready for the big Hands Off! National Day of Action on Saturday, April 5, organized by Indivisible and joined by partners including Field Team 6, 50501, Voters of Tomorrow, and more.
This is our chance to send a clear message to the Trump oligarchy:
Hands off our healthcare, our data, our tax dollars, our bodies, our government, and everything else they’re trying to steal.
📍 Find a rally near you and register here: https://www.mobilize.us/handsoff/
Now I want to keep the promise I made at the beginning and share something personal that’s been giving me hope.
I went back to taking piano lessons after a 13-year break. I really love my teacher. She understands the kind of music I enjoy, usually baroque or cheerful classical pieces, and always finds something I’m excited to play.
I’ve been practicing in small chunks, about 15 to 20 minutes a day, usually when I start to feel stressed by everything going on. And the best part is… I’m seeing progress!
The only “glitch” is that I still can’t play in front of anyone. When I go to my teacher’s house and it’s time to show her that I practiced, I ask her to go to the kitchen so I can play alone. 🤣
Do you have something that gave you hope this week? Drop it in the comments or hit reply. I’d love to include it in a future post.
Con cariño,
PA and LA coming through!
I appreciate the optimism, Sylvia. In order to cross the ocean, we need wind in our sails.