Sandra Sullivan-Dunbar

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights Act. The beginning of true democracy in America. A offering to this country paid for by the work, dedication and lives of ordinary Black people.

We’ve always had to fight. Are you prepared to fight to protect our rights?

The wrecking ball is moving so quickly (in higher ed as elsewhere).

Wow, nine hours of standoff. Deep bow to those standing up against ice.

the president just opened a concentration camp

With this budget, ICE alone would have nearly as large a detention operation as all 50 states' prison systems combined. Bigger budget than the Marine Corps. Police-state levels of spending

This is a political institution through & through — which Mitch McConnell knew better than anybody — with officials who’ve come up & are trained in highly motivated camps getting lifetime spots to shape public policy to their ideology. That has to be the starting point.

Trying to explain to my former Gen Z intern what the second Iraq War was like (he was 1 when it started), and honestly:

Just know that every war in my lifetime has been started by a Republican president. Please remember that, no matter what bucket of lies the GOP tries to sell you, younger voters.

Grateful to Joe Biden for ending one of the forever wars in Afghanistan. Still frustrated with those in society and the political system who don't reward politicians for ending wars that have outlived their usefulness, creating a strong political incentive never to end them.

Another reminder that when that execrable trans athlete bill came up in the House that 202 of 204 Dems voted no—the 2 yes votes were from Texas border districts that voted for Trump—& all 47 Senate Dems voted to filibuster & kill the bill.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 38.2-3449.1 as follows: § 38.2-3449.1. Prohibited discrimination based on gender identity or status as a transgender individual. A. As used in this section: "Gender identity" means an individual's internal sense of gender, which may be male, female, neither, or a combination of male and female and which may be different from an individual's sex assigned at birth. "Medically necessary transition-related care" means any medical treatment prescribed by a licensed physician for treatment of gender dysphoria and includes (i) outpatient psychotherapy and mental health services for gender dysphoria and associated co-morbid psychiatric diagnoses; (ii) continuous hormone replacement therapy; (iii) outpatient laboratory testing to monitor continuous hormone therapy; and (iv) gender reassignment surgeries. "Transgender individual" means an individual whose gender identity is different from the sex assigned to that individual at birth. B. A health carrier offering a health benefit plan providing individual or group health insurance coverage shall: 1. Provide coverage under the health benefit plan without discrimination on the basis of gender identity or status as a transgender individual; and 2. Treat covered individuals consistent with their gender identity. C. A health carrier offering a health benefit plan providing individual or group health insurance coverage shall not deny or limit coverage or impose additional cost sharing or other limitations or restrictions on coverage, under a health benefit plan for health care services that are ordinarily or exclusively available to covered individuals of one sex, to a transgender individual on the basis of the fact that the individual's sex assigned at birth, gender identity, or gender otherwise recorded is different from the one to which such health services are ordinarily or exclusively available.

The Code of Virginia defines transition-related health care as medically necessary and prevents health insurers from discriminating against transgender people.

The SCOTUS ruling today does not change that law we passed with bipartisan support in 2020 (my bill HB 1429).

Here’s the actual text:

I remember that, too.

I also remember we had a WALL OF MOMS who formed a line to protect the protesters. Peaceful Moms - causing no damage or threat.

At dusk, they fired rubber bullets at our Moms.

Every night, the Feds and the crappy PPD created their toxic photo ops at our expense.

DOOMERISM IS CRINGE

The most consequential Speaker in state history.

Where Can I Run — Run for Something Action Fund Use this tool to find out when, where and how you can run for office.

If you protested yesterday, you saw how many people in your community shared your values. Give them someone to vote for. Run for office. runforwhat.net

LOL. Alt-text delivers the shade.

I want to remind everyone that the White House and the GOP have been systematically dismantling protections for abortion providers and clinics ever since Trump took office

Protest signs held high at a rally today. The central one is hand-letterd, saying "Melissa Hortman Loved Democracy, and So Do I"

This is heartbreaking.
(via someone at the St. Paul rally)

My deepest condolences go out to the family of Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, and I hope Senator John Hoffman and his wife will recover fully from the senseless attempt on their lives. (1/6)

Grateful for Dem state electeds who have worked for years under threat of right-wing violence to protect & promote education, healthcare, clean water, clean energy, gun safety laws, reproductive healthcare, voting rights, criminal justice reform, LGBTQ+ rights (often for minimal salaries).

Melissa Hortman, who was assassinated last night, was the Speaker of the Minnesota House in the 2023-2024 session, when Democrats ran the state government.

That means she had a leading role in shepherding the many landmark reforms that Dems adopted in that period—an important legacy. Brief 🧵.

PLEASE.

Repost from Minnesota House DFL by Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman: “The 2025 session may be over, but Pride is still very much still going. 🏳️‍🌈” Graphic: “Republicans spent all session trying to erase LGBTQ+ equality laws. Democrats stopped them.”

The last message shared on here by Minnesota House Speaker Emerita @melissahortman.bsky.social before her assassination this morning was one of solidarity with LGBTQIA+ Minnesotans.

No Kings On June 14—Flag Day—Donald Trump wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday. A spectacle meant to look like strength. But real power isn’t staged in Washington. ...

Didn’t plan to attend a “No Kings” protest on Saturday? Act on impulse — just show up, sign or no sign, alone or with family and friends.
Take this opportunity to surround yourself with others who love democracy.
There’s almost certainly a protest near you — check the link below.

This is definitely worth your time. Play this while you make your coffee and you will be fired up for the day/weekend ahead.

Normalizing Public Radio.

Here is a list I post from time to time. My answer to a reader who asked me: what could journalists do NOW to break with some of their more corrosive habits. Defense of democracy seen as basic to the job. Symmetrical accounts of asymmetrical realities seen as malpractice. “Politics as strategic game” frame seen as low quality, downmarket, amateurish— and overmatched. Bad actors with a history of misinforming the public seen as unsuitable sources and unwelcome guests. Internalizing of the “liberal bias” critique seen as self-crippling, a historic mistake in need of correction.

Here's something I post from time to time. My answer to a reader who asked me: what could journalists do NOW to break with some of their more corrosive habits.

Concentration Camps and the Machinery of Repression: Lessons for Saving Democracy – Ash Center Governments throughout history have used detention as a tool to silence dissent, isolate marginalized groups, and punish with impunity – often targeting people based on race, status, or supposed affil...

Chenoweth is doing an online event tomorrow if you want to get a sense of them. ash.harvard.edu/events/conce...

Once again, she & Tim Walz were right & they actually did all the Things Democrats Must Do & it didn’t work because of racism, misogyny, & a totally broken media/information environment.

Grateful that this is my Governor.

Detainees inside the LA Federal detention center are flashing their lights for protesters.