Jen Gorsegner, MPH, MS

YouTube video by Billy Simons Jr. We Are Great Again

This brought me to tears.

'Cause now we're great again.
Dissolve the law and federal courts
Defund the peer reviewed reports
Retract the hand that feeds the poor
The hungry ones can't speak.
So raise a glass to business whores
And autocrats and saboteurs
And text your world about your wars...

Black graphic with text: "Know Your Protest Rights. You don't need a permit to protest in response to breaking news and you don't need a permit to march in the streets or along sidewalks, as long as you're not obstructing traffic or access to buildings.When you are lawfully present in any public space, you have the right to photograph anything in plain view, including federal buildings and the police.If you believe your rights have been violated, when you can, write down everything you remember, get contact information for witnesses, and take photographs of any injuries.If you get stopped by the police, ask if you're free to go. If they say yes, calmly walk away.If you get arrested, you have a right to ask why. Otherwise, say you wish to remain silent and ask for a lawyer immediately. Don't sign, say or agree to anything without a lawyer present.If you get stopped by a member of the military or any law enforcement office at a protest, you have the right to remain silent or to tell them that you'll only answer questions in the presence of an attorney-no matter your citizenship or immigration status.”Know Your Rights. White ACLU logo.

Dark blue background with text: "Know Your Rights When Interacting With Immigration Agents. If you’re in a public space, you can ask if you're free to leave. If so, you can calmly walk away.You have the right to remain silent, even if you’re arrested. You do not have to discuss your immigration status with anyone. If you’re arrested, you can say that you wish to remain silent until speaking with a lawyer.You have the right to refuse consent to a search.If you have valid immigration documents, you’re required to show them. Never provide fake documents.You have the right to record your interaction with immigration agents as long as you do not interfere.If you’re at home, you do not have to open the door. ICE agents may not enter unless they have a warrant signed by a judge (have them slip it under the door). If they force their way in, do not resist, but you can remain silent."Know Your Rights. White ACLU logo.

If you're protesting this weekend, know your rights when interacting with law enforcement, including immigration agents.

www.aclum.org/en/know-your...

Shingles Vaccine Can Decrease Risk of Dementia, Study Finds A growing body of research suggests that preventing the viral infection can help stave off cognitive decline.

“The results provide some of the strongest evidence yet that some viral infections can have effects on brain function years later and that preventing them can help stave off cognitive decline…
“If you’re reducing the risk of dementia by 20 percent, that’s quite important in a public health context”

Graduating From Dead Mom University In this op-ed, Lindsay Lee Wallace explores grief, and how no amount of success in school or work could protect her from it.

RFK Jr's move to eliminate the Administration for Community Living, which helps disabled & aging people stay at home instead of being institutionalized, is disastrous.
I'm never done shouting about what my mom's institutionalization took from her & from us (so here's my @teenvogue.com piece again).

ICE arrests WA farmworker activist in Sedro-Woolley Alfredo "Lelo" Juarez, 25, has organized on behalf of farmworkers' rights in Washington state since he was 14 years old.

We are heartbroken and outraged to learn that Alfredo "Lelo" Juarez was violently detained by ICE while dropping his partner off at work. He is reportedly being held at a private detention facility in Tacoma, Washington. 🧵

#OR02 Cliff Bentz (R) ~4% of total population in #ACA exchange plans ~40% of total population in #Medicaid/CHIP ~27% of total population in #Medicare

#OR02 Cliff Bentz (R)

~4% of total population in #ACA exchange plans
~40% of total population in #Medicaid/CHIP
~27% of total population in #Medicare

Most of Quebec’s 36 measles cases contracted in health-care settings The number of measles cases continues to rise in Quebec. A total of 36 cases have been confirmed, including 28 in the Laurentians. In addition to the Montreal, Laval, and Montérégie regions, which are...

God damnit. This makes me so angry given the fight we’ve had since 2020 to protect against airborne transmission in hospitals and other congregate settings. It’s the worst “I told you so” montreal.citynews.ca/2025/03/12/q...

Rep Al Green stands up in congress, interrupting trump mid speech, to resist racism. He stood alone. He was escorted out.

I'm here to make you uncomfortable again.

Black and Brown folks have been watching white people fret since November without any real appreciable action to stop what was coming.

Well, (1/14)

U.S.A.I.D. Memos Detail Human Costs of Cuts to Foreign Aid The world is likely to see millions more malaria infections and 200,000 cases of paralytic polio each year, according to an agency whistle-blower.

Per senior USAID official, Trump Adm actions likely to cause
* up to 18m additional cases of malaria; 166k additional deaths
* 200k children paralyzed with polio
* 1m children not treated for malnutrition
* 28k new cases of infectious disease
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/h...

Please read—this is becoming serious!

These numbers seem important

Georgia Nonprofit That Produces Life-Saving Food For Kids Has Federal Contract Cut An estimated 300,000 children globally are expected to lose access to a nutrient-dense peanut butter that’s specially formulated to treat severe acute malnutrition.

An estimated 300,000 children globally are expected to lose access to a nutrient-dense peanut butter that’s specially formulated to treat severe acute malnutrition.

YouTube video by Jessica Craven Republicans are lying to you about cutting Medicaid. Here’s what you can say to them.

Did you call your Republican House rep today to complain about Medicaid cuts? Did the staffer say “There are no plans to cut Medicaid!”

They’re lying. Here’s how we know and also how you respond.
#Medicaid #Medicare
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSuh...

Pie Charts Galore! Medicaid! CHIP, ACA & Medicare enrollment by Congressional District Over the past couple of months I've compiled a master spreadsheet breaking out enrollment in ACA plans (Qualified Health Plans & Basic Health Plans), Medicaid/CHIP coverage (both traditional & via ACA...

📣 OK, I've posted several threads with prototypes on this project, but this is the definitive one:

I'm generating pie charts breaking out enrollment in ACA plans, Medicaid/CHIP & Medicare for the total populations of EVERY CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT suitable for sharing:

acasignups.net/25/02/26/pie...

Ontario reports 78 new measles cases, nearly doubling count in ongoing outbreak Ontario is reporting 78 new measles cases over the last two weeks, nearly doubling the province’s total count since an outbreak started in the autumn.

Measles outbreak in Ontario results in 18 kids hospitalized, including one who required intensive care.

This was preventable. We had all but eradicated measles with an incredibly effective vaccine.

Children are relying on the adults. When you choose not to vaccinate, you put their lives at risk

People assume they’ll be the exception. That disability, poverty, homelessness won’t befall them

That if something “bad” happens, they will be able to “try harder” their way out of it.

This false belief allows them to blame the ones who are suffering, instead of the oppressive systems that trap us

Infant in King County identified as first Washington measles case of the year • Washington State Standard An infant in King County was identified as the first confirmed measles case in Washington in 2025, King County officials said.

Washington King County infant with measles have visited 3 medical facilities and an Apple store.
#Measles is highly contagious and airborne!
#MaskTogetherAmerica
washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/02/27/i...

Cutting Medicaid and federal programs are among 4 key Trump administration policy changes that could make life harder for disabled people Tracking disability policies has long been challenging − this will become a harder task under the Trump administration.

Home and community-based services (HCBS) are already underfunded. The jobs don’t pay well, and so there’s a shortage of workers.

Medicaid cuts could make that worse. Project 2025 bemoans the fact that Medicaid funds “nonmedical” services. That seems to signal that they want to cut HCBS.

Rubio terminated 5800 USAID contracts – more than 90% of its foreign aid programs – in defiance of the courts.

Here’s a list of just some of the lifesaving awards that were terminated. Nearly all were Congressionally mandated. They’ve saved millions of lives. 🧵

Whenever a politician uses AI as a proposed health care solution that's a *flaming red flag* that they have no real plan.

We're still faxing pieces of paper to one another's offices in 2025. We were supposed to leverage the power of the internet to fix that 20 YEARS AGO.

But sure, go on about AI.

This is what House Republicans voted for tonight.

Another reminder that we have socialism for the rich, harsh capitalism for the rest.

MAGA Republicans just voted to harm my child.

And yours.

Never forget this day.

2026 is coming for these fuckers. 🗳️

Get engaged, America.

This is what a deal with the devil looks like👇

@housegop.bsky.social JUST VOTED TO CUT Medicaid, SNAP benefits, school meals, & housing assistance all in exchange for giving corporations & billionaires a tax cut all at the  expense of the middle class.

All but one House Republican just voted to cut Medicaid.

Looks like tomorrow will bring votes on a Republican plan to fund tax cuts for the rich by slashing Medicaid.

So this is a great time to contact your Member of Congress.

an archival black and white photograph of the KKK marching in Washington DC with the capitol behind them

In light of everything happening, I wrote about how the KKK in the 1920s felt unstoppable, about the people that fought against them anyway, and about how fascism always fails. dansinker.com/posts/202…

You’ve been clear in saying that Covid has not gone away. You ask people to wear masks at your events. But that attitude is not necessarily where the rest of the world is. How do you think about continuing to take precautions and advising others to do so when it feels as if society has moved on? I do it for a bunch of reasons. Firstly, I have learned that I enjoy not being sick. I know that the cost of long Covid is real and substantial, and I don’t want to run that risk lightly. I also know that I have many friends and people I’m close to who are immunocompromised. So for the sake of the people around me, I also don’t want to get sick. When I do events, I wear a mask for those reasons, and because I know that every time I do a talk, while the vast majority of people in the audience have probably moved on, there are going to be other people who haven’t. I think it makes a huge difference to them to have the person at the front of the stage wear a mask. It tells them, It’s not weird. So I do it for that reason, too. In terms of holding this line at a point when a large swath of society has moved on, I have written a lot about the panic-neglect cycle.

I appreciate this response from Ed Yong on why he requests that people mask at his events. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/22/m...

1. Lost sleep over threats to Medicaid and IDEA
2. Lost sleep over threats to and loss of civil, reproductive, and voting rights
3. Lost sleep over threats to and loss of federal workforce
4. Made emergency plans A-Z
5. Resisted, wrote, called anyway