Dear John,

I (Kenza) am back this week after a two-week break. I’m very happy to report that…I finally saw Hamilton! Livestreamed on an overheating laptop but it was incredible. I’m embarrassed it took this long, but better late than never.

If you’ve already seen it – or even if you just love the soundtrack – make sure to check out our intern Maya’s blog on watching Hamilton in 2020.

Now on to the news.

Here’s what we’re reading, watching, and listening to this week:

1. Minneapolis Charter

MPD is the only city department enshrined in the city Charter. No other department has this kind of power locked in. People voted on the current Charter, and we can vote to change it. Read brief history of police politics in the City Charter from Wedge Live.

2. Reopening Schools

We’re in awe of the educators in Minnesota and across the country organizing to keep their students safe this fall. Read more about how teachers unions are fighting back against Betsy DeVos and federal incompetence in In These Times.

3. Masks

After months of GOP legislators spreading misinformation about the coronavirus, state Representative and ER doctor Alice Mann had enough. Her viral Floor speech was so good, we listened to it twice. Watch it on Twitter.

4. Building the Movement

Several readers sent us this powerful opinion piece in the New York Times: The Left is Remaking the World. Read it here.

5. UnitedHealth Group

For-profit health insurance companies only exist for their bottom line. This week, UHG reported $6.6 billion in profits…this quarter. Read about it in the Star Tribune.

6. 2020

Prompt: If you were writing a book about 2020, what would your first sentence be? Read what Twitter is saying.

7. Civil Liberties

Truly chilling news out of Portland, Oregon. Federal law enforcement in unmarked vans are pulling protestors off the streets. State and local officials have told the federal law enforcement to leave, but they refuse. This is dangerous and unconstitutional. Read the original reporting from Oregon Public Broadcasting.

8. COVID-19

A reporter went back home to South Texas to cover the spread of COVID-19, but he didn’t expect to cover his own family’s battle with the disease. Read this powerful reporting in the New York Times.

9. Ilhan Omar

“We need to jettison the zero-sum idea that one person’s gain is another’s loss. I want your gain to be my gain; your loss to be mine, too.”

Representative Omar wrote about the attacks women, immigrants, People of Color, and Muslims face when they speak out about systemic oppression – and how our futures are all tied together. We’re so grateful for her powerful voice in Congress, and we’re fired up to send her back to D.C. Read her op-ed in the Washington Post.

10. Quarantine 

Residents at a nursing home in the U.K. are beating quarantine boredom by recreating iconic album covers. You’ve got to check out these pictures on Twitter.

That’s a wrap. Have a great weekend.

-- Kenza Hadj-Moussa and Patrick Burke