Everything you missed at Ms. this week.
Ms. Weekly Digest | July 18, 2020

Dear John,

Last night we were joined by nearly 600 Ms. readers from across the country for a virtual screening of the documentary Capturing The Flag and a post-film live town hall with Michele Goodwin, host of our new On the Issues podcast, Myrna Pérez, director of the Brennan Center's Voting Rights and Elections Program, and Laverne Berry, a producer and voting rights activist featured in the film.

Even in this digital setting, the excitement for the elections this fall was palpable from all—from our incredible panelists, to the Q&A questions coming in at a rapid pace throughout the event! But what was also present was a true sense of fear and anxiety—one that comes from knowing that voting rights are under attack across the United States.

In recent years, partisan voter suppression tactics are becoming more overt and more dangerous—voter rolls are being purged with no just cause, restrictive ID laws are making it unnecessarily more difficult to register and vote, polling places are being shut down, voters are being forced to wait in hours long lines to cast their ballot, mail-in voting systems are not prepared for the anticipated surge this year… and this is just a partial list.

On top of that, with the pandemic continuing to rage in many states – especially in states where governors have been slow to respond or have fought against local officials efforts to curb the spread of COVID – voting officials are sounding the alarm that there will be severe shortages of trained election workers to staff polling locations this November. And it is often people of color, people with disabilities, college students and older people who bear the brunt of these unjust tactics and restrictions at the ballot box.

In the most important election of our lifetimes, we must ensure that every American has the right to vote. We must each do all that we can to protect the “One Person, One Vote” fundamental of our democracy. Now is the time to plan how you’ll make a difference and make your voice heard this fall. In the first article below, you’ll find a few suggestions to get started—from registering to vote and encouraging your friends and family to do the same, to becoming a poll worker or joining a voter protection program. Every single one of us must step up to protect our democracy in whatever ways we are able. I encourage you to join me and begin planning for the elections now.

BY THE TEAM | Voting rights are under attack across the United States. Every single one of us must step up to protect our democracy in whatever ways we are able. Here's how you can get started.

BY THE TEAM | COVID-19 and a resulting crumbling economy. Widespread and ongoing racial inequality and police violence. Growing gender pay gaps. Rampant voter suppression. What will it take to rebuild America as a country of true justice and equality for ALL? Here to answer those critical questions: the second episode of our new podcast, On The Issues with Michele Goodwin. Dr. Goodwin is joined in conversation by Rep. Katie Porter and Ambassador & former Senator Carol Moseley Braun. Available now!

BY LIZ WATSON | How did wearing a face mask become political? How did taking a simple step to protect the health and safety of our neighbors become a partisan issue?

BY JENNA ASHENDOUEK | Federal judges blocked six-week abortion bans in Georgia and Tennessee on Monday—a major victory for reproductive justice!

BY GAVI KLEIN | Monday marked five years since the tragic death of Sandra Bland. She died in police custody at the age of 28, after being arrested during a traffic stop in Prairie View, Texas. She was found dead in her jail cell just three days later. It has been four months since Louisville, Ky. police opened fire, fatally shooting Breonna Taylor at least eight times her in her home while she slept. We must demand justice for Sandra Bland and Breonna Taylor. We must #SayHerName.

BY GISELLE HENGST | Although the economic fallout caused by COVID-19 continues to worsen, the $600 weekly federal unemployment insurance payout to impacted workers is set to end on July 25 in most states.

BY CYNTHIA RICHIE TERRELL | Our friend, Cynthia Terrell, founder and executive director of RepresentWomen, is back with another installment of her weekly column, rounding up some of her favorite stories about women’s representation in the news this week.

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