Dear John,

I hope you’re doing well and staying cool. Thank you to all of you who joined TakeAction or renewed your support during our July membership drive. We are so close to meeting our member drive goal. If you haven’t already, join TakeAction by making a contribution of $10/month or more today.

Again, there are so many important news stories I couldn’t fit in this week, but I picked some favorites. Let me know what you’re reading (and any podcast recommendations).

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

1. Rent Control

When it comes to affordable housing, there’s no doubt that the rules have not been written to benefit working class renters. In the Twin Cities, that’s changing. This week, the Minneapolis City Council took the next step to put rent stabilization on the ballot. Read about the two-step process to give local government the authority to enact rent control.

2. Voting Rights

There’s a renewed push by disabled voters to make elections more accessible. While people with disabilities are a powerful voting bloc, there are countless roadblocks to voting, made worse under COVID. Learn more about the accessibility of our elections.  

3. COVID

At least two million children worldwide lost a parent or grandparent to COVID. Read this piece in Scientific American. Republicans with the Lincoln Project are working to hold news corporations like Fox accountable for killing people with misinformation about vaccines – 99.5% of people who died from COVID were not vaccinated. Watch this video on their corporate accountability campaign.

4. Nina Turner

TakeAction leaders had a chance to connect with the brilliant and powerful Nina Turner during the presidential primary election. Now, the former state Senator from Cleveland, OH and chair of Bernie Sanders’ 2020 campaign is running in a competitive congressional primary election. This New York Times piece dives deep into the primary race before the August 3 election.

5. Climate Conservation

This is an excellent NowThis video with Rep. Ocasio-Cortez about the Civilian Climate Corps – the largest peacetime mobilization of young Americans in U.S. history. Watch her explain how we know we can do big things to address the climate crisis because we’ve already done them.

6. Big Pharma

There are incredibly important steps elected officials can take to lower the cost of prescription drugs. Read this piece in The New Republic about how sucking up the supply from Canada, instead of standing up to Big Pharma, is not one of them.

7. Bezos

This is the piece to read about Jeff Bezos. Every. Single. Word. Read it in The Guardian.

8. Olympics

They start tonight, July 23. Check out the list of Minnesotans who are competing.

9. Rainmaking

Across cultures and ancient traditions, humans have understood our interdependence and interconnection with the earth, elements, and cosmos. Learn more about a time when the art of rainmaking was practiced around the world.

10. Full Moon

Happy full moon tonight! It’s happening in Aquarius: it’s a time to envision a better world and take action to make it happen. Enjoy this full moon horoscope for all signs.

That’s a wrap. Send me what you're reading and watching. Have a great weekend. 
- Kenza Hadj-Moussa