Dear John,

The Governor’s proposal for Minnesota’s historic $7.7 billion budget surplus led much of the state news this week. The proposal includes Paid Family & Medical Leave, paid sick days, huge investments in childcare, and more. We’ll be tracking and taking action as session starts next month.

If you haven’t already, take a second to share what YOUR priority issues are in our TakeAction Minnesota member survey. We want to hear from you.  

Lastly, TakeAction is hiring a bunch of positions. Spread the word about job openings, and consider applying to join our team. (Yes, we are one of the organizations that’s moved to a 32-hour work week!)

Thank you for all your notes over the weekend. Send me what you’re reading!

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

1. Universal Health Care

The California state assembly is moving a universal health care bill. Read about the single-payer health care push in California. (Fine print: It’s really hard to raise taxes in CA because of corporate-backed bills that require a majority or super majority of votes for tax increases…but still, this is big.)

2. Boundary Waters

ICYMI: the Biden Administration canceled two federal mineral leases held by Twin Metals Minnesota. Listen to this (good news) story about protecting the Boundary Waters.

3. Public Safety

Across the country, people are thinking differently about enormous police budgets, the militarization of police, and what actually keeps people safe. With featured leaders from Minneapolis, read and listen to what’s next for the abolitionist movement around the country.

4. SCOTUS

Biden will make his first Supreme Court nomination soon. Catch up on the retirement news about Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

5. Nina Turner

She’s back and running for Congress again in Ohio, with a primary coming up in May. Check out this piece on Nina Turner’s second run to join The Squad in Congress.

6. Parenting

In Boston, 20 mothers met in a parking lot together to stand in a circle and…scream. Whether you’re parenting through this pandemic or not, we recommend this widely shared essay in The Atlantic.

7. Spotify

“Spotify isn’t a music company. It’s a tech company looking to maximize profits.” Read this piece in the Washington Post on the Joe Rogan vs. Neil Young vs. Spotify issue this week.

8. Wordle

This game is taking over the world. If you’re late to trends like me, read this guide with everything you need to know about the incredibly popular word game.

9. Cheer

Again, I’m late to popular things. Season 1 of the Netflix documentary Cheer blew me away with its storytelling and beautiful journey of an incredibly hardworking team of athletes. Season 2 is out now. Let me know if you’ve seen it! Watch the trailer for Season 1 of Cheer now.

10. Outer Space

 After 25 years of research and traveling 1 million miles, the James Webb space telescope reached the point in space where the sun and earth’s gravity cancel each other out. Read about this huge milestone in outer space research.

That’s a wrap. Send me what you're reading.

- Kenza Hadj-Moussa