Dear John,

I hope you’re doing well.

You’ll have to look for it, but the subtheme of this week’s News Digest is religious conservatism and blurring boundaries between church and state. Help us get a pulse on these issues in Minnesota by taking a short survey on rights, faith, and democracy now.

Let’s get to the Digest.

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

1. SCOTUS

“Since the Court’s Republican majority became a supermajority, the Court has treated religion cases as its highest priority.” Read more about the blurring line between the separation of church and state. Help us get a pulse on this issue in Minnesota: Take our short rights, faith, and democracy survey now.

2. Daunte Wright

Wright’s father said he had been cheated. There are no words. Read the breaking news on the two-year prison sentence given to ex-police officer Kim Potter who murdered Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center last year.

3. Amir Locke

The calls for justice have not stopped. Highly recommend this Truthout piece: activists say reforming the police isn’t enough. Read this deep dive and problematic history of no-knock warrants.

4. Paid Time to Care

No one should have to choose between caring for themselves or a loved one and a paycheck. Cities and states around the country have passed Earned Sick and Safe Time laws, including three in Minnesota. Read this piece by City Councilors Jeremiah Ellison, Mitra Jalali, and Azrin Awal calling for paid sick days to finally pass the Legislature.

5. LeAnn Littlewolf

The Duluth News Tribune published an incredible profile on LeAnn Littlewolf, the new co-director at American Indian Community Housing Organization (and TakeAction’s board chair). She’s a quiet, fierce, big-thinking leader with heart. Read more about LeAnn’s leadership and impact.

6. Starbucks Union

Read about the Rhodes scholar and barista leading the fight to unionize Starbucks in the Washington Post.

7. Solidarity

This is huge: St. Paul and Minneapolis teachers and support staff voted this week to authorize a strike. The last time Minneapolis public school teachers went on strike was 1970.

8. Music

Listen to this demo of a new song that might be called, “Life in Minneapolis” by jeremy messersmith.

9. Perfect Strangers

Netflix released its first Arabic film this year. Read more about reactions to the remake of the Italian film Perfect Strangers in the New York Times. This commentary calls it a breath of fresh air.

10. The Righteous Gemstones

 My friend who grew up in evangelical megachurches got me hooked on HBO’s dark comedy The Righteous Gemstones. Have you seen it? Let me know what you thought! Season two is out now. Check out the trailer for season one of the Gemstones.

That’s a wrap. 

- Kenza Hadj-Moussa