Dear John,

It has been a heavy week. This is the first time we’ve seen a war broadcast directly from our phones. In the U.S. this week, we are witnessing states pass even more abortion restrictions and attacks on transgender rights.
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As difficult as these times are, we have a responsibility to act where we can, and to be clear about what’s happening. We know too well that no future is guaranteed. It’s up to all of us to make it, and we can.

This week’s Digest is a mix of local and international news. I highly recommend the “Operation Safety Net” articles that reference a public statement TakeAction co-authored last year.

A gentle reminder to take a break from scrolling this weekend to breathe and get outside. I’ll be taking a vacation the next two weeks. The News Digest will be back at the end of March.

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

1. #AfricansInUkraine
While our hearts break for Ukraine, it’s impossible to miss racist and xenophobic double standards applied to refugees. This piece in Reuters provides perspective from Syrian refugees. 10 years after conflicts erupted in Syria, European Union states have taken only 1 million refugees of the 12 million Syrians who’ve been displaced. Thousands of Africans in Ukraine have been stranded, blocked by “Ukrainian-first” calls. Read more about action you can take to support LGBTQ+ and Black Ukrainian refugees.
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2. Operation Safety Net
A new investigation from MIT Technical Review is deeply disturbing. “Law enforcement agencies in Minnesota have been carrying out a secretive, long-running surveillance program targeting civil rights activists and journalists in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd in May 2020.” Read the details about police surveillance in Minnesota here, and a less dense piece Investigation Shows Police Are Still Secretly Surveilling Minnesota Activists.
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3. Russia
While we learn that state and federal law enforcement in Minnesota is still secretly surveilling activists and journalists, over 7,600 Russians have been detained for anti-war protests. Read more about Putin’s “war at home.” In the New York Times, read more about the complete elimination of the free press in Russia.
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4. Chess
The quiet chess world, with deep roots in Ukraine and Russia, is covered in the New York Times as 44 Russian grandmasters sign an open letter calling for peace.
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5. Climate & Military
Highly recommend this thoughtful piece in the New Republic. Read Authoritarian Nationalism—and Western Militarism—Are Climate Problems.
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6. Podcast
In 1971, college students resisted the U.S. war machine by breaking into the FBI and releasing documents. Listen to the podcast Breaking Into the FBI.
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7. Educators Strike
After 14 years serving in Minneapolis schools, Saida is only paid about $32,000 per year as an associate educator — it’s not enough. We stand in solidarity with educators. Read in the Sahan Journal why educational assistants are ready to strike.
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8. Insomnia
Loved this piece in the Atlantic. Medieval sleeping habits are making their way in modern societies.
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9. Essay
“Facing loss, despair, uncertainty, and death is as much a part of the human experience as anything else.” Read the essay What to do when the world is ending.
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10. Health
Nature is medicine. Canadian doctors can now prescribe national park visits to improve mental health.
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That’s a wrap. Send me what you’re reading while I’m out!

- Kenza Hadj-Moussa


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