Dear John,

We will be reminding you many times over the next couple of weeks that Primary Election Day is happening Tuesday, August 9^th. There’s no time like the present to check out a sample ballot for your district from the Secretary of State’s website and start your candidate research. You can find TakeAction’s full endorsement slate here. Let’s get to the digest. Here’s what we’re reading, watching, and listening to this week:

1. Primary Elections

Primary elections are some of our biggest opportunities to make more politically possible. They’re happening across the state on August 9^th. If you’re in the 5^th Congressional District, this is an important Twitter thread on ties between Don Samuels and the right-wing think tank Center for the American Experiment.

2. Tekle Sundberg

A mental health crisis should never be a death sentence. The Sahan Journal spoke to Tekle’s friends who remembered him as a deeply caring person, even as he struggled with depression. Read the piece ‘You’ll never meet someone like Tekle’: Friends remember Tekle Sundberg as spiritual, thoughtful, and deeply supportive of those he loved.

3. Jan. 6 Hearings

“An investigation that has revealed grave threats to democracy, plotted and carried out mostly by men, has a heavily female cast of narrators who have paid a public price for speaking out.” Read this New York Times piece on the gender divide in the January 6 hearings.

4. Med Student Walk Out

My sister is a doctor at Michigan and I’ve attended this ceremony. Millions of people watched medical students walk out of their white coat ceremony to protest the anti-abortion keynote speaker.

5. Staffer Sit-In

Another great story this week reminding us to organize everywhere. Read about the Democratic staffers on Capitol Hill who staged a sit-in to demand leaders do all they can to pass a climate deal.

6. Climate Deal

ICYMI: there was unexpected good news on a climate deal in Congress.  

7. adrienne maree brown

This is an absolute must read. Murmurations: Love Looks Like Accountability by adrienne maree brown.

8. Brittney Griner

From The Guardian, Brittney Griner’s story always transcended sport. She’s a real American trailblazer.

9. Joni Mitchell

I’m not crying, you are! Watch Joni Mitchell’s amazing surprise performance at the Newport Folk Festival.

10. Renaissance

 Get your weekend started with the new Beyoncé album released today.

That’s a wrap. Have a great weekend. 

- Kenza Hadj-Moussa