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June 17th, 2016 | Deeds Digest No. 4
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Fellow #ChangeMakers,
We've seen such tragedy this week that I am at a loss for words. I have cried nearly every day since Sunday morning's tragedy in Orlando. I've been angry, and I've been frustrated. I have reflected on my time as a lawmaker - did I do ALL that I could to curtail gun violence? To fight bigotry and anti-LGBTQ hate?
And, as the days have gone on, hearing the personal stories of those victims and the seeing the families grieving has me wanting to do all we can as a community to put an end to this epidemic of senseless gun violence.
I was so proud to watch Senators Murphy, Booker, McCaskill, Feinstein, and others on the floor last night engaged in a 15 hour filibuster! Nearly three years after my filibuster, it inspired me to ask us all to join this battle. There are hundreds of thousands of #ChangeMakers on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. They all want to make America a better place. And this week, we have a simple #DeedsNotWords to ask them all to do - let's sign a petition to demand Congress address gun violence. I know there are no easy solutions to fixing every problem out there, but that is no excuse to not doing anything at all. Join me and get everyone in your network to call on our leaders to DO something bold. I've had #ENOUGH!
xo,
Wendy
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This week's #ChangeMaker is Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, a gun violence survivor and activist to improve gun safety laws. As she has recovered from the January 2011 attempt on her life, she has worked tirelessly and spoke eloquently about the need for common-sense gun violence prevention legislation. And, she needs all of us to join her cause. Gabby runs Americans for Responsible Solutions. They are currently working to #change federal laws, including the "Terror Gap." Thank you Congresswoman! We are with you! Sign here to join a petition demanding Congress bring gun violence prevention legislation to the floor!
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In the wake of last weekend’s Orlando mass shooting at a gay club, Connecticut Democrat Senator Chris Murphy, led an almost 15 hour filibuster, pushing forward a bill introduced by California Senator Dianne Feinstein following last year’s San Bernardino terrorist shooting. This sets up a showdown for next week in the U.S. Senate. We will bring you more ways you can get involved all next week. USA Today
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The film Jackson examines the women’s healthcare crisis in Mississippi, the poorest state in in our country – and not surprisingly – one of the country’s highest teen pregnancy rates. NY Magazine
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The Center for Reproductive Rights launched the Draw The Line Campaign as part of its 20 year advocacy efforts dedicated to the advancement and protection of reproductive rights as fundamental human rights. This campaign asks us all to show our support by drawing the line for a woman’s right to choose.
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Gabby Weiss grew up the oldest of seven children in a strictly Christian fundamentalist family, groomed to marry and have a large family, her life changed drastically after being raped. Glamour
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Catch my interview with Refinery 29’s Torey Van Oot as we discuss gender equality, the minimum wage, and the importance of voting and participating in the political process so that women’s voices are more fairly represented in our government. Refinery 29
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The reasons women have an abortion is as multiple as there are women. In this article six women share why they made this decision and how that choice impacted their relationships. Women's Health Magazine
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Did you know that as state legislatures across the nation are wrapping up their 2016 sessions, that 14 states have passed 30 new laws making it harder for a woman to access abortion care? Washington Post
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