Yes, I used the exact same title as last year’s post. Because it’s still true and more salient than ever!
In this time of critical mass, we have an opportunity to make changes at every level. Governor Wolf just declared Juneteenth a state holiday.
Time to make Juneteenth a federal holiday!
Original Juneteenth order found in the National Archives:
Some ways to help others:
And some ways to help yourself. We need you alive and doing okay!
❤️
If you are interested to watch the proceedings live today, you can view them here:
Today is a good day to celebrate events supporting LGBTQ folks and to take a stand against discrimination!
Historic equality legislation happened today in the USA!
And Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage!
(Lancaster rainbow stickers can be purchased from Madcap & Co.)
An important alert via Dr. Latinia Shell:
“Please spread the word! Anyone who receives Food Stamps will receive their February benefit Friday January 18th. This will be the last Food Stamp benefit until the Government Shutdown is lifted. This was confirmed today on WGAL by News Reporter Ron Martin.”
Other related resources:
Area food banks listed here.
Local soup kitchens and food banks listed here.
Pennsylvania United Way link here for comprehensive assistance resources (or dial 2-1-1). If using the website you can use search terms such as “food, Lancaster” to show multiple resources.
New York State Bans Dangerous Conversion “Therapy,” Protects Gender Expression in legislation passed today:
Pennsylvania is NOT among the states to have passed a statewide ban on conversion “therapy.” Only 18% of our population is estimated to be protected by local bans in our state. Check out the maps on this site for more information:
To our transgender friends, family, and neighbors: you are valid and worthy of love and support. We are with you and will work to help protect your civil rights and your basic right to exist!
To cis allies: today would be a good day to make that donation. Consider one or more of these organizations:
@TransLifeline | https://www.translifeline.org
@TransLawCenter | https://transgenderlawcenter.org
The experiences of Soledad O’Brien and Ruby Bridges remind us how shallow the skin of time in “post-racial” America really is. And how vigilant we need to be in order to avoid sliding back instead of continuing our hard-won progress.
On Thursday, India’s Supreme Court judges were unanimous in their decision to strike down the “irrational, arbitrary and incomprehensible” law.
Read more at Human Rights Watch.
Remember that the original purpose of Labor Day was to promote worker solidarity and to reduce the length and number of workdays. So keep the spirit of the day and take some time to rest!
The US Department of Labor describes the first Labor Day
We often imply that only paid labor is “real work,” but in fact unpaid labor is at least as crucial to society and is usually unpaid only because of who is doing it: from the work that women do that literally holds society together but is not counted in the GDP, to the not only unpaid but also forced labor that built this country in the first place.
~Honor your own contribution as valuable, whether paid or unpaid. Know your worth.~
Intersectional Life Counseling and Psychology, LLC 