Hey News-Changers! It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for another edition of The Breakdown. Here are the latest headlines, plus some things you can do to impact them.
Keep scrolling to learn why Puerto Ricans are calling for their governor’s resignation, what Kim Kardashian West is doing about mass incarceration, and how Virginia’s latest vote for equality may impact the Constitution. (Bonus: scroll to the very bottom for some oddly satisfying videos, courtesy of my YouTube recommended list.)
- Jackie, DoSomething.org
Still Recovering From Recent Earthquakes, Puerto Ricans Protest Unused Emergency Supplies Viral video of a warehouse full of unused emergency supplies in Ponce, Puerto Rico ignited outrage among the island’s residents. This comes in the wake of a series of destructive earthquakes, including two of the strongest to hit the region in over 100 years.
Following a tip, Puerto Rican activist and blogger Lorenzo Delgado investigated the warehouse and posted footage of the pallets of untouched supplies that he found (Delgado has yet to reveal where the tip came from). Crowds arrived soon after, and Delgado livestreamed as they broke into the building and unearthed supplies like baby food, water, diapers, gas stoves, and air mattresses. Several items were expired and dated as far back as 2017 -- the year Hurricane Maria first ravaged the region.
Gov. Wanda Vázquez claimed she had no knowledge of the warehouse and allegedly met with administration leaders to get more information about the situation and other potential collection centers. According to Vázquez, officials were unable to give her clear answers. She has since fired three government officials who headed the departments of children, family, and emergency management.
This isn’t the first time that undistributed emergency supplies have been found in Puerto Rico -- something similar happened in 2018, a year after Hurricane Maria. Puerto Ricans are fed up with government mismanagement of aid, and some are calling for the resignation of Gov. Vázquez.
Kim Kardashian West Dropped a Trailer for Her Upcoming Documentary On Mass Incarceration Kim Kardashian West has created a documentary about mass incarceration in America, and she gave everyone a first look with this trailer for Kim Kardashian West: The Justice Project.
In the trailer, incarcerated people share their experiences navigating the criminal justice system and serving life sentences, including one man who tells Kardashian West that he has been in prison since he was 16 years old. The documentary (which debuts in April) will reportedly feature the stories of four people who have been unfairly sentenced to life in prison.
In the past few years, Kardashian West has taken up a very public interest in criminal justice reform. In 2018, she campaigned for the freedom of Alice Marie Johnson, leading President Donald Trump to grant her clemency. The star is also currently studying law, with a goal of taking the bar exam in 2022.
Love her or hate her, Kardashian West is using her starpower to call attention to an issue that affects millions of Americans. The US is the world’s leader in incarceration with 2.2 million people in prisons and jails nationwide -- despite the fact that mass incarceration has not been shown to increase public safety. The criminal justice system also disproportionately impacts people of color, who are more likely to be arrested, convicted, and handed harsher sentences.
Take Action: New federal legislation would give a "second look" to people serving long sentences who have aged out of crime. Ask Congress to support the Second Look Act.
After Nearly a Century, Virginia Just Voted to Add Women’s Equality to the Constitution The state of Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, potentially providing the final vote needed to amend the Constitution.
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) would guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. It was first introduced in 1923 by members of the National Woman’s Party and passed by Congress in 1972.
To amend the Constitution, proposed amendments have to be ratified by three-fourths of all US state legislatures (AKA 38 of them). With Virginia’s vote, the ERA just reached that milestone.
However, there’s still debate as to whether the ERA will be added to the Constitution. An ongoing lawsuit contends that it shouldn’t because of questions of deadlines and rescinded votes, and we’ll likely see this issue move all the way up to the Supreme Court.
It’s yet to be seen whether the Constitution will be amended to include the ERA, but Virginia’s (and 37 other states’) commitment to sex-based equality is still something worth celebrating.
Take Action: Advocate for equal rights for women and men. Share these social media materials to show your support and educate your friends about the ERA.
Why aren’t more people talking about… how Missouri lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow state officials to ban books, defund libraries and arrest librarians?
Meanwhile, in Spain… the government has officially declared a climate emergency, and they’re putting together ambitious plans to fight climate change.
My hero today is… this 6-year-old who raised over $240,000 for Australia by making adorable clay koalas.
My *other* hero today is… the woman who just became the first full-time female coach in Major League Baseball history.
Today in viral cuteness… this happy duck wagging its tail after getting a treat.
I’m obsessed with… all of the strange video suggestions that YouTube’s algorithm keeps giving me. Some gems from this week include these tiny sea creatures eating a carrot slice and this husky doing ASMR. I’m not sure why YouTube thinks I need this content, but...they’re not wrong.
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