Hey everyone. First, thanks so much for reading and taking action around the shootings earlier this week. Your impact matters and continues to inspire not just the entire Breakdown team, but the millions of DoSomething members across the country. We know that diving into these issues can be draining, so please remember to practice self-care in the wake of tragedy whenever you can. If you want updates around gun violence, read the One Big Thing. Or if not, that’s totally okay too. Just go and skip ahead for the rest of the news this week. Have a happy and safe weekend, friends.
- Anthony
El Paso & Dayton Shootings: Aftermath In less than 24 hours last week, mass shootings in El Paso, TX and Dayton, OH took the lives of 29 people and left at least 53 injured. Today, read about what’s happening in the aftermath of these tragedies:
President Trump Criticized For Response To Shootings
Mainly, he is being criticized for trying to shift blame and propose legislation that avoids the root causes of gun violence. Most specifically, he proposed that Congress should tie immigration legislation to background check legislation, while also blaming the media. President Trump received backlash from some of the injured victims in the El Paso shooting, when some refused to meet with him.
Shooting Victims: Here Are Their Stories
Earlier this week, the New York Times compiled the stories of those who were killed in the El Paso and Dayton shootings. In a world where it’s become too easy to grow numb to gun violence, it’s important to not just humanize the victims, but to honor them.
Lawmakers Call For Gun Control Legislation
Lacey Baker Is Making Skateboarding More Inclusive X Games Medalist. US Olympic Skateboarder. Nike athlete. Lacey Baker, who uses they/them pronouns and identifies as queer, is a rising star in the skateboarding industry, but their accomplishments extend beyond the competitions. Baker is using their star power to create spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals in a typically hetero- and male-dominated sport. Notably, they were featured in Miley Cyrus’ music video for her song titled “Mother’s Daughter.”
In it, Lacey decorates their shirt with they/them pronouns. “The biggest message that I’m sending is about authenticity and really being yourself,” Lacey told Teen Vogue. “For me, I’m existing in this queer body, and not identifying with the gender I was assigned with at birth. I’m on a platform where I can speak out about that stuff...”
Take Action: Read and share our crowdsourced guide on how to be an ally to LGBTQ+ students.
Donating A Kidney (And Saving A Life!) Just Got Way Easier Did you know that approximately 43,000 people die from the lack of a kidney transplant every year? Just two days ago, the National Kidney Registry, which facilitates more than 2/3 of kidney pair donations, recently announced their intention to shrink that number by making all donors eligible for a program called Donor Shield.
This means that people who donate a kidney will have their lost wages and caretaker expenses reimbursed, so long as their income is under $62,000 per year. With the average donor losing $8,000 in wages, the new program removes a huge disincentive for donating.
Take Action: Give a kidney! Erm, I mean talk to your doctor first to see if you’re eligible to donate and save a life. (You must be over 18 and, yes, this is a Breakdown first.)
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