Tuesday, October 7, 2025
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A View From the Ground
News and information about politics, government, civic participation and engagement from URL Media's network of Black and Brown publishers.
Good evening. Today, learn how to turn your activism into real policy, how America remembers slavery and more about Trump’s animosity toward Black women. Plus, as always, we’re bringing you the latest updates at url-media.com.
Credit: Pexels / Life Matters
How to turn your activism into real policy change
The Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 brought millions to the streets, but real change happened in city council chambers and state legislatures where activists translated anger into policy. Marching creates momentum, but legislation creates lasting change. The hardest work begins after the cameras leave.
Draft policy while protests are hot
Smart activists prepare legislation before demonstrations peak. The NAACP's legal team spent years drafting civil rights bills that became law when political windows opened. Today's successful movements have policy teams working alongside street organizers.
Research existing bills in other states or cities that address your concerns. Adapt language to your local context. Partner with sympathetic lawmakers who can introduce your proposals when momentum builds.
Coalition building requires strategic compromise
The Civil Rights Act passed because activists built unlikely alliances with business leaders worried about economic disruption and religious groups motivated by moral concerns. Different groups supported the same bill for different reasons.
Map potential allies beyond obvious progressive organizations. Environmental groups might support your public transit proposals. Business associations might back criminal justice reforms that reduce costs. Faith communities often champion immigration and housing justice.
Quote of the Week
"I’ve been working with people who are in their 70s who are now being deported. They have children. They have grandchildren. They’ve made their lives here.” – Thao Ha, a professor of sociology at MiraCosta College in San Diego, tells AsAm News about the rising number of Asian deportees.
Source: Pexels / Brett Jordan
Ways to get involved
Learn tools to challenge anti-Muslim hate - CAIR
Imagine and build the future of Detroit - October 9 - Detroit - Pathways Community Development Conference
Source: Pexels / Michael Judkins
Gen Z demands new voices in Congress, the people who keep saving this country and more
The fight for fresh blood in Black Congressional leadership: Young Black voters and activists are pushing for fresh leadership in Congress, arguing that veteran lawmakers, some in their 70s and 80s, are out of touch on issues like LGBTQ rights and debt. The generational tension is sparking primary challenges and debates about when to pass the torch. Read at Capital B.
The untold story of democracy’s true guardians: From pre-Revolutionary slave rebellions to Civil Rights courtrooms to today's voting rights battles, Black Americans have consistently saved democracy when it was on the brink. Now, as authoritarianism rises again, Black lawyers and activists are once more on the frontlines—winning Supreme Court cases, fighting voter suppression, and proving that democracy's most excluded citizens remain its fiercest defenders. Read at WURD.
The DMV economy is in an unprecedented crisis: The government shutdown is crushing the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region. With 22,000 federal jobs already lost in 2025, restaurants down 60%, housing tanking, and food banks overwhelmed, this isn't your typical DC shutdown story. Read at TANTV News.
The real cost of Trump’s visa fee increase: Trump just raised H-1B visa fees to $100,000—a 50x increase that's pushing skilled immigrants out of the U.S. In New York, workers with six-figure jobs and graduate degrees are now planning exits to London and beyond. Small companies can't afford it, big tech is panicking, and the chaos is gutting America's talent pipeline. Read at Documented.
Other recommended reading
Eritrea in the empire’s crosshairs: Propaganda and regime change operations - Black Agenda Report
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