Civics 2/4

Tuesday, February 4, 2024

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News and information about politics, government, civic participation and engagement from URL Media's network of Black and Brown publishers.

Good evening. Today we’re covering how Black History Month got its start, what the limits are on presidential executive power, keeping data away from tech companies and the government, and more. Plus, we’re bringing you the latest updates at url-media.com as events unfold. Have a question? Write to us at [email protected]. 

Credit: Liudmila Chernetska / iStock

Shock and awe: Trump tests the powers of executive orders: Since President Donald Trump took office, he has signed an overwhelming amount of executive orders — 45, to be exact. But what are executive actions? Are they the seemingly all-powerful decrees Trump treats them as, able to be willed into existence with just a swipe of the pen? In reality, no, as Luz Media explains.Executive orders are how presidents steer the federal government using laws already in place, but they don’t create or change laws instantaneously. Think of them as a set of instructions for federal agencies that take time to implement and are bound by judicial review and congressional funding. Courts can block them, Congress can bypass them, and future presidents can overhaul them. Each of these scenarios has been present in the first weeks of the Trump administration, particularly around its immigration directives. If you have concerns about these executive actions, you’re not alone, and there are tons of ways to act. You can shop at immigrant-owned businesses, donate to a local immigrant bond fund or other nonprofits, and report verified sightings of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to your community. Check out Block Club Chicago’s recommendations for more ways to start. If you work at a nonprofit, Alliance for Justice has some additional steps you can take.Learn more with Luz Media →

These Black History Month facts prove why it’s still needed: Did you know that Black History Month was started in 1926 not just to celebrate Black achievements, but to combat lynchings through education? Its founder, Carter G. Woodson, knew that anti-Blackness had to be addressed in the classroom. Yet the first celebrations were not intended to be permanent. The idea was that by strengthening the teaching of Black history, Black contributions would no longer need special recognition because they would be a standard part of the American story. Fast forward nearly a century, and dozens of states are still suppressing Black history education through bans on books and lessons that discuss race. This proves why the month was, and still is, essential, Leslie Taylor-Grover writes in PushBlack.“It is a movement that we must keep alive in honor of our past and preparation for our future,” says Taylor-Grover. More from PushBlack → Plus: Is now the time for Black women to leave the United States? (Black Girl Times) 

How to stop tech companies spying on your phone as Trump promises mass deportations: It’s no secret anymore that tech giants can access consumer data, from social media to geolocation. What’s becoming more common, though, is those companies leveraging that data for profitable contracts with the federal government. Given the Trump administration’s deportation efforts — not to mention Elon Musk’s new government access to citizen data — people’s personal information may be dangerously used against them, Documented reports.That’s where you can take action. In the absence of solid privacy regulations, you can ensure that at least your devices and those of your loved ones are set up a certain way to limit how much information is collected about you on a daily basis. Best practices include using end-to-end encrypted platforms like Signal, avoiding Meta platforms, auto-deleting messages and data, and blocking apps from tracking location when it's not necessary.  “You should assume tech companies, law enforcement agencies, immigration enforcement can access anything that you message, post, search, look at, watch online if they want to. But there are ways to make it a lot harder for them,” Hannah Lucal, a data and tech fellow at immigration legal firm Just Futures Law, told Documented.Get more tips → Plus: Why Sam Altman’s AGI reflections could lead to peril or progress (India Currents) 

Credit:  Pablo Unzueta for El Tecolote / CatchLight Local

Photos: Dozens of S.F. businesses shut down for a 'day without immigrants': San Francisco’s Mission District protested President Donald Trump’s immigration policies with “A Day Without Immigrants” on Monday. Grocery stores, taquerias, bookstores, and other small businesses all shut their doors, even if it meant a financial loss, and students and workers alike were encouraged to stay home, according to El Tecolote. Photojournalist Pablo Unzueta roamed the area and documented the day in photographs, such as the one above.See more photos in El Tecolote →

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