Truth and Action Roundup 5.9.25

View this email in your browser Welcome to the Truth and Action Roundup, a reliable weekly source of information, inspiration, and action for the second Trump administration. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to continue receiving it. Today is Friday, May 9, and we’re continuing to monitor the ongoing changes wrought by the Trump administration. This is the last day of Teacher and Nurse Appreciation Week, and as we consider the significant contributions of educators and caregivers in the lives of our communities, we lament the assaults on the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services that we’re seeing produce harm at an unprecedented rate, with a particular focus on programs aimed at the most marginalized among us. As students, teachers, and caregivers ourselves, we intimately understand the endurance needed to serve our communities. We lift up this model of perseverance as we stand in solidarity with everyone currently targeted by this administration.  — Rev. Adam Taylor and Rev. Moya Harris, Sojourners In the News Here’s what’s been happening this week: 1) We continue to see the Trump administration defy the Supreme Court while disrupting our communities and lives with its mass deportation policy: Trump administration officials have been discussing the expulsion of people to countries such as Libya and Rwanda as they continue to defy the Supreme Court’s order to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador. In addition, the Trump administration urged Ukraine to accept deportees from other countries despite the fact that it’s an active war zone which lacks a functional airport due to the ongoing assault from Russia. 2) As we see the impact of the deportation policies at home, we’re witnessing young people being detained for traffic violations. Ximena Arias-Cristobal, a 19-year-old student in Georgia, has been in the United States since she was 4 and is now facing detention for a traffic violation. 3) The White House continues to upend grants and other funding for programs that Congress has already approved: Harvard is being targeted for a funding freeze by the Trump administration, which continues to use the pretext of antisemitism to attack institutions toward which it is hostile. The Trump administration’s cuts to the EPA would jeopardize the entire environmental and racial justice program passed in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Local organizations in Baltimore are fighting back with lawsuits aimed at continuing already-committed funding. Elev8 is suing AmeriCorps and DOGE for rescinding promised funding. 4) The White House and Congress are attempting to craft a budget, and we’re seeing congressional members struggle with the implications of the proposed cuts. As Capitol Hill decides, we’re seeing communities across the country unite to emphasize the need for programs such as Medicaid and SNAP. 5) Internationally, we’ve seen a number of troubling responses to Trump’s election. Israel has announced plans to occupy Gaza for the foreseeable future. This comes as we see continued starvation as Israel prevents food and other aid from reaching people in the area. 6) Finally, yesterday, we saw the election of U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost who took the name Pope Leo XIV. During this time of global challenge and transition the first pope from the United States will lead the Catholic Church as it navigates our current landscape. Take Action Tell Congress -- it's time for moral courage! Send a message directly to your elected representatives demanding they act now with moral courage to end the Trump administration’s abuses of power. This action alert has already generated more than 8,000 letters to Congress – let's keep the pressure on! “Know Your Risks and Rights” training. Free DC and the National Lawyers Guild will host a free online training to provide people with an understanding of their rights as they interact with law enforcement next Monday, May 12, at 6:30 p.m. “No Kings Day” will be on June 14, hosted by Indivisible, Interfaith Alliance, and others, in response to Trump's planned parade in the capital. As Trump is looking to assert his personal greatness, leaders across the country will be uplifting the promise of a people-led government. What We’re Reading and Watching What We Are Getting Wrong About Christian Nationalism | Part of standing against Christian nationalism means being honest about the ways we've failed to understand it properly. (By Josiah R. Daniels) Trump Is Destructive, but People of Faith Are Pushing Back | Those of us who have met Trump's first 100 days with lament and anger are neither alone nor powerless. (By Adam Taylor) ‘Andor’: The ‘Star Wars’ Show That Knows What Fascism Really Looks Like | In its second season, 'Andor' explores the complications of resisting quiet authoritarianism. (By Tyler Huckabee) Deep Breaths  Like Water, We Persist: A Rhythm of Renewal These 109 days of the Trump administration have felt like the longest year of my life. We’re witnessing things many of us never imagined we’d see. Our bodies and souls are carrying the weight of physical, mental, and spiritual warfare – and it isn’t letting up anytime soon. Yes, we’ve made it through 100 days. But the truth is, there are many more “100 days” ahead. To quote D.C.’s own Marvin Gaye: “It makes me wanna holler and throw up both my hands.” The emotions we’re feeling – anger, fear, frustration, lament – are real and can come on like a flood. They are reasonable. I will admit -- sometimes, I’m not alright. When people ask how I’m doing, I tell them the truth: I’m taking it moment by moment. God gave us this range of emotions so we could move through life honestly. But to survive this marathon of misinformation and disorder, we need more than just reaction. We require rhythms and rituals of rest, resistance, and renewal. We must be like water.  “Be formless, shapeless -- like water. You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup... water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” — Bruce Lee We can’t always be doing. We must slow down, listen to our bodies, notice where stress is taking root. We also need to be. We need to flow … I’ve been practicing something called Musical Mindfulness. In this practice, you choose a song, close your eyes, and listen deeply. It helps clear the noise, reset the mind, and center the spirit. If you’re wondering where to start, here’s a song to guide you:  “Water No Get Enemy” by Fela Kuti Find a quiet space. Press play. Let the music flow through you like water -- steady, cleansing, nourishing. Feel its currents moving through tension, winding around weariness, dissolving the weight you carry. Water bends but doesn’t break. It persists. It finds a way. Let that be your reminder: rest is not weakness but wisdom. Resistance doesn’t have to be loud to be strong. You are not alone in this struggle. And you were never meant to burn out to be effective. Let the music carry what you cannot name. Let it be your ritual of release. Then rise, grounded and renewed -- for the road ahead is long, but so is our strength. Be like water.  Journaling prompt: After listening, what burden do you need to release into the water -- and what hope do you want to carry forward on its flow? ––Rev. Moya Harris, Director of Racial Justice, Sojourners The Truth and Action Roundup is compiled by Sojourners staff: President: Rev. Adam Russell Taylor Director of Racial Justice: Rev. Moya Harris Senior Research Associate: J.K. Granberg-Michaelson Senior Adviser and Director to the President’s Office: Elizabeth Denlinger Reaves Chief Program and Impact Officer: Bryan Epps Political Director: Chad V. Stanton Director of Congregational Outreach & Education: Rev. Andrea Saccoccio Associate Editor: Josina Guess Mobilizing and Policy Assistant: Miriam Tellez Senior Director of Marketing: Sandra Sims Copyright © 2025 Sojourners. All rights reserved. Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842