Truth and Action Roundup 9.26.25

View this email in your browser Welcome to the Truth and Action Roundup, your reliable weekly source of information, inspiration, and opportunities for action during the second Trump administration.  Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to continue receiving it. This week has seen the Trump Administration suffer a setback in its attempt to silence its critics with Jimmy Kimmel’s return to late-night television on ABC. Although companies like Sinclair and Nexstar still refuse to air his program, the outcry from artists who have declared their refusal to work with Disney, along with protests organized by labor unions, petitions from people across the country, and public defense of free speech by leaders throughout civic society, plus the cancellation of subscriptions and visits to parks, all contributed to ABC reversing their initial decision to yield to pressure from the Administration.    While this high-profile targeting managed to rally widespread support for values and institutions, it is our responsibility to defend them for everyone. A unified and shared response is essential as we defend everyone under threat, especially as more vulnerable targets are unjustly fired, overtly targeted, and threatened for exercising their rights.    This means we must be clear-eyed about what we’re seeing from the Administration. If we want to defend our institutions successfully, we must protect everyone with the same vigor and passion we’ve shown for high-profile figures like Jimmy Kimmel.    As Christians, we must passionately raise our voices for the students, professors, writers, and journalists who have been targeted simply for speaking out. Moreover, we must be honest–many of those targeted have been persecuted simply because they hold an identity that is considered antithetical to Christian nationalism.     One must consider the firing of former Washington Post writer Karen Attiah for her social media posts that both condemned political violence and expressed her disagreement with his views. Attiah was the last full-time Black opinion writer on staff at the Washington Post. She is fighting back from her firing, and it is our sincere hope that she receives the same support we’ve seen in holding ABC accountable. If we are to build a broad front against authoritarianism, then we must support everyone. That means we cannot break away and conveniently abandon our neighbors, regardless of who they are. In the News The potential for a government shutdown at the end of the month appeared to increase:  Donald Trump canceled a meeting with congressional Democrats meant to reach a spending agreement, claiming it could not “possibly be productive” and blaming Democratic demands for any shutdown.   Trump will have broad leeway to make spending decisions during a government shutdown, such as deciding which agencies and offices to keep open until a funding agreement is reached.   As Israel continued its assault on Gaza City, it faced increasing international pushback:  Israeli forces advanced deep into Gaza City, striking hundreds of targets and killing dozens, including 11 people from 2 families in a residential building, according to local health authorities.   Countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and Australia, recognized a Palestinian state at the United Nations, bringing the total number of nations that have done so to 160.   Microsoft terminated the Israeli military’s access to technology it was using for mass surveillance of Palestinians.   An Italian workers’ strike in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza brought thousands into the streets and caused disruptions across the country on Monday.   Trump’s deportation regime continued its cruelty:  Democracy Now! and the Miami Herald reported that about two-thirds of detainees held at the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration jail in July have disappeared from ICE’s online database, leaving families unable to locate them.   At least two flights that deported people to Africa this month used military cargo jets with their transponders turned off, making them nearly impossible to track.    We saw new and continued signs of authoritarian overreach throughout society:  The Trump administration continues to target educational institutions, with the Department of Health and Human Services recently accusing Harvard University of civil rights violations.  People across multiple sectors of society have lost their jobs or faced other professional consequences for comments they made about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.    Trump labeled the antifa movement a “domestic terrorist organization,” despite the fact that no such designation exists in U.S. law and despite the antifascist movement having no hierarchical organizational structure. Take Action We’re running campaigns advocating for DC Statehood and calling for a boycott of Chevron due to their ongoing work in Israel.  The USDA intends to end its hunger report in the United States. The Food and Research Action Center is calling on Congress to intervene. You can click here to email your congressperson.   African Communities Together has released a series of short animated “Know Your Rights” videos translated into various languages, which may be helpful here.  What We’re Reading "Jimmy Kimmel in the Lion’s Den” | Disrupt the narrative of fear and, pretty soon, you’ve written a whole new story. (By Tyler Huckabee)    “Ministering to —and learning from—those with dementia” | The more people know about Alzheimer’s disease, the more they know that they have one, two, maybe 10 people in their congregation who have Alzheimer’s disease. (By Jenna Barnett)  Deep Breaths  This week’s reflection was written by our Policy and Action Fellow, Trinity Williams. We are grateful for her unique voice to guide us in this moment. –Rev. Moya Harris  During my time as a student organizer, I often saw myself as someone who encouraged others to prioritize their self-care. I’d ask daily: “Have you eaten?”, “How much did you sleep?”, “Are you keeping up with your assignments?” – all while going to bed past midnight most nights, missing meals throughout the day, and overwhelming myself with responsibilities related to my academics. How did this happen? I clearly understood the importance of self-care enough to hold others accountable, but why not myself?    One day, I finished facilitating an event and was talking with a fellow organizer while I cleaned up the meeting space. After sharing how unbearably overwhelmed I felt, she said something to me that I will never forget. She shared a metaphor comparing movement work to a harmonious choir. Like any choir, no voice can sustain itself completely on its own; throughout the song, each member must catch their breath. However, these gaps created by breathing are never heard by the masses, because all the voices continue even as individuals pause.     To me, the most important aspect of this metaphor is the symbiotic relationship between community and self-care. In moments of persisting and resisting through the constant stream of unprecedented events, it’s essential to find moments to breathe. Remember that the communities you’ve built or find yourself in will cover you.    What strikes me most about this metaphor is the concept of breathing. Breathing is self-sustaining. It revitalizes you. The breath tells your body that you are still alive. I learned quickly that when overwhelmed, we often feel as though we are running out of breath. Therefore, we should never feel guilty for taking small moments to center ourselves, take deep breaths, and remind ourselves that we are alive.    No matter where you may fall within the Social Change Ecosystem, may this metaphor be a constant reminder that you gain nothing from working yourself beyond a functioning capacity. I pray we all take our moments to breathe among the divine chorus we harmonize within. I pray against the concept of hyper-individualism that may paralyze us. We are meant to rely on others just as we rely on forces beyond ourselves.     Trinity Williams, Policy and Action Assistant, Sojourners The Truth and Action Roundup is compiled by Sojourners staff: President: Rev. Adam Russell Taylor Senior Research Associate: J.K. Granberg-Michaelson Digital Content and Community Specialist: Kassandra Tapia Chief Program and Impact Officer: Bryan Epps Political Director: Chad V. Stanton Senior Program Director: Rev. Moya Harris Digital Education and Outreach Specialist: Cortnie Brooks Policy and Action Assistant: Trinity Williams Senior Director of Marketing: Sandra Sims Donate Subscribe Copyright © 2025 Sojourners. All rights reserved. Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842