The Newsletter of the Deeds Not Words Community

Sydney,

There's no doubt about it: there’s a lot of uncertainty and anxiety happening in communities across the world right now. Over the past several weeks, we’ve seen a pandemic sweep across the world and impact our very own communities, loved ones, and our very own lives. What we’re going through is unlike anything many of us have seen in our lifetimes. 

The spread of COVID-19 has shown us one thing: Our systems are broken. Systems that are supposed to protect our most vulnerable, including the elderly, incarcerated, undocumented and unhoused, have faltered, leaving people struggling and suffering at this time. Right now, we need to practice global solidarity by confronting this crisis head-on and protecting the lives of those around us by limiting the spread of this disease as much as possible. It’s also time to hold our elected leaders accountable and push for progressive policies, like paid sick leave for people to stay home with their families, accessible and affordable healthcare for sick people, the protection of worker's rights for those on the frontlines in hospitals and homes, and more. We elected these officials so they can protect our communities, even in the most difficult of times, and we must ensure that they are fulfilling the duties of their jobs. 

We’re uncertain of when this crisis will end, but it’s up to us to flatten the curve, by being safe, aware, and treating everyone with kindness and compassion, and working collectively to push through this to reach a better and brighter tomorrow. 

Later in the Digest, we’ll share some resources on how you can assist communities across the country, including our Changemakers, who are impacted the most during this pandemic. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and if you have any questions for Team Deeds, please feel free to reach out to either of us. 

Thank you for your support and stay safe,

Claudia & Amber

This week, we’re inspired by our Changemakers at the UT-Dallas Deeds chapter, who a couple of weeks ago, organized a counter-protest against an anti-choice group that was pushing dangerous rhetoric towards students on campus. The Deeds chapter made their voices heard and let other students know that abortion is okay — and nobody should be shamed or stigmatized for making a choice about their own body. Amazing job @utd_deeds! 💜

Here’s what’s also inspiring us:

• Student Journalists Are Still Reporting on Coronavirus After Schools Shut Down
• 5 Native Women Leaders Who Made History
• A University of Chicago Student Explains How Coronavirus Mutual Aid Efforts Came Together on Campus

#Changemaker of the Week: 
Deeds Not Words Campus Organizers

Our Changemaker of the Week goes out to all of our Campus Organizers, who have faced a lot of changes in the last couple of weeks due to the coronavirus. Graduations have been canceled or postponed, students have had to rush to move off-campus, jobs have been lost, and more. It hasn’t been easy for our Campus Organizers, but we are in awe of their resilience and desire to continue to push for change, even if they’re not on campus. As we’re shifting our organizing goals, we’ve seen creativity, excitement, and a willingness to learn about how to become digital organizers during this time. We have a group of smart, strong, and dedicated youth advocates and we’re proud to stand with you all. 

We see you, Changemakers!