Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Follow Us:
Top Stories

Podcast: How Democrats can harness grassroots energy

Podcast: How Democrats can harness grassroots energy

The Democratic Party saw a surge in grassroots activism after the 2016 election, after George Floyd's murder, and most recently after the Dobbs decision. However, the party seems to be sticking to the same old playbook of fundraising emails and text messages, rather than building long-term organizational power.

This episode’s guests explore why that is and how the Democratic Party can use grassroots momentum to build and expand coalitions. Lara Putnam is professor of history at the University of Pittsburgh and previously appeared on the podcast ahead of the 2018 midterms. Micah L. Sifry is the founder of Civic Hall and writes The Connector newsletter on Substack.


https://open.spotify.com


Read More

Preschool children playing with colorful shapes

Childcare providers warn that Trump administration rollbacks and rising costs are pushing America’s fragile child care system toward collapse, leaving families and workers struggling to survive.

Lourdes Balduque / Getty Images

America Keeps Turning Its Back on Childcare; Families are Paying the Price.

Earlier this month, the Trump Administration sent a clear message to American families: child care is a personal problem, not a public responsibility.

The president’s executive order repealed federally mandated provisions that helped stabilize the child care industry after the COVID-19 shutdown. Without these safety nets, more programs will close their doors. What little federal support childcare providers had was already inadequate. I know this firsthand because, after three decades in the child care field, I was forced to face a harsh reality and close my doors.

Keep ReadingShow less
Six Emerging Journalists Selected as 2026 Summer Fulcrum Fellows

2026 Summer Fulcrum Fellows

Six Emerging Journalists Selected as 2026 Summer Fulcrum Fellows

The Fulcrum is proud to announce its six Summer 2026 Fulcrum Fellows, a cohort of emerging journalists who will participate in the organization’s 10‑week training program focused on solutions‑focused reporting and narrative complexity. The fellowship, which runs June 8–August 14, 2026, is part of The Fulcrum’s national NextGen initiative to expand opportunities for young reporters and strengthen journalism that moves beyond polarized storytelling.

The program—developed in partnership with the Latino News Network (LNN)—provides mentorship, newsroom experience, and publication opportunities for fellows committed to community‑centered reporting. The Fulcrum and LNN’s continued collaboration emphasizes elevating underrepresented voices and culturally nuanced storytelling.

Keep ReadingShow less
Medicaid Cuts Could Threaten Key Student Services at IL Schools

Monique McClure is a single parent to four children, two of whom rely on Medicaid-funded school services.

Photo courtesy of Monique McClure

Medicaid Cuts Could Threaten Key Student Services at IL Schools

Medicaid-funded school services are a lifeline and financial necessity for Monique McClure, a single mother of four, and her two children with learning disabilities.

Trent and Trenity, McClure’s 9-year-old twins, participate in a range of Medicaid-funded programs at their respective schools in Belleville, including speech, occupational, and developmental therapies.

Keep ReadingShow less
Activists march across Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Activists march across Edmund Pettus Bridge on May 16, 2026 in Selma, Alabama.

Jason Davis / Getty Images

Racism & MAGA-Gerrymandering—Combating the Noxious Mix

There is an old saying: If anyone insists something definitely is not about money; it is definitely about money. The Supreme Court’s right-wing majority claims that its recent election districting rulings are not about abetting racism or siding with MAGA politics, but they are definitely about both.

The Court’s recent Louisiana v. Callais decision cynically demands that anyone challenging election districts as violating the Voting Rights Act must “disentangle race from politics” and show that intentional racial discrimination, rather than politics, was the motivator when minority communities are divided and segments are placed into majority white districts.

Keep ReadingShow less