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November 24, 2024

Weekend Edition: “Decolonizing” Thanksgiving, COP29, misconceptions on crime, and how companies are preparing for deportations.

Readers Answer: How are you reimagining Thanksgiving?

It’s easy to understand reimagining Thanksgiving, but harder to make it happen. Individuals are usually the vocal minority, and often without the authority to change the schedule for a holiday plan. Here’s how readers like you have changed their approach to Thanksgiving. Have more ideas? Go to the web version of this article and leave a comment. I’ve provided action items with other resources so you can do the same.

Remember, reimagining Thanksgiving isn’t only about the day itself, but shifting our relationship away from dominant and colonizing ideas to honoring the wisdom and experiences of those impacted. Let your efforts bring you closer to the efforts of Indigenous communities worldwide to remember their past and preserve their cultural practices.

“Last year, my teenager came home from college and flat-out refused to celebrate Thanksgiving "the old way." Instead of getting defensive (okay, I did at first), we decided to really listen.

Together, we learned that our house sits on Mohawk land. We visited the local cultural center and spent a two days learning about Mohawk traditions, agriculture, and their ongoing struggles with land rights. It wasn't always comfortable - it really made me realize how sanitized my kids' textbooks were about local history – imagine what else it’s missing if this story is so close to home. But it led to the most real conversations we've ever had as a family.

My daughter's working with her younger brother on a family history project, mapping how our European ancestors got here alongside the stories of who was here first. My husband, who used to roll his eyes at "politically correct" stuff, has been reading about Three Sisters farming and planned our garden differently.

Just wanted to share, because this change has brought our family closer in ways I never expected.”

-Rachel M.

“This might not fit your prompt, but, we’ve moved away from the traditional Thanksgiving as taught. Instead of continuing the traditional practice, we’ve made Thanksgiving a practice of gratitude. When we started it a couple years ago, I had each of our family members research different ways people in different cultures express gratitude. Since then, we’ve started to learn the best ways to express gratitude to each other, and the things in life we usually take advantage of.”

-Carissa L.

“Each year, I’ve been challenging myself to make one dish native to different Indigenous cultures from around the world. I’ve started with Western African dishes to honor the background of our own family, but want to keep exploring the Native heritage of all our future guests. It’s taught me about the food, but also, how recipes reflect how cultures have been oppressed or exploited. I’m a terrible cook so they don’t come out great, but I still feel proud at the end.”

-Abisha R.

“Our little family (just me, my partner, and our teenager) picks a different Indigenous nation to learn about each November. Last weekend we learned about the Hopi - their farming methods, their ceremonies, their ongoing work to protect their water rights. Instead of doing the usual meal this year, we're using our vacation days to visit the Hopi reservation and cultural center during Thanksgiving break.”

-Chloe R.

• Support Native communities in the U.S. You can donate directly to support Native students on DonorsChoose, or buy from Native-owned shops for your holiday gifts.

• Consider ways to “decolonize” your Thanksgiving dinner – here are some tips.

• Advocate for Indigenous history and culture in your school’s curriculum. Here’s some tips – and some great lesson plans you could explore at home with your family this weekend.

• Support a Land Back initiative in your community. I’ll be sharing more about this later this week!

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

How abortion rights groups are preparing for the next Trump administration. Abortion rights groups are pivoting away from ballot initiatives and starting to go on defense. 19th News >

Zionism has no place in our reproductive health, rights, and justice movements. For Jewish people working in the repro movement, their dedication to anti-Zionism is informed by the very same values that inform their commitment to reproductive justice. Prism >

POLITICS

Harris lost support from women overall — but not women over 65. Preserving Social Security and caregiving were decisive factors in their support for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. 19th News >

House approves “nonprofit killer” bill, most dangerous domestic anti-terrorism bill since the Patriot Act. The House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that would empower the Treasury Department to revoke the tax-exempt status of any nonprofit it deems has provided material support to a terrorist organization. Democracy Now >

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

A white man pleads guilty in the shooting of a Black teen — but not for killing him. The recommended six-month sentence is the latest chapter for an Ohio county whose history is fraught with injustices. Capital B News >

‘The wildest show in the South’: Spectacle and suffering at America’s biggest prison. The annual Angola rodeo offers both a rare glimpse of humanity and a sobering reminder of the racism driving America’s culture. Capital B News >

Oakland homicides dropped 30 percent. The county still recalled its prosecutor. After losses like Pamela Price’s, criminal justice reformers are grappling with how to address voters’ perceptions about public safety. The Intercept >

TRUMP TRANSITION

Trump’s mass deportation plan can’t happen if U.S. military members resist it. Trump plans to use the military to enact the mass deportation of immigrants. The article’s writer, a veteran, emphasizes what power military members have in response. Truthout >

Immigration and LGBTQIA+ advocates alarmed by Donald Trump’s cabinet picks. With both immigrant and LGBTQIA+ communities at the forefront of political debates, the stakes for the future of these groups are higher than ever. Prism >

Companies with immigrant workforces are preparing for raids. Companies that depend on labor from migrants and immigrants are planning how they’ll respond to Trump’s claims of forced deportations. Bloomberg >

CLIMATE

Can Earth support a human future? Maybe, if the rich consume less. Due to their extravagant habits, the richest 1 percent produces more greenhouse gas than half the global population. Truthout >

Climate change made all of this year’s Atlantic hurricanes so much worse. A new analysis finds that the storms’ wind speeds increased by up to 28 miles per hour, boosting their destructive power. Grist >

Climate activists protest as COP29 closes in on a “bad deal”.  The COP29 presidency has released a draft text that calls for a $1.3 trillion in annual climate financing by 2035, but it only obligates rich countries to provide $250 billion of it. Protestors at COP29 on Friday say that amount falls far short of what’s needed. Democracy Now >

GAZA

‘Protect the climate for whom?’: Palestinians highlight Gaza at COP29. Advocates and officials argue that consequences of Israeli siege are inextricably linked to tackling the climate crisis. The Guardian >

44,000 have died in Gaza during Israel-Hamas war, and 104,000 wounded. More than half of the fatalities are women and children. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. PBS >

Israeli strikes kill 20 Palestinians in Gaza, some in attacks on tents, medics say. Israel is being accused of using starvation as a war tactic as groups say too little food is being allowed into Gaza. And making the problem even worse, armed gangs are looting much of the aid that is coming in. NPR >

Bernie Sanders lost vote to block arms for Israel, says U.S. Is “funding the starvation of children in Gaza”. Sanders’s resolutions to block arms sales to israel gained momentum, but ran headlong into White House opposition. The Intercept >

LABOR

Whole Foods workers file for first-ever union, defying Amazon. Workers in Philadelphia say they’re tired of being treated like robots. In These Times >

Organized Labor Is Key to Governing Big Tech This article outlines the role of labor unions in other industries and how a unionized tech industry could protect users from harmful AI and create more accountability that benefits everyone. Lawfare >

A Conspiracy of Dunces “The real crime is collective action, expressed creatively.” This article compares the cases against protestors at Cop City and musician Young Thug to outline what’s considered “evidence” of a crime, often misconstruing cultural references. Lux >

Segregation academies (yes, you read that right) in Mississippi are benefiting from public dollars, as they did in the 1960s. ProPublica identified 20 schools in the state that likely opened as segregation academies and have received almost $10 million over the past six years from the state’s tax credit donation program. ProPublica >