I live in St. Louis, where an arch plays a prominent role in the skyline.
The Gateway Arch was built to represent the gateway to the West – the entrance point for folks eager to travel from an established, known reality to what they considered to be a wild and untamed place, fueled by dreams and hope (and greed and hubris and imperialism).
It’s massive – 63 stories tall. The tram ride to the top takes 20 minutes (or so I’ve heard). From there, you can see up to 30 miles to the east and the west.
If you’ve spent any time in the Midwest, it might seem implausible that a 63-story arch could manage our weather – particularly the gusts of wind that can take your breath away or send your car swerving. But much like the massive trees that dot our landscape, part of the secret to the Arch’s strength is its flexibility.
It’s built to sway, rather than buckle. It’s built to take a blow from the wind, and then return to center. It’s even built to withstand an earthquake. (Luckily, we’ve not tested that feature yet.)
The other night, driving with my son, I was thinking about all of the stresses on us right now, hitting us from every angle and settling heavy on our hearts.
Just then, we came up onto a stretch of highway – and the Arch, all lit up and sparkly, appeared before us.
And I remembered a fact about arches.
To steady an arch, you increase the load.
Paradoxically, increasing the pressure on an arch steadies the structure. It closes gaps between the joints; it forces them closer together.
It makes them lean on one another more completely, intimately. As their connection gets tighter, they get stronger. And, in turn, the arch as a whole can withstand more stress.
The pressure we are under right now is, frankly, unrelenting. You don’t need me to replay the events of the last week, or repeat a few of the most recent anxiety-producing headlines to prove that point. You’re living it, right along with me.
But, at least from where I sit, that pressure isn’t grinding us into dust.
Instead, it seems to be solidifying something – resolve, intention, dedication – and, most importantly, community.
“From what I can see, love is winning,” a friend said gently to me over the weekend. “It’s quieter, but it’s still there.”
She’s right. There are signs now, daily, that the stress and strain is strengthening some connections even while it bruises our hearts. You have to look to see them, but they’re coming from every angle:
At a church service I attended on Sunday, congregants announced a plan to join with another congregation to protest social injustices at a busy intersection. They will be regular, monthly affairs. “Bring your sign!” we were reminded.
Local police in Santa Maria California brought food to farmworkers’ fields to show kindness and compassion and prove that not all law enforcement is out to get them.
On Monday, an enormous protest (seemingly unrelated to planned 50501 events) broke out in front of Trump Tower in NYC.
In response to RFK Jr.’s dismantling of critical health agencies, Democratic governors are exploring how to support public health in their own states. Governor Pritzker is exploring buying vaccines in bulk from manufacturers; another coalition of Blue State governors is planning to coordinate the purchase and distribution of pediatric vaccines.
In response to the firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez, three senior-level CDC officials resigned. As they emerged from headquarters, they were met by a crowd of supportive CDC staffers holding signs of solidarity and literally applauding them. Then yesterday, nine former CDC directors – typically pretty buttoned up folks – penned an Op Ed that in normal times would lead the news. The title says it all: We Ran the C.D.C.: Kennedy Is Endangering Every American’s Health
Over the last few weeks literally hundreds of people have joined our Every State Blue grassroots communities to crowdfund for underfunded Democrats running in Red America. Even more telling, almost every day I’ve gotten an email or DM from someone interested in pitching in to help.
And yesterday, people across the country joined together for Workers Over Billionaires protests. The photos are glorious. (Check some of them out here.)
My friend was right – love is winning, even when it's quieter than the noise trying to drown it out. It's winning in church pews and farmworkers' fields, in governors' offices and crowded streets. It’s winning in every email from someone ready to help, and every hand holding a solidarity sign.
Like the Arch, the very forces trying to break us apart can make us stronger – if we lean on each other.
Lean in, friend.
Let’s get to work.
Actions for the Week of September 2, 2025
Friend, things may be heavy – but you can lighten that load by doing something small – a “small deed” – to bring about the world that you want to see. In doing so we tell the world, the universe, our leaders – and most importantly, ourselves – that we will not go quietly into that good night.
I call it Action Therapy.
That’s why in each Tuesday post I share a few “small things” – usually a Small Thing to Read, a Small Event to Attend, and a Small Call to Make or Action to Take. My intention here is to give you actions you can tuck into your week with ease – and know that you’re doing something today to make tomorrow better.
Join me in doing so. It matters.
Small Things to Read: DownBallot Coverage of Drey’s Win
Last week I talked about the need to run and support candidates everywhere – and then Tuesday night we heard about Iowa mom Caitlin Drey’s flip of an R+11 state senate district (by 10 points!). In doing so, she broke the Republican supermajority in Iowa.
All the common caveats are appropriate – it was a special election, the energy was one-sided, Caitlin is a great candidate and ran a great campaign. But the GOP spent over $160k on the race in an attempt to push their nominee over the finish line.
There’s been a lot of coverage about this race, but one source I love to consult is the DownBallot, because this is their wheelhouse. So check out their coverage here: Iowa Democrats win massive upset to break GOP supermajority.
The Downballot also has the most comprehensive and helpful analysis of the new Texas districts post-gerrymander. I highly recommend checking this out if you’ve been wondering about the ultimate impact: Texas Republicans pass new gerrymander targeting five House Democrats.
Small Call to Make or Action to Take: Fire RFK, Jr.
RFK, Jr. has done what he was hired to do – demolish American public health. While I knew intellectually that he was going to make a go of destabilizing public health, it’s still shocking how much he’s been able to destroy in such little time.
Last week, he tried to fire the Senate-confirmed head of the CDC. He was stymied because since she was confirmed by the Senate she can only be removed by the president. DJT obliged.
In response, four senior CDC officials resigned:
Debra Houry, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science at CDC.
Demetre Daskalakis, MD, MPH, Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD).
Daniel Jernigan, MD, MPH Director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.
Jennifer Layden, MD, PhD Director for the Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology.
Daskalakis penned what is likely the best resignation letter ever, which has been widely shared. But Houry and Jernigan’s resignation letters were also made public. You can read all three here.
And if you’ve not yet, please do read the Op Ed that was written by former heads of the CDC. They do an excellent job laying out why Kennedy needs to go. Read it here.
Senator Bernie Sanders wrote an Op-Ed in the NYT on Saturday calling for Kennedy to resign. Read that here: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/30/opinion/bernie-sanders-robert-f-kennedy-jr-resign-hhs.html
Senator Patty Murray said simply: “we cannot let RFK Jr. burn what’s left of the CDC. FIRE HIM.”
RFK has not been on the job for a year, and already he’s done lasting damage.
This is literally a life-or-death situation for Americans.
It’s time to call your Senators and your Representative to demand the removal of RFK, Jr.
The capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121
Script: Hi, my name is [name] and I’m a constituent from [zip code/city]. I’m calling on the Senator/Congress(wo)man to demand that RFK, Jr. be removed as HHS Secretary. He is undermining public health – and is endangering my health and the health of my family. It is shocking to me that he could continue to dismantle our public health system and Americans’ confidence in that system without any action by the Senator/Congress(wo)man. Even if the Senator/Congress(wo)man didn’t believe that he would undermine public health to this extent when he was confirmed, that he is doing so is now very clear. Fire him.
Small Event to Attend: Phonebank in California! (H/T Rogan’s List)
From Rogan’s List (you should subscribe – excellent people, good friends, and great info!): This week, Activate America launches phone banks for California’s Prop 50, which lets voters redraw congressional districts to counter MAGA gerrymanders in Texas and beyond. The stakes couldn’t be higher: Prop 50 could net Democrats up to five new House seats - enough to balance out the Trump takeover and allow us to flip Congress in 2026.
But the opposition is fierce and flush with cash. GOP megadonor Charles Munger Jr. has already put in $10 million, with Kevin McCarthy working to raise $100 million nationally to kill the measure. Meanwhile, Governor Gavin Newsom’s allies have raised over $11 million to fight back. Voters will be flooded with opposition mailers, calls and flashy ads so we need to speak up and let them know what’s really at stake. Phone banks start Tuesday and Wednesday and run through Election Day, November 4, 2025. We can call from anywhere and training will included. We can find out more here and then sign up to phone bank for California’s Election Rigging Response Act, Prop 50.
Thanks for reading, friend – I’m glad to see you here! You’re making a difference, I promise.
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Thank you both for the imagery and for the reminder where we are growing stronger by responding to hatred with loving solidarity. I'm glad for this invitation to lean in, with trusting shared purpose.
Great action article!