THE WEEKLY PAGE 📝 No. 233
5 things you can do right now + what to read, watch, listen to and enjoy...
I’ve been quite numb for the past week+, but we have no choice other than to put one foot in front of the other and continue the fight forward.
Jessica Valenti from shared a post on Instagram this week that felt helpful and grounding when my head was spinning. It featured 5 things we can do right now, and I’ve typed her suggestions out for you below. Hope they’re helpful.
💵 Donate to an abortion fund or organization: Abortion funds and practical support groups ensure patients get the care they need by providing financial, logistical, travel, and even emotional support. These organizations are in the midst of a massive funding crisis, so consider donating to the one in your state or community. Find one near you at The National Network of Abortion Funds.
💊 Order abortion medication: You do not need to be pregnant to get the pills — you can order advance provision medication just in case you or someone you know needs it down the line. Keep in mind that the priority are those who need the medication right now, and no one should stockpile or hoard the medication. But having the pills on hand is a great way to protect yourself and your community. Learn more at PlanCPills.org or Aid Access.
📱 Protect your digital safety: Consider taking some actions today to protect your digital privacy and safety, such as: turning off location sharing, switch from texting to a secure app like Signal, disable ad ID tracking, use a VPN. Find more resources at The Digital Defense Fund.
⚖ Know your legal rights: Things move quickly and state bans can change day-to-day depending on a court decision. Make sure you know the latest by paying attention to maps like the one at Center for Reproductive Rights. If you need free and private legal advice, you can contact the Repro Legal Helpline.
🤝🏻 Check in with your community: Anti-abortion interests are depending on us being too scared to help each other. We are going to need our communities more than ever, and it’s vital that we don’t isolate ourselves. Make sure the people in your lives and networks know that you’re there to help, give advice, and direct them to resources. Get more help via Abortion Every Day.
📚 READ: Along with Jessica’s advice featured above, I also leaned on this post featuring 10 Ways to Be Prepared and Grounded now that Trump has Won. I especially appreciated number 3, which explains the importance of taking time to grieve.
📺 WATCH: Thankful I was able to get in a few laughs with Aubrey Plaza’s recent film, My Old Ass (although, fair warning…the ending is a bit sad!). Plaza plays the 39-year-old version of Elliot, who travels back in time to give advice to her teenage self. Fun fact: if you were into the show Nashville (I was obsessed!) the young Elliot is played by Maisy Lennon — who played Daphne Conrad! Was fun to see her all grown up. Watch the trailer here.
🎧 LISTEN: I have been not-so-patiently waiting for this new podcast from the creators of Serial to come out and listened to episode one at the gym this morning! The show follows the story of Keiko, the orca whale who played Willy in the 1994 movie Free Willy, and his journey to freedom as the world watched. Definitely planning on a movie viewing this weekend! Listen here.
🧡 ENJOY: Next week we’ll head to Denmark’s mainland for our third annual friendsgiving with friends from college. We don’t usually make a traditional Thanksgiving meal, but a few themed snacks are always a go! This year I’m eyeing this Easy Goat Cheese Appetizer with Fig Jam and Pecans.