The earliest worker protections? Almost always came from unions, not laws.

During the "freedom of contract" and "yellow dog contract" eras—when unions were often functionally unlawful and enjoyed next to no legal protections even in the best of circumstances—we still saw huge movements among workers. Including but not limited to the Colorado Coalfield War, the Newsboys Strike in NYC, and the railroad strikes that still get talked about a century later.

2/

#politics

Colorado has now enshrined a right to abortion in our state constitution

We have laws in place to protect people coming here for an abortion or to start gender affirming care, including for teenagers starting puberty blockers

Can the federal government go against this? Absolutely, but it is much, much harder than in a state like Florida

These local protections _matter_. Having your city have anti-discrimination laws _matters_ even if they are stripped from you at a federal level

3/
#politics

Mutual aid organizations are not "passing around $20 on social media to people you barely know." Mutual aid organizations—like Food not Bombs—have a very long history in the US of helping a lot of people in a very local capacity.

Same with a lot of local religious groups. The difference between having a local community that accepts you and will protect you versus one that doesn't is massive.

4/

#politics

It won't save everyone and yes, we are not free until all of us are free, and also: that should not mean that you cannot accept saving some people or making their lives easier.

Or, in the worst cases, giving them more time.

We are not free until all of us are free just means that the work doesn't stop. It means that when you lift someone up they are now in a better position to help lift someone else up in turn.

Think locally. Politically, socially. Get fine-grained here.

5/5

#politics