Resist & Rising Together Weekly: Good News and Progress from the Resistance
Friends, if you need a reminder that good things are still happening in this country and around the world, I’ve got some good news for you!
This week, judges stood up for voting rights, the government acknowledged that free speech cannot be used to exclude people from public events, immigrant advocates secured a meaningful court victory, and workers won contracts that put more money and protections in their hands. And the good news doesn’t stop at our borders.
These victories didn’t fall out of the sky. People organized, challenged abuses of power, stood together, and kept showing up.
There is still so much worth believing in. And the people are still rising.
🗽 Wins for Freedom Over Fascism
Federal judge strikes down administration’s voter-roll policy.
On October 9, U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan ruled against a Justice Department policy to collect state voter rolls, compare them with federal immigration data, and seek removal of voters identified as potentially ineligible. The court found the policy violated federal legal protections and exceeded federal authority. Voting-rights advocates challenged the system because database errors could put eligible citizens at risk of removal. Spokesman Review
Why this is a win: Voters deserve accurate records, privacy, and protection against wrongful disenfranchisement. The ruling checks a dangerous expansion of federal power, although further appeals remain possible.
Government acknowledges that criticism cannot bar people from public events.
In a court filing made public October 6, federal officials confirmed that Maine activist Amanda McGonigle, creator of the CatsOnACouch social media accounts, must be treated like other registered attendees at official vice-presidential events. McGonigle had challenged her exclusion after criticizing Vice President JD Vance online. The government also acknowledged that protected political expression cannot be grounds for excluding attendees. ACLU
Why this is a win: Your First Amendment rights do not disappear because powerful politicians dislike what you say. McGonigle’s legal challenge produced an explicit government commitment protecting participation and dissent.
🫶 Wins for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Federal court restores a critical immigration application process.
On October 8, immigrant-rights advocates announced that a federal court had blocked an administration policy preventing detained immigrants from completing required fingerprinting and other biometric steps in pending immigration applications. The policy had put people seeking humanitarian protections, including survivors of trafficking and domestic violence, at risk of losing access to lawful relief. National Immigration Project
Why this is a win: People should not lose their chance to seek legal protection simply because they are being detained. The court’s order restores an important procedural pathway while the legal dispute continues. Advocates and attorneys made this protection possible by challenging an administrative barrier with real human consequences.
💗 Wins for Reproductive Freedom for All
Maryland’s new emergency pregnancy-care protections take effect.
Maryland’s new law establishes requirements for hospitals treating emergency pregnancy-related medical conditions, including circumstances in which termination of pregnancy must be available. Maryland General Assembly
Why this is a win: Patients experiencing dangerous pregnancy complications gain clearer legal protections for emergency medical care.
✊ Wins for Labor Rights
Congressional staff secure a historic union agreement.
Staff in Representative Ro Khanna’s congressional office have ratified the first long-term union contract for congressional staff. The agreement includes a higher salary floor and a mechanism for revisiting wages if the office receives increased funding. The milestone comes four years after House staff gained the right to organize. Representative Ro Khanna
Why this is a win: The people who keep congressional offices running deserve workplace protections too. This agreement shows how organizing can change working conditions even within institutions where union representation is relatively new. It provides a meaningful example for other congressional workers considering collective bargaining.
Professional soccer players ratify stronger workplace protections.
The AFL-CIO is reporting that members of the United Soccer League Players Association, affiliated with the Communications Workers of America, ratified an agreement after two years of bargaining. The union identified year-round contracts, minimum wage standards, and employer-paid health insurance as central priorities of the negotiations. AFL-CIO
Why this is a win: Professional athletes are workers, and their ability to organize matters. Their solidarity helped secure an agreement intended to make careers more stable and strengthen players’ voices.
There is still so much worth believing in.
Courts are checking abuses of power. Workers are winning stronger contracts. Communities are defending clean air, land, and climate protections.
These wins did not happen because powerful people suddenly decided to do the right thing. They happened because ordinary people stood together and demanded better.
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Get the information you need to make your No Kings Vote Early voting plan, understand early voting options, and know what to expect before you cast your ballot. Make a plan, check the details, and be ready to vote early.
📢 Check out A Complete Guide: No Kings Vote Early - October 17, 2026
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Can’t find an event near you? Bring one to your community. Gather your neighbors. Help make sure every voice is heard.
Progress happens because people refuse to give up.
Friends, every one of these victories tells us something important.
When voters and advocates challenge unlawful policies, democracy grows stronger. When our communities insist on fair procedures, fundamental rights gain protection. When neighbors organize to defend the environment, decision-makers have to answer for their choices. And when workers stand together, they can turn shared demands into better wages, benefits, and security.
Not every victory is permanent. Not every court battle is over. And there is still so much work ahead.
But the lesson from this week is clear.
We are not powerless. We are not alone. And progress is still possible.
Power belongs to the people who show up, speak out, stand together, and build the power to hold our leaders accountable to the people they serve.
Laurie Woodward Garcia
(paid with hugs and kisses, not bought by special interests)
Leader, People Power United
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I feel this sigh of relief seeing this email, even with the continuing struggles.
These wins are heartening. All is not lost yet!