How Mamdani sparked our political imagination, the latest Supreme Court rulings, and the strategy behind Michelle Obama's style.

Plus: Five accounts to follow to stay informed about the conflict in Sudan.

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Good morning and happy Sunday from Pittsburgh, as I perform my third solo magic show at Liberty Magic! Any readers from Pittsburgh here? Would love to hear your favorite things to do in this sweet city.

Today’s newsletter is full of long reads to cozy up to on a cool fall day. I hope the wave of Democratic wins brings you encouragement to keep fighting for the future we deserve.

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In solidarity,
Nicole
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Sudanese students hold up their country's flag during a protest against attacks on residents of El-Fasher, a city that fell into the hands of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on October 26. In Khartoum, November 3, 2025. Photo Source: Ebrahim Hamid / AFP

Nearly 400,000 people are starving in Sudan. This week, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared that regions of war-torn Sudan are in a famine, facing catastrophic shortages of food, water and medicine.

A famine declaration requires that three criteria must be met:

  • At least 20% of households face "catastrophe," meaning, "an extreme lack of food that ... leads to acute malnutrition and mortality."

  • At least 30% of children under five suffer from acute malnutrition, or wasting.

  • At least two of every 10,000 adults die each day from non-traumatic causes

Because all three thresholds must be met to trigger a famine designation, many people may be starving well before phase five is reached. Read more in NPR >

To stay informed about the latest unfolding in Sudan and how you can help, here are five social media accounts to follow, led by journalists, activists, and local organizations.

Yousra Elbagir

@yousraelbagir on Instagram

A Sudanese–British journalist, writer and, Africa correspondent for Sky News sharing stories of joy, horror and resistance from the frontlines.

AlMigdad Hassan

@almigdadhassan0 on Instagram

A news correspondent at Al Arabiya Network in Sudan providing local news with English subtitles to get a direct view of reporting.

Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA)

​​@sudanese_american_physicians on Instagram

A non-profit humanitarian organization led by Sudanese healthcare professionals in the U.S. reporting and amplifying stories from the ground.

Yassmin Abdel-Magied

@yassmin_a on Instagram

Sudanese–Australian screenwriter adn novelist who often shares how those of us abroad can take action.

Sara 

@bsonblast on X and Instagram

An activist who posts daily updates on what’s unfolding in Sudan on Twitter and longer videos on Instagram.

New York Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during an election rally with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) at Forest Hills Stadium on October 26, 2025 in the Queens borough of New York City. Photo Source: Andres Kudacki / Getty Images

Mamdani ignited NYC’s political imagination. Grassroots work can make it real. Free child care and buses will take collective action to achieve–and a grassroots movement is gaining momentum. Truthout >

Supreme Court temporarily blocks full SNAP benefits even as they'd started to go out. The court granted the Trump administration's request to block full SNAP food benefits during the government shutdown, even as residents in some states had already begun receiving them. NPR >

Here’s where the FAA is cutting flights because of the shutdown. With the Thanksgiving travel rush weeks away, the cuts will hit some of the busiest airports in the U.S. — including in AtlantaDallas Fort Worth. Axios >

Our racist, terrifying deepfake future is here. A faked viral video of a white CEO shoplifting is one thing. What happens when an AI-generated video incriminates a Black suspect? That’s coming, and we’re completely unprepared. The Nation >

This district built on a civil rights legacy has gone months without representation. The Houston congressional race is heading to a runoff after no single candidate secured 50% of the vote in Tuesday’s special election. Capital B News >

Less than a year into the Trump administration, queer-serving organizations are pushed to the brink. The Rainbow Youth Project, the Trevor Project, and other groups providing mental health services to LGBTQIA+ youth report a massive rise in need. Prism >

Supreme Court blocks transgender people from updating passports. Advocates warn the decision barring transgender people from changing their gender markers will cause "irreparable harm." 19th News >

Gaza’s students kept studying amid the rubble. Now universities hope to rebuild. Palestinian students learned remotely, with flickering internet, through two years of Israel’s genocide. Now universities need funding to rebuild. The Intercept >

Alaska’s public schools serve as emergency shelters. Those buildings are also in crisis. Across hundreds of Alaskan communities, public schools are often the safest buildings where people can take shelter during disasters. After decades of state neglect, however, some have become emergencies themselves. ProPublica >

Climate change made Hurricane Melissa way worse. The research group World Weather Attribution found that human-driven warming increased the tropical cyclone’s maximum wind speeds by 11 mph and extreme rainfall by 16%. Grist >

Stories from people in the midst of struggle and reclamation

“I Don’t Feel Safe.” Trump’s Memphis Safe Task Force promised to focus on violent criminals, but after being stopped for no apparent reason, residents are concerned that they are being racially profiled and harassed. ProPublica >

“I’m in prison. My opera was performed at Carnegie Hall.” Inside Sing Sing, Joseph Wilson turned his twenty-five-year sentence into music fit for one of the world’s greatest stages. InQuest >

“Israel still controls over half of Gaza — including the rubble of my home.” Shahad Ali shares the latest unfolding in Gaza and her community’s deep desire to return to their lands. Truthout >

Conflict Evolution 101

Tuesday, November 18 | 3-5pm EST

Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. Through hands-on practice and scenario work, we’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety.

Rupture and Repair

Wednesday, November 19 | 3-5pm EST

Learn how to navigate moments of tension and conflict as they arise in professional settings. Participants will learn practical, real-time strategies for de-escalating situations, intervening effectively, and rebuilding trust after moments of rupture. We’ll develop a personalized toolkit for addressing workplace tensions while maintaining cultural awareness and psychological safety.

Why Michelle Obama wore that. During her years in the White House — and since — people obsessed over her style. That was strategy. The Cut >

The family that Miss Major built. Tre’vell Anderson deftly honors how the legendary trans Stonewall trailblazer lives on through the family and legacy she left behind. them >

BioLab fires, corporate greed, and environmental injustice in Georgia. The disastrous effects of the chemical lab’s September 2024 explosion stretched far beyond Rockdale County lines. Scalawag >

Stop Cop City’s deep roots. For 150 years, Atlanta has endured racist policing that has served the interest of the city’s economic elite. The fight to resist this “Atlanta way” goes back just as far. InQuest >

That’s all for this week! Did you learn something new? Appreciate a new insight? Consider helping make this newsletter sustainable:

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