News worth celebrating in April.

Before we celebrate, let’s review yesterday’s disappointing Supreme Court decision. In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled that states may not use race as a factor in redistricting, allowing states to draw maps that likely diminish minority voting power. Callais v. Louisiana will likely affect how other states approach redistricting in the months ahead, and rolled back decades of progress made by civil rights activists for Black voting rights. Here’s how you can meet the moment:

1. Follow and support these voter rights organizations working in Louisiana:

• Voice of the Experienced, a grassroots organization founded and run by formerly incarcerated people (FIP), families and allies that builds power through community organizing, policy advocacy, and civic engagement.

• Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, a coalition of community-based organizations that does voter engagement and community organizing work to mobilize voters on the ground.

• League of Women Voters of Louisiana, which works to raise awareness, boost voter registration, and advocate for women voters in the state.

2. Review your state and district’s political maps, and research the history of that decision-making. Here’s a helpful overview of how redistricting and gerrymandering work, and here are some steps on how to address them where you live.

Studies show that Americans are building cross-racial ties despite narratives of division. The Brookings Institution's Interracial Cooperation in the United States report and the National Collaborative for Health Equity's Heart of America Survey, both released in April, found that 72% of adults have at least one friend of another race. Among adults aged 30 and under, 35% are in interracial relationships, compared with 14% among those 70 and over. Spokesman-Recorder >

Maryland and Alabama expand voting access for people with felony convictions. Maryland's HB115 would automatically register voters upon their release from prison. Alabama's SB24, signed by the governor, requires the Board of Pardons and Paroles to provide accessible information on the rights-restoration process and notify the secretary of state when rights are restored. Sentencing Project >

Detroit murder convictions vacated over coerced confessions. At least six homicide convictions tied to former Detroit interrogator Barbara Simon have been overturned or vacated, with more expected. Roy Blackmon was released on March 31 after 27 years; the University of Michigan Innocence Clinic is reviewing additional cases. CNN >

US appeals court rejects Trump’s immigration detention policy. In a 3-0 ruling, the court stated that the Trump administration misread a decades-old immigration law to justify mandatory detention. This will likely take the case to the Supreme Court. Al Jazeera >

Trump administration withdraws appeal, securing historic victory for libraries and IMLS. On April 6, the federal government withdrew its appeal of a ruling against the dismantling of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. A settlement reached on April 9 between ALA, AFSCME, and the DOJ keeps IMLS operating. American Library Association >

White rhinos return to Uganda's Kidepo Valley after 43 years. For the first time since 1983, southern white rhinos are back in Uganda's Kidepo Valley National Park, where poachers wiped out the entire local population four decades ago. Two have been transferred to the area from Kenya, and more are on their way as conservationists work to restore a species that was once entirely lost from this landscape. Reuters >

Virginia bars domestic abusers from firearms, funds survivor services. HB19 and SB160 prohibit people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence from possessing firearms; HB1233 and SB329 fund the state Sexual and Domestic Violence Victim Fund through a $500 fee on certain convictions. Days after Governor Spanberger signed the package, former Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax shot his estranged wife, Cerina, and then himself in their Annandale home on April 16. Virginia Mercury >

EU court strikes down Hungary's anti-LGBTQ law. On April 21, the EU's highest court ruled that Hungary's "homo-propaganda" law violates EU law. The decision invalidates years of state-mandated censorship of LGBTQ content. SGN >

An all-female slate wins Goldman Environmental Prize. Six women received the prize, a first in its 36-year history. The winners come from Nigeria, South Korea, the UK, Papua New Guinea, the United States, and Colombia. Al Jazeera >

Pennsylvania court affirms reproductive autonomy. On April 20, the Commonwealth Court ruled that the state constitution includes a fundamental right to abortion. The 4-3 decision struck down Pennsylvania's Medicaid coverage exclusion as sex-based discrimination. Feminist Majority Foundation >

Four museums cleared to return sacred objects to tribes. The Denver Art Museum, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Providence Museum of Natural History, and Kalamazoo Valley Museum filed NAGPRA notices with April effective dates. The notices cover sacred objects, funerary items, and objects of cultural patrimony.

We Need Diverse Books Wins LA Times Innovator's Award. The nonprofit accepted the prize at the LA Times Festival of Books for its work in increasing representation across children's and YA publishing. The recognition lands during a year that saw a record 4,235 unique titles challenged in US libraries. We Need Diverse Books >

Survey: Gen Z is shedding mental health stigma. UnitedHealthcare's fourth annual Young Adult & College Student Behavioral Health Report, released April 28, found 37% of Gen Z is receiving professional mental health treatment, the highest rate of any generation on record. APA's Healthy Minds Poll, out the same month, found 38% of Americans entered 2026 planning a mental-health-related resolution — up five points from the previous year. UnitedHealth Group >