ROAD TRIP ARIZONA: Palestine, Immigration Brutality, Abortion Healthcare, Tohono O'odham Civil Rights Lawsuit... Plus, some good news
Arizona, we love you
Hey there,
Jenn here. Thank you SO MUCH for your patience as I got settled in to my new apartment in Baltimore after completing my road trip (California to Maryland - 40 hours of driving!). I’ve updated the stories I’ll cover here so they are up to date. These stories are really under-covered and deserve attention! Plus, we all need some good news in these times, so I’ve included those too and will continue to do so as part of the mission of Courage News.
It’s time for Arizona! This was such a beautiful stop.
Arizonans Protest Against Israeli Government’s Genocide of Palestinians During Holiday Parade
Just like across the country, and the world, Arizonans are protesting against the genocide of Palestinians by the Israeli government.
In Tucson, at least 100 pro-Palestinian supporters demonstrated during the Annual Downtown Parade of Lights. This was a high-profile public event used strategically to gain attention for the cause. Reporting by news outlets like KVOA is a good sign that demonstrations like this, when considered as a whole, are gaining attention! Israel has an incredible PR arm but humanity is winning the PR war.
Arizona Supreme Court Debates Abortion
While news of Kate Cox being prevented from getting a needed abortion for a nonviable, health threatening pregnancy in Texas has thankfully made national news, individual, and even statewide, cases are nearly going unnoticed. States like Texas, Ohio, and Florida are dystopian in how they are treating women, and Arizona is having an abortion healthcare rights crisis of its own as the Arizona Supreme Court debates the issue…and issue which SHOULD NOT even be an issue.
The Arizona Supreme Court is debating a case that could reinstate a nearly 160-year-old law banning almost all abortions. There would only be incredibly narrow exceptions for the life and health of the woman. This law dates back to BEFORE IT WAS A STATE–1864– and is rightfully highly controversial.
It mandates PRISON TIME for any medical professional who performs an abortion. AZ’s current law bans abortions after 15 weeks.
This 19th century law directly threatens women’s rights and bodily autonomy. It criminalizes abortions, even those needed for health reasons and on the advice of a healthcare professional (which right-wing whackadoodle politicians and judges are NOT!)
This could set a horrible precedent for other states in this post-Roe v. Wade era.
It’s terrifying and people need to know about it.
Prefer to outright donate at any amount to keep Courage News going? That would be incredible!
To donate to Courage News/keep the lights on (literally!), please visit PayPal.me/content, Stripe Donation Link, or subscribe at CourageNews.Substack.com.
Mental Healthcare Shortage in Arizona (and nationwide)
Gen Z in Arizona are turning more and more to AI Chatbots for mental health concerns due to a shortage of mental healthcare resources.
As of November 1st of this year, Arizona has only met 9% of its mental health care demand (Kaiser Family Foundation report), which is unfortunately growing due to the state of the world and individual circumstances in a world that seems to have forgotten individuals.
Only 23% of students feel there are enough mental health resources.
The use of chatbots raises concerns for some due to potential data security issues and lack of actual human contact. Note from me: I’ve used Youper, an AI chatbot, and feel it can be a good bandaid but I share many of these concerns).
There’s also a concern over the use of AI for relationships instead of youth learning how to form relationships amidst a growing loneliness epidemic.
On the other hand, AI can give people who are desperate for help access to help they might otherwise not have. There’s also potential for those who feel stigma surrounding mental health and are more comfortable using resources like chatbots.
Interestingly, the University of Arizona is in trials with a tool called AIBerry that can help psychologists make diagnoses and reduce paperwork to allow them more one on one time with patients. This is how I personally hope it is used - with human checks and balances all the while.
Arizona GOP’s Ghoulish 2024 Priorities
Senate Republicans in Arizona have released plans for 2024, including getting around Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs, who vetoed a record-breaking 143 GOP bills in 2023.
They plan to ramp up border “security” (major air quotes) by deploying the Arizona National Guard.
Additionally, folks like 2020 election denier Sen. Wendy Rogers plan to introduce legislation to further deny election results they don’e like (…essentially).
Arizona Police Reform
The DOJ is preparing to release the results of a two-year civil rights investigation into the Phoenix Police Department–and they aren’t giving Arizona officals an early copy, to their chagrin.
Their refusal to do so is sort of unprecedented, which I find very interesting.
Over in Tucson, many residents, especially POC and Black residents, fear an increased police presence. Just 4% of those surveyed by Just Communities Arizona support more police involvement and instead want a focus on better housing, mental health services, and schools. (bingo!)
Data shows that the Tucson Police Department is significantly more likely to kill Black and Latino inviduals vs white people.
Family protests Border Patrol killing of Tohono O'odham man as civil rights lawsuit looms
This needs WAY more attention. In Sells, Arizona, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation named Raymond Mattia was murdered by U.S. Border Patrol agents outside of his home this past May.
His family organized a peaceful protest outside of the Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department seven months after the murder to demand justice and accountability, especially given that no police representatives contacted the family after the shooting.
Mattia was shot NINE TIMES by three Border Patrol agents, who fired 38 shots in total. The family maintains that an involved officer had a history of harrasing Mattia and others in the tribe. They believe the PD should not have a policy of calling Border Patrol for backup.
His sister has expressed that she fears retaliation from law enforcement for speaking out and does not trust the police and Border Patrol.
The family plans to sue U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the involved agents, seeking $15 million and a full accounting of what happened. Meanwhile, Federal prosecutors have decided not to file charges against the involved agents.
Edited bodycam footage was released by CBP, raising questions about agents’ assertions that Mattia was armed, despite the footage showing no gun.
Prefer to outright donate at any amount to keep Courage News going? That would be incredible!
To donate to Courage News/keep the lights on (literally!), please visit PayPal.me/content, Stripe Donation Link, or subscribe at CourageNews.Substack.com.
Good News in Arizona!
Black Mothers Forum!
Janelle Wood of Arizona started the Black Mothers Forum (BMF) to address police brutality and work against the school-to-prison pipeline. Awesome!
BMF works to implement microschools, which are small and personalized learning environments that tackle systemic racism and the achievement gap.
Wood hopes to bring these efforts beyond Arizona to become a national movement for educational reform and empowerment.
No More AZ Groundwater to Saudis!
AZ Governor Katie Hobbs is ending leases to a Saudi-Arabian owned farm, Fondomonte Arizona, because of its unsustainable water usage.
Fondomonte has been hugely controversial for its unlimited and free groundwater pumping to irrigate alfalfa, which Saudis would export for their cows.
Saudi Arabia banned growing alfalfa on their own land in 2018…to conserve water. Apparently no care was previously given to our own water supplies and issues (not to mention the fees individuals who aren’t Saudi corporations have to pay).
Governor Hobbs says she wants to protect Arizona’s water and noted Saudis in default on their lease at the same time they excessively took groundwater.
AZ High School Students Raise $10,000 for Their Teacher’s Wife’s Heart Surgery!
High school students in Arizona raised $10,000 for their teacher’s (Mr. Guy) wife’s (Angel Guy) heart surgery! Student Parker Bond led the efforts (Go, Parker!). He said he was motivated by the kindness Mr. Guy had shown them.
Bond and other students started a GoFundMe and met the goal.
Angel Guy was very touched by the students’ efforts.
Let’s all be more like this!
Urban Food Forest in Arizona!
In Tucson, Arizona, there is an urban food forest in the Dunbar Spring neighborhood that has over 100 native, food-bearing plant species!
The project started nearly 30 years ago and provides food for residents and livestock. The tree canopy also helps to cool the streets amidst a growing climate crisis.
Brad Lancaster initiated this to create a living pantry and it now has over 1,700 trees and thousands of understory plants fed by rainwater harvesting.
The food forest has inspired other projects around the world. Tucsons’s own mayor launched the Tucson Million Trees initiative with the goal of planting one million drought-tolerant shade trees to work against the climate crisis.
Amazing!
New Mexico is next! Stay tuned … :)
I am fully independent and can’t report without you! My investigative stories take resources, tools, and time – and, yes, money. I also love doing in-field interviews and in depth reported stories for you (like this one!), highlighting things that matter.
If you value my work and efforts, please sign up for this newsletter (free or paid) - if it is at all financially feasible for you, please join as a paid sustaining member so I can keep going.
Prefer to outright donate at any amount to keep Courage News going? That would be incredible!
To donate to Courage News/keep the lights on (literally!), please visit PayPal.me/content, Stripe Donation Link, or subscribe at CourageNews.Substack.com.