This week the Good News came at me from all directions. CeCe organized a lawn and yard beautification project for someone she met in the grocery store where she works. CoCo wants to save the post office. And fathers, step-fathers, fathers-to-be, fathers-in law, and grandfathers were celebrated everywhere.

Here’s a rundown of the top three things in the media that gives me joy this week.

Civil Rights are for LGBTQ+, too.

I’m not sure what I’m happiest about: The vote was 6-3, Neil Gorsuch wrote the opinion, or that everyone is protected under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Wait. Of course, that last part makes me the happiest.

Here’s what Gorsuch wrote, in part:

“An employer who fired an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex.” …”Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision, exactly what Title VII forbids.”

NBC News

Makes sense to me. Thank you Supreme Court for restoring my faith in you. Now if you can please do something about corporations as people, please.

Beauty out of Chaos

Flint, Michigan activists, students and artists from the Flint Public Art Project helped the city become the first in the state to invest in street art, using funding from the city’s Community Foundation.

“The message for us was just unity,” said Joe Schipani, the executive director of the Flint Art Project. “The community always comes together to support everybody. That’s just what Flint does.

NY Times

Good News to see Flint highlighted as a community caring for each other. Good News that young people are keeping the spirit of activism alive.

The NY Times article features what Detroit is doing post-demonstrations to assure that the Black Lives Matter momentum remains vibrant and present.

Dreamers can stay (for now)

On a local level, A recent graduate breathed a sigh of relief that she can stay in the only place she knows as home. At least for a while.

“The decision is so emotional for me,” said Odalys Cordova Gonzalez. It makes me feel like… we belong in this country.”

Northwest Herald, June 20, 2020

Odalys came to our community when she was 7 years old. Odalys just finished her freshman year of college. She wants to be a lawyer.

The Supreme Court ruled that Donald Trump improperly ended the DACA program in 2017. The door is still open to end DACA using legislation. For now, Dreamers are protected.

I have some more good news, but I’ll save some for next week. Hint: thanks to stay-at-home orders, we discovered more insect species.

What’s on your good news radar this week? More is always better.