The Meteor

"The reason that people are seeking to oppress you is not because you are weak or fragile. It's precisely because you're powerful and tremendous." At this year’s Ford Foundation Free Future event to prevent gender violence around the world, ALOK Vaid-Menon shared their perspective on what it means to live as your fullest, freest self—even in the face of opposition. #TDoR This video is part of the #FreeFuture series from the Ford Foundation and The Meteor.

“It was like, Baby isn’t going to make it…and neither are you.” At 24 years old, Tamara Costa and her husband Caleb were raising a toddler, and delighted to have another child on the way. But then they learned that the fetus was missing its skull and that many of its organs, including the heart, were outside its body. There was no way the baby would survive the pregnancy—but Alabama’s strict abortion ban wouldn’t allow termination. And because Alabama’s attorney general has also threatened to use an 1896 law to prosecute anyone who gives a patient information about how to travel out of state, Tamara Costa was left without guidance; her doctor, she says, simply handed her a sticky note with a phone number and the words “Planned Parenthood Chicago” written on it. Chicago is 580 miles from Huntsville, Alabama. Tamara and Caleb made the trip, terrified, and she finally received care in Illinois. But her diagnosis—a partial molar pregnancy—could have been deadly; the condition can lead to multiple organ failure and even cancer. In an exclusive story, the Costas spoke to?The Meteor?about how the state they call home abandoned them. And?Julianne Escobedo Shepherd?reports on Alabama’s draconian laws, which have created an atmosphere of confusion and fear between doctors and patients. This film and story are part of the ongoing United States of Abortion series, produced with Firebrand and?Obstetricians for Reproduction Justice, with support from?Pop Culture Collaborative. Read and watch more here: https://lnkd.in/eCDssg4M

It was an incredible day at #FreeFuture24, all devoted to the global work against gender-based violence. As many reiterated throughout the day: This problem is *solvable *. Some of what we heard: ? The Ford Foundation’s Darren Walker reminded us that “the issue of gender- based violence is personal.” ? And we learned that firsthand when Former Vice Mayor, City of Hallandale Beach, FL, Sabrina Javellana, FRA-RP shared her gutting story of having deepfakes spread of her. ? Later, Tarana Burke urged us to “tell a different story” about survivors, one where we eradicate violence. ? And Danai Gurira asked us to “amplify the women who have refused to be broken and see a future we all need to follow.” An inspiring day of sharing and imagining a better future together. Free Future 2024 was hosted by Ford Foundation in partnership with UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, UN Women, Skoll Foundation, and The Meteor. #ungaxford #unga #freefuture24 #skollfoundation #endGBV #untf Photos: Monnelle Duckie.

We’re going to the DNC! Emerge and The Meteor are partnering up for The Power Lounge! Join us for two days of conversations with legislators, actors, activists and comedians...you don't want to miss this! Planning to be in Chicago? Join us at McCormick Place on Wednesday (8/21) and Thursday (8/22)! Not going to be in Chicago? Be sure to sign up for the livestream at the link and check back here for all of our coverage! https://lnkd.in/gRjGF6Xg Excited to see you there and online!

The Meteor is hiring! We are looking for a skilled and mission-driven?Social Media Editor?who will lead execution and engagement for our social media channels. Is this you or someone you know? Please spread the word and encourage your networks to apply at: [email protected]. https://lnkd.in/eAGMJNyr

??New podcast alert! Our country has always been a hot mess. But now, between political rage, peak polarization, and climate crises, it’s quite literally on fire. This low-key mid-apocalyptic moment has raised a question for Tony-winning writer/performer Sarah Jones: America, Who Hurt You? Bookended by the debates, dialogues, and hilarious digressions of Sarah’s cast of characters, this podcast puts America on the therapist’s couch to hold up a loving but accurate mirror to our country as we try to save democracy—or at least stop doom-scrolling. Plus: we’ll have some of the smartest people we know stop by to unpack it all, including Laverne Cox, Krista Tippett, Ai-jen Poo, and Jane Fonda. Don’t miss this!? The first two episodes drop July 17th, so subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eZJMUvG6 Special thanks to Pop Culture Collaborative!

In New York on July 9th? Please join our very own Cindi Leive and Samhita Mukhopadhyay, along with Galina Espinoza, EIC of Flow Space, to talk about redefining ambition and female success! RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/gq5MrAxe

Two years ago today, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. But the Dobbs decision has had an impact far beyond American borders. ? ? “The U.S. is a norm-setter,” explains Giselle Carino, executive director of Fòs Feminista, an organization working for sexual and reproductive rights in 40 countries. “If the U.S. keeps putting money to emulate Dobbs in other countries, the consequences on women’s lives will be shattering.”? ? Carino, along with activists, doctors, and patients from four other countries sat down with writer Mariane Pearl as part of the Ford Foundation's #FreeFuture series to discuss the ripple effects of U.S. abortion law on the fight for reproductive justice around the world.? ? And while the consequences have been dire, there are reasons to be hopeful. Globally, “there is a great critical mass on the frontlines—reproductive rights activists resisting the limitations of civil liberties,” says Carino. “I want to tell American women that we are ready. We have faith in our ability to stand together because our struggles are connected.”? Read more about the global impact of Dobbs: https://lnkd.in/g6C8QaqJ

??”Let’s light some fires,” says Amanda Zurawski.?? The Texas woman—who was denied lifesaving abortion care in 2022—lent her name, and the last year and a half of her life, to a lawsuit fighting her state's cruel ban. In Zurawski v. State of Texas, the court had heard from 20 women who, like her, had been refused help while experiencing pregnancy complications—women who had hemorrhaged, been forced to carry babies without skulls, or nearly died. And yet, last week, the justices still ruled not to change or amend Texas’s law, which has forced doctors to deny patients vital medical care out of fear of prosecution. The decision was heartbreaking for Zurawski, who notes that the ruling didn’t even bother to name most of her fellow plaintiffs. “They don’t even look at us as human beings,” she says. But she’s also motivated—and determined to make change, noting the fact that three of the justices on the Texas high court are up for reelection. And, as she tells?Cindi Leive?in our newsletter today, she's exploring a run for office. “Zurawski ’26 is probably something you’ll see.” Read their full conversation: https://lnkd.in/eJbq-8tT

Michelle Obama kept telling White House social secretary Deesha Dyer she had to tell her story. When you read this interview, you’ll understand why. Dyer talks to Rebecca Carroll about the imposter syndrome of going from community college to the White House, about her abortions—which she included in the book because they’re “a normal thing," and her hopes for Black women: “Can we just exist?” (And don’t miss her retelling of *that* moment Melania Trump handed Michelle Obama the Tiffany box at the White House: “I’m going to be for real. I don’t think Mrs. Trump had a clue…about the protocol. I think she was shocked to be there. I think they were both shocked to be there for all four years.”) Read the full interview in our newsletter, and subscribe so you don't miss an issue! https://lnkd.in/g8JrJT5G