April 11, 2023

If you're a long time Reckon fan, you probably know the Reckon Report as a portal to the best of Reckon every week. 
 

We've grown a lot and added exciting new ways for you to read our work. We've added a daily reporting team to cover the news most important to our readers.  
 

We introduced Matter of Faith, a newsletter about the intersection of faith, sex and politics — three subjects that you're not supposed to discuss at the dinner table. 
 

We added Reproductive Justice with Becca Andrews, who guides us through conversations about abortion and family through a lens of reproductive justice, a concept pioneered by Black women.  

Plus, Black Joy now has a team highlighting inspirational stories about African American communities across the U.S., including with all-new social accounts on Instagram and TikTok.  
 

With all these new ways to get involved with Reckon, we wanted to refocus the Reckon Report. 
 

Starting today, April 11, the Reckon Report will focus on one important story, and give you the tools to be smarter on the issue and offer resources on how to learn more or get engaged.  
 

Guided by our own Aria Velasquez, each Reckon Report newsletter will: 

• Define the issue 
• Provide historical context 
• Tell you why it's important 
• Introduce you to the people engaging on the topic  
• Provide ways for you to get involved 
   

We hope that you find this format helpful and share with your friends.

Feel free to contact me with questions and ideas at rnave@reckonmedia.com.

Abortion is going to court. Again.

Last Friday, a federal judge in Texas, Matthew Kacsmaryk, handed down a ruling halting the FDA's approval of mifepristone, one of the two drugs the agency has approved for medication abortion.

That same day, a federal judge in Washington State, Thomas Rice, issued an injunction to the contrary, which prohibited the FDA from removing mifepristone from the market.

Is this giving you whiplash? Well, to throw another wrench into things, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) tossed out his thoughts on the matter. Wyden said he believes the agency has the authority to ignore the ruling out of Texas and urged the FDA and the Biden Administration to do precisely that.

A quick look back...

If you're feeling a sense of déjà vu about abortion and the Supreme Court, you're not alone. It hasn't even been a year since the leaked SCOTUS opinion in the Dobbs case upended decades of precedent and set the stage for the judicial showdown that stands before us.

Looking back further than just under a year ago, it's worth noting that mifepristone has been on the market for more than 20 years. Think back to the end of the Clinton Administration. What were you doing then? Wearing shiny pants and blue glittery eyeliner? Listening to the Backstreet Boys' Millennium album? Worrying about Y2K? That's how long mifepristone has been available in the US.

Why it matters...

It should go without saying that this isn't just about abortion. It's part of an ongoing assault on reproductive justice, bodily autonomy and human rights in America. Control of a person's reproductive ability also means control of their health, their ability to participate in society, their financial freedom... the list goes on.

Who to read/watch/listen to...

1. Obviously our own Becca Andrews is going to top my list
2. Andrea Grimes, who was my introduction to a lot of readings on reproductive health and justice when I was in college
   
3. Caitlin Cruz, senior writer at Jezebel
4. Andrea González-Ramírez, senior writer at The Cut

Headlines that turned my head this week...

• Clarence Thomas and the Billionaire — This story has everything: potential judicial misconduct, a secretive billionaire with a dictator statue garden, and now a congressional inquiry! (ProPublica)
• The Cook County sheriff is stopping lawyers from bringing documents to clients in jail — The county sheriff's office claims that they're trying to prevent drug overdoses, but defense attorneys are crying foul. (WBEZ)
  
• Festival Syndromes — In recent years, Ghana has been marketing itself as a welcoming place for the Black (American) diaspora. But what does that mean for Ghanian citizens when their home turns into an American vacation playground? (The Baffler)

Got something you want me to dive into next week? Let me know at avelasquez@reckonmedia.com.

That's all I've got for this week! I hope you like the new look.

Thanks for reckoning with me,

Aria

Reckon    |    1731 1st Avenue North    |    Birmingham, AL 35203

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