Hey y’all, I wanted to start with an update on Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who is still in the hospital recovering from injuries he sustained last week after a Kenosha police officer shot him seven times in the back in front of his sons. Up until a few days ago, Blake was also handcuffed to his hospital bed and guarded by officers, despite being paralyzed from the waist down. Blake’s family refuses to “play politics” in their search for justice, and they marched with thousands this weekend to demand police accountability. This week has also been marked by fatal shootings at protests in both Kenosha and Portland, a concerning escalation in violence between demonstrators on opposing sides.

You can join in demanding #JusticeForJake by texting JAKE to 55156.

Let’s Do This,
Ben, Editor-in-chief

Quiz: How Can Your Vote Affect Education in the US?

Answer 4 questions to see how your vote can improve life for students this back-to-school season and beyond.

Over 200,000 new voters have registered through DoSomething since the midterms. One big reason: young people’s votes can make a huge impact on student health & safety, school affordability, the job market for recent grads, and more. Take the quiz to learn the true power of your vote.

“As a person of color who has been fortunate enough to receive a good education, I feel that it is important that I do whatever I can to help other BIPOC have the chance to receive a good education as well,” says DoSomething member Cayla, 17. “The statement on your website ‘the color of your skin or your family’s income shouldn’t determine your well-being’ really encouraged me to donate because it is a statement that I fully believe in since it's necessary to have good hygiene so that you can perform in the classroom at your full capability.”

“This campaign is very important to me not only because I'm a healthcare worker but because I tested positive for COVID-19 and know how it feels to be sick and in quarantine,” says DoSomething member Alejandro, 21. “Thankfully I had family that could drop off essential things like food and personal care items. Unfortunately there's people out there that don't have that family support or can’t afford it because they lost their job or are having to pay for medical bills. Therefore it is time for those who have not been affected greatly by Covid-19 to step up and help those who are less fortunate.”

Join Cayla and Alejandro by donating cleaning and personal care items to help students stay healthy and perform their best in school.

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We started our morning... with this segment from Good Morning America about how our members are helping each other cope with stress during the pandemic.

Here’s how you can help… folks impacted by the wildfires in California, Hurricane Laura in Louisiana and Texas, and the derecho in Iowa and the Midwest.

Remembering Chadwick Boseman… Kerry Washington, Barack Obama, Viola Davis, and several others are paying tribute to the late actor and star of Black Panther.

Meet seven young activists… fighting at the intersection of environmental and racial justice (written by Addison, a DoSomething Summer Ambassador)!

Our Head of Campaigns, Genisha… was a star on a panel discussing the impact the DoSomething community has made on mental health.

This week in Black joy… on Women’s Equality Day, Atlanta announced a plan to build a monument of Coretta Scott King.

#Vote2020: How to vote as a student on Election Day. Click to learn how.

More Amazing Impact From the DoSomething Community!

We asked you to brag about the amazing stuff you’re doing, and you did not disappoint. Here are some of our favorite answers from the DoSomething community. (Psst...submit yours here!)

“I curated a podcast to promote social change and impact alongside donating over 580 meals so far to Feeding America. Perhaps my favorite episode was recorded with Genisha Metcalf and understanding the process behind the scenes at DoSomething.org.”

- DoSomething member Zayn, 16, United States

“Me and three friends started an organization called The Re-Write It Project. We take old donations, upcycle them, then send them out to underprivileged schools in the Chicagoland area. We also take monetary donations and earned $2,000 on our GoFundMe in the past week!”

- DoSomething member Raina, 15, Illinois

“I've been sewing masks since March and have made 500+ (and counting) that I have donated to multiple hospitals, schools, and local police departments.”

- DoSomething member Anna, 16, Arkansas