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The 19th is an independent, nonprofit newsroom reporting at the intersection of gender, politics, policy and power. https://19thnews.org/newsletters

In this Republican bastion, angst over Texas’ public education system has helped fuel Gina Hinojosa’s campaign, giving voters here one of the most competitive governor’s races they’ve seen in decades.

Conservative moms are fed up over Texas schools. For Gina Hinojosa, it’s an opening.

Democrat Gina Hinojosa is a mom who got into politics because of education, an issue that’s helping give Texas its most competitive governor’s race in years.

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I've written a few stories for @19thnews.org recently about currently or formerly incarcerated women who described the harms they faced in U.S. jails and prisons, and have fought for new laws, policies and resources to improve conditions for others. I want to share their stories with you 🧵

Over 95,000 Black women are currently missing in the U.S., according to 2025 National Crime Information Center Data. Minnesota's effort to raise awareness of this issue came when Gov. Tim Walz designated September as Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls Month. https://bit.ly/4yfyRgj

Text on a blue background: "40% Forty percent of domestic violence victims in Minnesota are Black women despite making up just 7 percent of the state's population. The state declared September as Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls Month." Source: Minnesota Missing and Murdered African American Women Task Force.

Since 2022, the Lioness Justice Impacted Women’s Alliance has worked to empower communities to challenge harmful practices in the criminal legal system. This week they got a major win, after a judge ruled that Texas must air-condition all prisons by the end of 2029.

The ‘lionesses’ who sued to get air conditioning in every Texas prison — and won

A group led by formerly incarcerated women spent years advocating for those trapped inside prison walls during Texas’ hot summers.

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Texas’ highest criminal court rejected an appeal from prosecutors seeking to reinstate the 2018 conviction of Crystal Mason, meaning the Fort Worth woman will not have to serve a five-year sentence for casting a provisional vote in 2016 while on supervised release.

Crystal Mason prevails in fight over illegal voting conviction

The court ruling means the Texas woman will not have to serve a five-year sentence for casting a provisional vote in 2016 while on supervised release.

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Kwaneta Harris’ crash course in menopause came in her late 40s, while she was incarcerated at a Texas state prison. She quickly understood that menopause care in prison is mired in a lack of resources and timely treatment options. This reality set her to find her own solutions.

In a Texas prison, Kwaneta cultivated a menopause support network from scraps of paper

The incarcerated population is getting older, but correctional facilities lag in menopause care. Kwaneta Harris is working to fill the gaps in women's prisons.

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[A] legacy of silence meant that Harris’ crash course in menopause came in her late 40s, while she was incarcerated at a Texas state prison. For 3 years, Harris experienced a litany of confusing ailments: shoulder pain, memory loss, heart palpitations, thinning hair and mood swings. @19thnews.org

In a Texas prison, Kwaneta cultivated a menopause support network from scraps of paper

The incarcerated population is getting older, but correctional facilities lag in menopause care. Kwaneta Harris is working to fill the gaps in women's prisons.

19thnews.org

Through tears, Stella Carlson sat in front of lawmakers and described watching as federal agents fatally shot Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January. Carlson testified at an emotional hearing Tuesday alongside family of people killed during immigration enforcement operations. https://bit.ly/4ryQMfK

A person speaks into a microphone at a formal hearing. Text overlay of a quote reads, “Alex [Pretti] made a choice to be righteous, kind, and brave, to stand up for his neighbors being assaulted in the street, and then they shot him, again, and again, and again.” Below, attribution text reads, "At an emotional hearing Tuesday, Stella Carlson, the nurse who witnessed Alex Pretti’s death, testified about his final moments in front of lawmakers alongside others impacted by immigration enforcement."

In 2025, women working full time were paid 84 cents for every dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic men. That’s the narrowest gap in history, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data. It seemed like a win for gender equity, until you look at the data for Black women. https://bit.ly/46FFa0O

An illustrative image shows a figure on a raised platform, attempting to bridge a gap with a red ladder between two descending staircases. The background is orange. Text reads, "The 19th* The gender pay gap is shrinking — but not for Black women.

Transgender voters in Kansas! I want to talk about your plan to vote this November — are you not voting, out of ID/safety concerns? Voting by mail? Getting registered to vote? Doing in-person advance voting? Text me on Signal @orionr.80 or DM me! I'm a trans reporter working at The 19th News.

Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon, who won the Democratic nomination for a U.S. Senate seat in an August primary upset, can now focus on her upcoming election without having to deal with potential prison time.

Angie Nixon, Democrats’ pick for Senate in Florida, resolves case over Capitol protest

Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon was arrested in May for refusing to leave the Capitol while attempting to meet with Gov.  Ron DeSantis about a redistricting plan that favored Republicans.

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1/ Bringing home a bundle of joy in America today unleashes a digital onslaught of advertisements pushing products and services that target mothers most fiercely, with a clear promise: The gadget that will solve all your parenting puzzles is just a click away. Co-published w/ @washingtonpost.com:

You’ll do anything for your baby. The algorithm knows how to exploit that.

In the mega-consumption era of parenthood, the internet tells new moms that products can solve the hardest parts of having a newborn. All they have to do is add to cart.

bit.ly

The algorithm is good at showering new moms with ads & influencer videos, making them believe that the gadget that will solve all their parenting puzzles is just a click away. Of course they hit 'add to cart.' This is the billion dollar industry behind your mom-guilt: 19thnews.org/2026/09/moth...

You’ll do anything for your baby. The algorithm knows how to exploit that.

In the mega-consumption era of parenthood, the internet tells new moms that products can solve the hardest parts of having a newborn. All they have to do is add to cart.

19thnews.org

One in six Filipino women surveyed after the Maui wildfires said they felt forced into "survival sex" for food and housing. It's a pattern that repeats, yet Trump's FY2027 budget cuts funding to survivor orgs. A new bipartisan bill aims to add DV resources to FEMA's response. From @19thnews.org.

Could Disaster Recovery Include Protecting Women From Domestic Abuse and Exploitation?

Proposed legislation would strengthen FEMA’s response to gender-based violence, an issue advocates say is often overlooked after natural disasters.

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The teen girls who flocked to Broadway last year to experience the angst of “John Proctor Is the Villain” seem to have started a movement: The show tops the list of most-produced plays in America this year, according to a new survey from American Theater magazine. https://bit.ly/4hhUDZL

The image shows four students energetically interacting in a classroom setting. They appear excited and are laughing, with chairs and desks scattered around. The walls feature educational posters, and a large chalkboard is visible. The text overlay mentions that "Teen girl rage will be on stages across America" and refers to "John Proctor is the Villain" as a major play for the season. The 19th logo is at the bottom.