Welcome to our Current Events page! This is your go-to space for staying informed, reflecting, and engaging with the issues that matter most to our community. Here, we’ll share updates on social justice, women’s rights, campus initiatives, and other news that intersects with diversity, equity, and inclusion.
This isn’t just a place to read! It’s a place to think, discuss, and act together. We encourage you to comment, ask questions, and share your perspective on the topics posted here. Every voice adds depth and insight to our conversations.
Woman shot and killed at the hands of a federal ice agent
By: Kiya Yohannes On Wednesday morning, a 37-year-old mother, Renee Nicole Good, was shot and killed at the hands of a federal ICE agent. Federal reports coming from the White House, as well as President Trump via social media, state that the incident was an act of self-defense, while local officials like Mayor Frey and…
texas tech’s DEI ROLLOUT
By: Emily Hill, December 8, 2025 Texas Tech University is making headlines after rolling out new rules that change how professors can teach about race, gender, sexual orientation, and identity. According to the new policy, if a class wants to cover topics related to race or gender, or even show course materials that touch on…
climate summit 2025: promises and progress
By: Emily Hill, December 8, 2025 The 2025 UN Climate Summit wrapped up this week, and even though these meetings usually get a mix of excitement and eye rolls, this one actually felt a little different. Leaders from around the world showed up with a sense of urgency that has not always been there in…
OU’s Dr. Abedini
By: Emily Hill, December 8, 2025 Last month, people at the University of Oklahoma were shocked when Dr. Vahid Abedini, an assistant professor of Iranian and Middle Eastern Studies, was arrested by federal immigration agents while boarding a plane at Will Rogers International Airport. Dr. Abedini had a valid H1B visa, which should have allowed…
live at ou: faith v. curriculum
By: Emily Hill, December 8, 2025 The University of Oklahoma is getting a lot of attention right now because religious beliefs, class expectations, and campus rules are all bumping into each other. The situation started when a psychology student got a zero on an assignment after she quoted the Bible and argued, based on her…
state of texas v. dei
By: Emily Hill, December 8, 2025 On July 24, 2025, Glass Lewis and ISS, two major companies that advise investors on how to vote in corporate elections, sued the State of Texas over a new law. This law would make it harder for them to give advice on topics like diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) and…
mamdani 2025: a voice for the people
By: Emily Hill, December 8, 2025 Zohran Mamdani winning the 2025 NYC mayoral race is a big deal, and not just because he’s young. At 34, he’s the youngest mayor the city has had in a long time, and the first Muslim and South Asian heritage mayor in NYC. For a lot of people, his…
When Library Shelves Lose Their Diversity: 2025 Texas Book‑Ban Ruling
By: Jayla Moore, December 8. 2025 The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal in a controversial case from Llano County, Texas, leaving in place a ruling that allows the removal of 17 books from public libraries- many of which explore themes of race, gender, sexuality, identity, and belonging. The dispute began when local…
Equity at Risk: What the Loudoun County Lawsuit Means for Transgender Students
By: Jayla Moore, December 8, 2025 Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the Loudoun County School Board in Virginia. The suit argues the district’s policy allowing transgender students to use locker rooms matching their gender identity violates the constitutional and First Amendment rights of other students. When inclusive policies…
A classroom crisis: ou’s battle over gender-identity
By: Jasmine Weng, December 8, 2025 The media reports that the University of Oklahoma has placed a graduate-level instructor on administrative leave after a student’s essay, which rejected the concept of multiple genders on Biblical grounds, was graded as failing and triggered a formal complaint of religious discrimination. • Most notably, the student’s essay described…
Virginia Tech’s ALARMING DEI Rollback
By: Jasmine Weng, December 8, 2025 The Cardinal News reports that Virginia Tech has enacted substantial cuts to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) infrastructure, reductions that now total more than $8 million, following the passage of Virginia’s new public-university budget requirements and the broader political movement to restrict DEI programs statewide. • Most notably,…
Campus Initiative: Jester West Brings Back Free Period Products for Residents
By: Pallavi Gorantla, December 8, 2025 Jester West Hall residents now have easy access to pads, tampons, and liners without having to worry about paying thanks to Jester West Hall’s official return of its free period product program. The hall council decided to reinvest in this service, which came back on October 27. This was…
Supreme Court Allows Texas Voting Map to Stand
By: Pallavi Gorantla , December 8, 2025 Newly approved congressional map faces ongoing scrutiny. What the Ruling Does The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed Texas to use its newly drawn congressional voting map for the 2026 election cycle. The ruling overturns a lower federal court’s decision to prohibit the map after it was determined that it…
AI: A Cold War
By: Isabella Diaz-Ayala, December 8, 2025 An all-too-familiar tech race resurfaces as a direct result of the boom in artificial intelligence. The U.S. and China compete to monopolize this burgeoning industry, with China aiming to lead computer vision and facial recognition by 2030. Following the release of ChatGPT in 2022, America dominated the leaderboard, prompting…
Russia’s Pitch to Monetize Peace
By: Isabella Diaz-Ayala, December 8, 2025 A recently leaked 28-point plan for Ukrainian peace reveals a controversial decree from President Trump, calling for Ukraine to surrender eastern territories, scale back its military efforts, and indefinitely abstain from NATO membership. In a quiet Floridian home, real estate mogul Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Russian…
rewriting the hub program: who gets left behind?
By: Cathy Gomez, December 6, 2025 The State of Texas has overhauled its 30-year-old Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) program: under emergency rules issued December 2, 2025, the program is being rebranded as Veteran Heroes United in Business program (VetHUB), and its eligibility criteria have been changed dramatically. • Under the new rules, only small…
the cultural cost of arctic drilling
By: Cathy Gomez, December 6, 2025 The Earthjustice reports that the U.S. Department of the Interior under the Trump administration is aggressively moving to open vast, pristine regions of Alaska’s Arctic lands, many never before industrialized, to oil and gas drilling. • Most notably, the administration has opened the entire 1.56-million-acre Coastal Plain of…
Texas Braces for a Landmark Decision on Work Rights for DACA Recipients
Texas’ Looming “State-Only DACA” Decision Texas is once again at the center of a major immigration debate as a long-awaited court ruling could create what some experts are calling a “Texas-only DACA.” The case challenges the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and specifically questions whether Texas must continue recognizing work permits issued to…
Campus Quiet Hours… for the First Amendment?
Texas’ New Campus Speech Law Faces Legal Challenge A new Texas law aimed at regulating campus conduct is drawing national attention and a lawsuit. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a nonpartisan civil-liberties organization, has filed suit against the state, arguing that the law effectively bans most forms of student expression after 10…
A Fourth Abbott Term? What Texans Should Know Before Heading to the Polls
Gov. Abbott officially announced that he is running for a fourth term as Governor of Texas in the 2026 election. If re-elected, he would become the longest-serving governor in Texas history, surpassing his predecessor’s 14 years. In his announcement, he framed the campaign around continuing conservative “common-sense” leadership, lowering property taxes, boosting education, and strengthening…
ut on the fence with the trump compact
The Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” has ignited significant debate across U.S. universities, including the University of Texas at Austin. This initiative offers preferential federal funding to institutions that adopt a set of conservative-leaning reforms. While many universities have declined the offer, UT Austin remains notably silent, raising questions about its…
From Harvard to UT: How politics are influencing education
The Slow Defunding of Public Education and Harvard’s Stand Around the country, public schools, community colleges, and universities are beginning to feel the bite of sweeping cuts to education funding from the federal government. What once was a relatively stable (if always contested) partnership between Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, and state or local…
hozier makes important statement at acl 2025
This past weekend at Austin City Limits, Hozier reminded us why art and advocacy still walk hand in hand. What started as an evening of music became a moment of alignment; a demonstration that music festivals are not just for escapism, but also for conscience. During his headlining set, Hozier paused to speak with intentional…
Palestinian Leader Goes Virtual at UN
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the United Nations General Assembly virtually this week after the U.S. revoked his visa, a move that has sparked widespread international criticism. The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to permit Abbas to deliver his speech via video link. This decision came after the U.S. State Department revoked the visas…
over 1200 immigrants missing in florida
More than 1,200 detainees held at Florida’s controversial immigration processing center, colloquially known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” have vanished from federal records, according to reports from the Miami Herald and El País. The facility, located west of Miami, has been the subject of multiple lawsuits and allegations of mistreatment since its opening in July 2025. By…
#Freebenandjerrys
Ben & Jerry’s has long been more than just an ice cream company. Founded in 1978 by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in Burlington, Vermont, the company built its identity on a strong mission of social justice, community, and activism. Over the decades, it has become a case study in how brands can align with…
Understanding Recent Texas Immigration Policies During Hispanic Heritage Month
As we observe Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, it’s an opportune time to reflect on the evolving landscape of immigration policies in Texas and their impact on our communities. Senate Bill 4: A Turning Point in State Immigration Enforcement In December 2023, Texas enacted Senate Bill 4, empowering state law enforcement…
Texas Sweethearts DEI Forum 