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Apropos of nothing in particular, I want to congratulate the NBA. They were the first pro sports league to shut down over the coronavirus pandemic, which was instrumental in helping to shock people into believing it was real. Then, when they restarted play, they put together a complex and wearying “bubble” in Florida that successfully prevented even a single player from becoming infected. And through it all, they allowed their players to use the second half of the season to fight for social justice both on the court and off.

I don’t know what their motivations were for all of these things. Maybe they were righteous, maybe they weren’t—though NBA commissioner Adam Silver has certainly said all the right things. But it doesn’t really matter. One way or another, they ended up doing the right thing and setting an example for everyone else to try to follow. They deserve kudos for figuring how to do the right thing on the fly, under trying circumstances.

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LET’S TALK ABOUT OPTIMISM FOR A CHANGE

Democracy and journalism are in crisis mode—and have been for a while. So how about doing something different?

Mother Jones did. We just merged with the Center for Investigative Reporting, bringing the radio show Reveal, the documentary film team CIR Studios, and Mother Jones together as one bigger, bolder investigative journalism nonprofit.

And this is the first time we’re asking you to support the new organization we’re building. In “Less Dreading, More Doing,” we lay it all out for you: why we merged, how we’re stronger together, why we’re optimistic about the work ahead, and why we need to raise the First $500,000 in online donations by June 22.

It won’t be easy. There are many exciting new things to share with you, but spoiler: Wiggle room in our budget is not among them. We can’t afford missing these goals. We need this to be a big one. Falling flat would be utterly devastating right now.

A First $500,000 donation of $500, $50, or $5 would mean the world to us—a signal that you believe in the power of independent investigative reporting like we do. And whether you can pitch in or not, we have a free Strengthen Journalism sticker for you so you can help us spread the word and make the most of this huge moment.

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