📡 On my Radar
The assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University represents a dark moment for American democracy. Political violence has no place in our society, regardless of ideology.
But the aftermath raises uncomfortable questions about who gets to police grief and how institutions respond to tragedy. Hundreds have been fired for social media comments about Kirk's death - from teachers to federal workers. Some of their comments are abhorrent, some distasteful, but almost have some First Amendment protection.
Private companies, of course, aren't bound by the First Amendment.
I can abhor the violence that took your life but I do not have to honor the life you chose to live.
Yet when Attorney General Pam Bondi openly threatens to "go after" those expressing "hate speech," and when government officials pressure employers to fire dissenters, the line between corporate decision-making and state coercion of speech blurs dangerously.
Where were these firings when Democratic officials Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman were assassinated months ago? The silence then versus the actions now reveals how selectively we apply consequences for callous speech.
Current jurisprudence offers little protection against this coordinated pressure campaign. At-will employment leaves workers vulnerable when political winds shift. The real question isn't whether companies can fire employees - it's whether we're comfortable with grief becoming a weapon to silence dissent.
Here’s the kicker: as a staunch believer in the First Amendment I imagine that Charlie Kirk himself would have fought for the right of people to express their beliefs, even if they opposed him.
Democracy requires we condemn violence while protecting unpopular speech. We're failing that test.
📈 By the Numbers
👊🏽 Make a Difference
9 jobs | 1 internship | 1 opportunity | 1 funding opportunity | 1 fellowship
JOB | Jon Bassinger-Flores shares four part-time instructor positions at NYU Los Angeles starting in Spring 2026.
JOB | First 5 LA seeks a visionary Director of Communities to join their Leadership Team and drive equity-centered change for children prenatal to age 5 and their families across Los Angeles County.
INTERNSHIP | Greg Weatherford at The Allstate Foundation is accepting applications for two summer 2026 interns: Youth Empowerment & Strategic Innovations Intern and Allstater Impact & Engagement Intern.
OPPORTUNITY | Stanford Law School Gould Center for Conflict Resolution, ePluribus, and the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution launch the "Clearinghouse on Constructive and Civil Discourse" - a research resource for teaching and learning constructive communication for universities, faculty, students and lawyers.
FUNDING | The Avery Dennison Foundation accepts grant requests year-round to support nonprofits and NGOs worldwide working in high-need communities.
JOB | Friend Laura Rudert shares a Gates Foundation opportunity for a Senior Program Officer in Development Policy and Finance focused on Africa.
JOB (3) | Kathryn Wells shares three positions at the City of Los Angeles' Office of Strategic Partnerships. The team helps drive transformative policies and innovation for L.A.'s recovery from the January 2025 wildfires and preparation for upcoming global sporting events including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
FELLOWSHIP | Good friend
shares that The Gates Foundation opened applications for its first-ever AI Fellows Program. This 12-month, full-time fellowship embeds emerging AI talent into high-impact teams working on health, education, agriculture, and development.JOB | Jaecob Underwood shares that The Lupus Research Alliance seeks a Manager, Institutional Giving for strategic grant writing and relationship building to advance medical research. Role is remote or hybrid for U.S.-based candidates.
JOB | Danish Munir shares that Grey Matter Capital is hiring a Chief of Staff to help scale their impact in the mental and brain health venture space, working across their portfolio of 20+ companies and 45+ founders.
JOB | ASU colleague Marcus Jones shares that their highly ranked School of Public Affairs seeks an inaugural Executive Director for their new Center for Local Government Education and Innovation.
🤓 This is Your Next
Land Rich, Cash Poor: My Family's Hope and the Untold History of the Disappearing American Farmer, by Brian Reisinger
🙌🏽 FairNation
It was an honor working with you for the last 20 years. Rest in power my friend.