We’re proud to announce a $100 million investment to give people a stronger voice in local democracy, one of the largest investments in civic tech to date. Most of the decisions that shape our lives are made there, yet only 15% of Americans believe elected officials care what they think. People across the political spectrum come to Change.org to weigh in on those decisions. This investment is about making sure they're heard. Read more from our CEO, Ben Rattray, by clicking below: linkedin.com/pulse/changeorg…

After San Fernando Valley dad @carlosmcgnarlos posted a video comparing his $3,300 utility bill to his mortgage, he says other Los Angeles residents responded with similar stories. His petition calls for an independent audit of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's rates, tiered pricing and pass-through charges. More than 8,000 people have signed. Petition Link: c.org/nMVNspx6 #electricity #LosAngeles #california

Gypsy Rose Blanchard says her former partner faced years of online harassment before he died last week. Now she's launching a petition calling for Kenan's Law, which would change how social media platforms respond to repeated reports of online harassment. Ken Urker, the father of her daughter, was found unresponsive at his Louisiana home on Oct. 1. His death remains under investigation. The petition calls for social media companies to create new systems, including pattern-based reporting, the ability to submit multiple posts and accounts in a single report, and human review of moderation decisions, to curb repeated cyberbullying and harassment. Petition link: c.org/DV77PqC2 #gypsyrose

Thousands of Cornell students, faculty and supporters protested Monday over the university’s handling of allegations raised in Jane Doe’s lawsuit. Cornell has announced plans for an independent review of its response. An alumni-led petition has surpassed 60,000 signatures, pledging to withhold donations until Cornell meets demands for transparency and reform. Started by Cornell alum and Betches cofounder Sami Sage, it calls for the release of investigation records, removal of any school officials found complicit, and a public apology, audit and binding new policies for handling sexual assault cases. Petition link: c.org/sWGZXDdz #Cornell #Cornell7

For 19 years, Frankie the capuchin monkey has lived inside Pet Stop in Shawnee, Kansas. Animal advocates say he was purchased as a baby and has never climbed a living tree, touched grass or lived with another monkey. The store’s owner says Frankie is part of the family and is “happy, healthy, and loved.” Advocates argue that he still needs more space and companionship with other monkeys. A primate sanctuary in Texas has offered him a home with room to climb, explore and the chance to meet other monkeys. Following years of calls for his release, a petition is urging the store’s owners to accept the offer. #FreeFrankie #Kansas Click below to read or sign. change.org/p/release-frankie…

After a teacher and her student died together in the water during a fifth-grade field trip, a petition is asking an Iowa school to carry her name. Hannah Jorgensen was 24. Ahmed Osman was 10. When he fell in near the Coralville Reservoir spillway on Sept. 22, she went in to try to save him, according to news reports. Now, the petition is urging school leaders to rename Borlaug Elementary so it will "forever remind students and faculty of her legacy." Petition link: c.org/HLYt9kR9 #teacher #iowa #school

Tennessee administered two doses of lethal-injection drugs to Christa Pike on September 30, but she survived. Her attorney says she remains hospitalized, unconscious and on a ventilator. Attorney Stephen Ferrell believes an IV problem may have caused the drugs to enter tissue in her arm instead of going directly into her bloodstream. Her lawyers say both arms were swollen, burned and blistered. Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer. Tennessee says it followed its execution protocol; the governor has ordered an independent review. A petition is calling for Tennessee to replace its lethal-injection protocol, assess each prisoner’s medical risks before an execution, and make its drug-testing results and execution procedures public. Click below to read or sign. #Tennessee #ChristaPike change.org/p/require-tenness…

UConn says its blue-light emergency phones are rarely used. Over the past five years, only two calls required a public safety response. Supporters of keeping the phones, however, say their value is not limited to how often they are used. A petition started by UConn parent Billy Contreras argues that their visible presence gives students peace of mind and provides a backup when a personal cellphone is dead, lost or unavailable. UConn plans to phase out most of the phones, pointing to cellphones, text-to-911 and its LiveSafe app as alternatives. Some will remain in areas with weaker cell service. Contreras has filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the phaseout and has gathered thousands of signatures on his petition opposing the move. To read or sign the petition, click below. #UConn #CampusSafety change.org/p/save-uconn-s-bl…

An elementary school teacher died trying to save her 10-year-old student during a field trip in Iowa. Neither survived, but the boy’s father says she is a hero. Hannah Jorgensen, 24, was recovered from the water that afternoon. Her student, Ahmed Osman, was found the following day. Authorities say the incident remains under investigation. A petition is now asking the local school board to rename their school in Hannah’s honor, calling her “a beacon of kindness, courage and inspiration.” To read or sign the petition, click below. #Teachers #Iowa change.org/p/rename-borloug-…

(Content warning: domestic abuse and suicide) Netflix’s "Death of the Pastor’s Wife" brought renewed attention to Mica Miller’s efforts to seek help before her death in April 2024, which authorities ruled a suicide. The series explores allegations of stalking, harassment and coercive control within her marriage. A petition launched in Mica’s name is urging South Carolina lawmakers to strengthen protections against persistent stalking, harassment and threats. "We want Mica's Law to make a difference," the petition reads. To read or sign the petition, click below. #MicaMiller #DeathOfThePastorsWife change.org/p/enforce-south-c…

Larry Nassar is among more than 20,000 people removed from Michigan’s sex offender registry after the state Supreme Court ruled that newer registration requirements could not be applied retroactively to people whose offenses occurred before July 1, 2011. The ruling does not overturn their convictions, and Nassar remains in prison serving multiple sentences. Amanda Little, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, has launched a petition calling on Michigan leaders to change the law and keep people convicted of serious sexual offenses visible on the public registry. “My childhood was taken from me at seven years old. Time did not erase what happened," she writes in her petition. To read or sign, click below. #Michigan #LarryNassar #sports #crime change.org/p/michigan-sex-of…

More than 195,000 people have signed petitions calling for transparency, accountability, and action in the Cornell case. The campaigns make different demands, including greater transparency from Cornell, further investigation into how the university handled the case and assurances that the Chi Phi chapter, which is currently barred from campus, will never be allowed to return. Many of these calls are coming from within the Cornell community, as alumni and others with ties to the university seek more information about what happened and how the school responded. Cornell says it investigated and adjudicated the allegations under university policies, resulting in sanctions including suspensions and expulsions. The university says federal privacy law limits what it can disclose about individual disciplinary outcomes. One alumni-led campaign is asking fellow Cornell alumni to withhold donations until the university conducts a full and transparent investigation. Click below to read or sign. #Cornell change.org/p/cornell-alumni-…

(Content warning: se*ual violence) "The Ithaca Police Department learned of these allegations recently through the media," the department said Monday, following a lawsuit from a former Cornell student alleging she was coerced into taking drugs and r*ped by seven students at a fraternity house in 2024. Cornell's campus police handled the case, and the county DA, who relied on that investigation, declined to bring charges. He reopened the case Monday and plans to take it to a grand jury. In a statement, Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo called the university's handling an "appalling response" and criticized its decision not to involve city police despite "the severity of the crimes." Cantelmo on Monday moved to pause all student event permits until Cornell overhauls how it handles se*ual violence cases. A petition started by Cornell alumni pledges to withhold donations until the university removes any officials found complicit, releases its investigation records and publicly audits how it handles se*ual assault cases. Over 8,000 people have signed. Click below to read or sign. #Cornell #Ithaca #CornellUniversity change.org/p/cornell-alumni-…

A man who got too close to a bull elk in North Carolina’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park was chased away by the animal. Now, a petition is asking officials to ensure it is not euthanized over the encounter. Bull elk can become more territorial and unpredictable during mating season. While no agency has publicly announced plans to euthanize this animal, supporters want officials to rule out that outcome and focus on keeping visitors at a safe distance. Petition link: c.org/GmjxJkyh #animals #elk #northcarolina #greatsmokymountains

Forensic testing found Fendi had approximately 1% bone marrow fat. A healthy animal typically has about 80%. Investigators said the finding indicated an exceptionally severe degree of starvation. After a neighbor sent Portland police video of an extremely underweight dog in a backyard, sergeants found Fendi in the hours that followed and took her to an emergency veterinarian. Her condition deteriorated, and she was ultimately humanely euthanized. A grand jury has indicted Fendi’s owner, Khadija V. Bradford, on two felony counts of first-degree animal neglect. A petition is calling on prosecutors to pursue the case to the fullest extent allowed by law and, if Bradford is convicted, seek a ban on her owning animals. To read or sign, click below. #animals #dogs #portland #crime change.org/p/demand-full-pro…

“I’ve never seen a two-legged deer,” Santos Maria Chilel Soto’s partner, Minivaldo Velásquez, told Delaware public media outlet WHYY. Soto, a 39-year-old Guatemalan mother of five, was walking through a Delaware field with Velásquez and two of her children when a hunter shot and killed her. According to court documents, the hunter told investigators he believed he saw a deer before firing. Authorities charged him with manslaughter and four other felonies. The investigation remains ongoing. Now, a petition started by Jessenia Carranza is calling for a complete and transparent investigation, accountability based on the evidence, and a comprehensive review of Delaware’s hunting safety laws. "We are not declaring without evidence that this was a hate crime. We are asking authorities to give this family and community enough transparency to know that possibility has not simply been dismissed," the petition reads. Click below to read or sign. #santosmariachilelsoto #crime change.org/p/demand-justice-…

(Content warning: se*ual violence) "As alumni, we play a role in holding the University accountable." A former Cornell student alleges she was drugged and gang r*ped by seven fraternity members in 2024. According to her attorney, two of the accused were expelled, while the other five received lesser sanctions, including suspensions, workshops and essay writing. Now, Cornell alum @samisagesays, cofounder and chief brand officer of Betches Media, has launched a petition calling on fellow alumni to withhold support and charitable contributions. The petition calls for a full and transparent investigation and the removal of any school officials found complicit in the university’s handling of Jane Doe’s case. You can read or sign here: c.org/v7bcKhfP #cornell #cornell7

Dolly Parton has always had a way of bringing people together across party lines. That same spirit united more than 175,000 people behind the petition to rename Nashville’s airport in her honor. Happy #DollyDay!