laleh ispahani
@lispahani
Managing Director, Open Society Foundations, and lifelong advocate for democracy, truth and justice.
Civil society is under attack, so @intrfthalliance's CEO & I wrote this piece demystifying "civil society" in order to explain what’s really at stake -- for American people, communities, and democracy: newsweek.com/targeting-ngos…
The SCT just dealt a huge blow to regular Americans. By reversing a rule invoked 15K times to protect Americans from industry lawsuits, the SCT preferenced corporations, leaving agencies without a key tool to protect essentials like health and climate. nytimes.com/live/2024/06/2…
We can talk and talk and talk about regulating AI. But there's one solution in easy reach that would protect us against its worst harms: data privacy. Let's take it. I make this case more fully here: thehill.com/opinion/congre…
Nonprofits do critical work across the country. Some members of Congress are attacking them simply because they disagree. It’s wrong. And an attempt to curtail their work. We stand with 600+ groups supporting those unfairly targeted. democracydefendersfund.org/prs/07.16.25-pr
Cecile Richards was a courageous, barrier breaking champion of reproductive freedoms. Battling cancer, Cecile poured her heart into just launched Abortion in America, with a humanity emblematic of all she did. Let her example fuel us to continue the fight. nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/…
Rashad Robinson transformed Color of Change into among the largest and most influential racial justice nonprofits in the U.S. Its bold+innovative strategies have enriched and empowered Black communities. Thank you @rashadrobinson! link.medium.com/VvdIWy00jNb
.@TaylorSwift13 endorsed @KamalaHarris after Donald Trump shared fake images showing her supporting *his* campaign. Deepfakes are real – and dangerous. So be smart about what you see & hear. Check things twice. And if you see a deepfake, have the sense to #ShakeItOff!
Congratulations to the 2024 @OpenSociety Leadership in Government Fellows! We’re excited to tap your deep knowledge of government to tackle glaring inequities in cities and states across the country: opensocietyfoundations.org/newsroom/open-…
Feminist philanthropy is *essential* to democracy. Read on if you want to know why. I’m proud to be in the company of incredible women who also contributed to this initiative from @MsMagazine. Take a look. msmagazine.com/feminist-phila…
HUGE: Google violated law to illegally dominate advertising + search markets for years, says a federal judge. Although further reforms are needed before the public interest is ensured, this is one BIG step toward curbing the runaway power of tech giants. nytimes.com/2024/08/05/tec…)
The Supreme Court majority not only doesn't keep its word, it doesn't care about the public. We've seen this over and over, critically on abortion and on immunity, where a majority of Americans agree: women should make their own health care decisions and no one is above the law.
In their confirmation hearings… John Roberts said: “I believe that no one is above the law under our system and that includes the president. The president is fully bound by the law, the Constitution, and statutes.” Samuel Alito said: “There is nothing that is more important…
This decision should have been unanimous, if unelected judges should decide issues of personal freedom at all. Still, it’s a relief that for now, emergency medical care is not about politics or location. Congress must act to protect abortion ASAP. nytimes.com/2024/06/27/us/…
Win playing by the rules, not by changing the rules before play even begins, in ways that tilt the game in your favor.
In their confirmation hearings… John Roberts said: “I believe that no one is above the law under our system and that includes the president. The president is fully bound by the law, the Constitution, and statutes.” Samuel Alito said: “There is nothing that is more important…