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…

(Content warning: School shooting, deaths of children) Kaylub Giamanco followed a gunman into his daughters’ elementary school in Bend, Oregon, and fatally shot him on Oct. 15, according to police. A petition is calling for him to receive Bend’s Key to the City and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Three children and a teacher were killed in the attack at Silver Rail Elementary School. Another child and a teacher were injured. Police also credited a teacher who tackled and fought the gunman with helping prevent further bloodshed. #Bend #Oregon Click below to read or sign. change.org/p/honor-hero-dad-…

Watching the game with your kids, then a horror movie trailer comes on. Jessica Chappell, a mother of four, says those commercial breaks have made watching live sports difficult for her family. Her petition asks broadcasters to stop airing horror trailers during live games and move them after 9 p.m. or to programming aimed at adults. She argues that families shouldn’t have to choose between watching sports live and exposing young children to frightening scenes. Should broadcasters change when these trailers air? Petition link: c.org/GfBrfZMt #Sports #Parenting

(Content warning: child deaths) Susan Smith, who was sentenced to life in prison for killing her two sons in 1994, is scheduled for another parole hearing on Nov. 19, 2026. The footage shown here is from her previous hearing on Nov. 20, 2024. Smith expressed remorse, while her ex-husband David Smith, the boys’ father, urged the board to keep her incarcerated. At that hearing, the board unanimously denied parole. Ahead of her next hearing, a petition urges South Carolina’s parole board to deny her release again, citing the seriousness of the crimes and their lasting impact on Michael and Alexander’s loved ones. "We ask that the seriousness of these crimes, the devastating loss of two young lives, and the lasting impact on their loved ones receive full consideration," the petition reads. The petition is independently organized and is not an official campaign from David Smith or his family. Petition link: c.org/VGqG44WX #SusanSmith #SouthCarolina

California has passed a law banning marriage before age 18 without exceptions. The ban takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. Thirty-two states have not enacted a complete ban. In Kansas, a judge can approve marriage at 15 after investigating and determining it is in the teenager’s best interest. Illinois allows 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with parental consent. Mississippi allows girls to marry at 15 and boys at 17 with parental consent, and a judge can waive those ages under specified conditions. Donna Simmons married at 16. She says she couldn’t lease an apartment in her own name and was turned away from a domestic violence shelter because she was a minor, making it difficult to leave her abusive husband. This year, she started a petition asking lawmakers to set the minimum marriage age at 18 nationwide, without exceptions. #ChildMarriage #California Click below to read or sign. change.org/p/300-000-childre…

A petition is calling on Iowa State University to disband its Delta Tau Delta chapter amid sexual assault allegations involving fraternity members, as reported by the Iowa State Daily. The allegations have prompted student protests outside the chapter house. The petition asks the university to permanently remove the chapter from campus and review its fraternity and sorority system to strengthen oversight and accountability. The chapter did not respond to the Iowa State Daily’s request for comment. Petition link: c.org/mbqYWsr9 #IowaState #college

Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, was a devoted partner, stepfather and technology educator in Atlanta. He was visiting Six Flags Over Georgia with his family on Oct. 12 when he died after being ejected from Goliath. “He was the sunshine of our family,” his cousin, Geo Ashe, told FOX 5. The coaster uses lap bars without backup seat belts. A petition calls for a backup restraint like a seat belt, an independent inspection and public release of the investigation findings before it reopens. Authorities are still investigating how Kariem came out of his seat. Six Flags temporarily closed nine similar coasters at other parks as a precaution. Goliath remains closed. Petition link: c.org/4BLKjbks #SixFlags #RollerCoaster

President Trump says Nidal Hasan's Dec. 3 execution by firing squad will go ahead, but it won't be streamed. The plan to broadcast it drew criticism from both parties and opposition in more than 35 petitions. Among them: an open letter from CLEAR DFW, an interfaith group of Dallas-area clergy, which said "justice must never become a spectacle." change.org/p/a-statement-of-…

A proposed underwater AI data center off Maine’s coast has prompted a petition with more than 20,000 signatures calling for federal regulators to reject it. The project would place computer servers in underwater pods powered by tidal turbines near Eastport, in the Bay of Fundy. Opponents are concerned about potential effects on endangered North Atlantic right whales and other marine wildlife. The Center for Biological Diversity says boat traffic and underwater noise could disrupt whales’ feeding and communication, while construction and heated-water discharges could pose additional risks. Federal regulators have accepted DeepGreen Western Passage’s application for a preliminary permit to study the project’s feasibility. That permit would not authorize construction. The petition calls on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to deny the permit and keep the project out of right whale habitat. Petition link: c.org/78JLrfQC #whales #Maine

Cardinals fans @WBJMItch and @cardsfanjoanna are calling on the NFL to urge Michael Bidwill to sell the Arizona Cardinals or hire a new team president. The petition cites workplace allegations from former employees, along with concerns about hiring decisions, spending on players and the team’s performance. Recent reporting detailed a lawsuit by former coach Don Shumpert and former executive assistant Kendra Hogue, both of whom are Black. Shumpert alleges he took on additional coaching duties without a raise while white coaches received new titles and contracts. Hogue alleges racially discriminatory treatment and a toxic work environment that forced her to resign. The Cardinals strongly deny the claims. The case has been sent to NFL arbitration. “Cardinals’ fans deserve an owner and team president who treats his job and the people around him with integrity and respect,” the petition reads. Petition link: c.org/sVggmjTy #ArizonaCardinals #NFL @MrAzSports @devilluv97 @adrian_wilson24 @sharkeyAZ @Tdrake4sports @theo_mackie @TheAZsportsfan1 @NFL_DovKleiman @LockdownWill @B3CKSZN @BenGarciaShow @stevenpo1989

Cornell has suspended all parties and social events at Interfraternity Council fraternity houses for the rest of the academic year amid scrutiny of its handling of Jane Doe’s sexual assault case. The university says it will use that time to review whether and how fraternity life can safely continue. Ithaca had already paused certain city event permits for Cornell and affiliated student groups, but Cornell’s suspension applies to all social events at those fraternity houses, whether they need a city permit or not. A student-led petition is challenging the suspension, arguing that students will keep gathering, but in apartments, bars and private houses that may lack security, sober monitors and clear oversight. It also argues that students who weren’t involved in the misconduct shouldn’t face collective restrictions. "Many current juniors were freshmen when the incidents underlying this decision occurred before they had even rushed," the petition reads. "Punishing thousands of students for actions they did not commit and could not have prevented is neither fair nor proportional." The petition calls for targeted sanctions and stronger safety requirements while allowing organizations in good standing to continue hosting events. Do you think these restrictions will make students safer, or could a different approach offer better protection? #Cornell #Cornell7 Click below to read or sign. change.org/p/end-cornell-s-b…

After receiving a $3,322 bill from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Micah Reed is asking city leaders for an independent audit and summer rate relief. More than 22,000 people have signed. Read or sign: c.org/JLhrV54h #LosAngeles #California

Shane Gillis and SNL are facing criticism after the comedian said women “dress like wh*res” at the gym during his Oct. 10 opening monologue. Actor Dan Levy and comedian Phoebe Robinson criticized the remarks. Former SNL cast member Ego Nwodim also responded with a gym selfie captioned “Wh*re reporting for duty.” A new petition is calling on Gillis, NBC and SNL to issue a public apology. Its starter argues that the remarks demean women and normalize sexism, and that those who broadcast them should also be held accountable. "As men," the petition starter writes, "it's our responsibility to stand up and hold one another accountable for misogynistic and detrimental behavior disguised as 'humor.'" Petition link: c.org/cNSY6D4T #SNL #ShaneGillis

Maryland bus driver Cynthia Morgan was fired after letting a 10-year-old student get off the bus to rescue a kitten. Parents say it happened on a rural, low-traffic road and are petitioning for her return. The kitten stayed with Morgan after she dropped the student off at school. A district letter said she later drove with it on her lap and cited multiple incidents, including concerns about inappropriate interactions with students. Morgan defended her actions, saying she had not put the student at risk. The district says student safety guides its decisions. The petition argues her dismissal was too harsh and asks officials to consider her record and dedication to students. “Over the years, Cynthia has become more than just a bus driver to our children; she is someone they look forward to seeing every morning and afternoon,” the petition reads. #animals #cats #school Click below to read or sign. change.org/p/reinstate-cynth…

A transgender student in Georgia says a school policy stopped her from running for homecoming queen. Riley Williams, a student at Charles R. Drew High School, says she was told school policy requires students to run for homecoming court positions based on their sex assigned at birth. She argues the rule excludes transgender students from running for positions that reflect their gender identity. Williams started a petition calling on state education officials and local school boards to repeal the policy and adopt inclusive guidelines. Petition link: c.org/y5gwmLY8 #homecoming #Georgia #lgbtq