Women are rewriting the rules and making history. Chappell Roan just ditched her agency over Epstein connections, California stepped up with $90 million for Planned Parenthood after Trump stripped federal funding, and three Black women made Olympic hockey history by competing against each other for the first time.
Let's dive into the good news to celebrate this past week:
Colorado Offers Cash Back to Renters: Colorado launched the nation's first state-run program that gives renters 2% cash back on every on-time rent payment, with an additional 2% match after 12 months of saving. The program is funded through the Proposition 123 affordable housing initiative that transfers tax revenue to support low- and middle-income housing. Currently operating in one property with 66 eligible renters, it's designed to help renters save for down payments, build long-term wealth, and have financial safety nets while sharing in property equity growth.
California Funds Planned Parenthood After Federal Cuts: Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation providing $90 million in emergency funds for Planned Parenthood and women's health providers after President Trump's tax bill cut off Medicaid funding to abortion providers. The funding increase came after California discovered more revenue growth than projected.
Seattle's Millionaire Tax Exceeds Expectations: Seattle's 5% payroll tax on incomes over $1 million—passed by voters to fund social housing—brought in $115 million in its first year, nearly 2.5 times the projected $50 million. Grassroots organizers proved that annual million-dollar earners in Seattle gross $1.3 billion more than the city even knew existed.
Texas Medical Board Issues Abortion Training: Nearly five years after Texas criminalized abortion, the state's medical board released training for doctors on when they can legally terminate pregnancies to protect patients' lives—guidance physicians desperately sought as women died and doctors feared imprisonment for intervening.
Virginia Voters to Decide on Marriage Equality: Governor Abigail Spanberger signed legislation sending a constitutional amendment to voters that would remove Virginia's 2006 ban on same-sex marriage from the state constitution. Spanberger also signed bills sending reproductive rights, felon voting rights, and congressional redistricting amendments to voters.
Oldest Woman to Compete at Olympics: Austrian snowboarder Claudia Riegler became the oldest woman to compete at a Winter Olympics at age 52, breaking the previous record held by German speed skater Claudia Pechstein. Riegler was eliminated in the last 16 of the parallel giant slalom but said she's proud to "still keep up with the young girls and fight with them," with her biggest career success being a parallel giant slalom gold at the 2015 world championships.
Three Black Women Make Olympic Hockey History: For the first time in Olympic women's hockey history, three Black women—Laila Edwards (USA), Sarah Nurse (Canada), and Sophie Jaques (Canada)—competed against each other in the same game, with Edwards becoming the first Black woman to score for Team USA. Edwards, 22, is already the first Black woman to represent Team USA in Olympic women's hockey and now has three points through four games in her debut.
Chappell Roan Leaves Wasserman Agency: Chappell Roan announced she's no longer represented by the talent agency led by Casey Wasserman, whose emails were revealed in the Epstein files. Roan states she has a "duty to protect her team" and believes "meaningful change in our industry requires accountability."
Kristen Stewart Buys Historic LA Theater: Kristen Stewart purchased and is restoring the Highland Theatre in Los Angeles, a nearly 100-year-old cultural landmark that shut down two years ago after failing to recover economically from the pandemic. Stewart plans to transform the three-story building into a space for families and filmmakers to gather, screen films, and host community events, joining other actors like Jason Reitman and Quentin Tarantino who have bought historic LA theaters to preserve local cinema.
