This has been a big year for us — in February, we celebrated our groundbreaking. Construction is underway, and we are on target to open our doors in 2015.
With your loyalty and support, millions of people will experience the American story through a different lens, that of African American history and culture.
Thank you again for helping us build this important new addition to the Smithsonian family of museums. We can’t wait to see you in the Museum when we open!
From all of us here, we wish you a very happy Thanksgiving.
Sincerely,
Edison R. Wato, Jr.
Membership Program Manager
November is a time to acknowledge and celebrate family caregivers. These individuals provide long-term care and make an extraordinary difference in the lives of their loved ones.
Senator Merkley’s campaign to fix the filibuster is gaining momentum. Over 200,000 people have now signed our petition to the U.S. Senate, and our campaign is getting noticed all across America!
Senator Merkley is working hard to convince his colleagues in the Senate that the time is now for filibuster reform. And it makes a huge difference when he can point to a groundswell of grassroots support.
Our country faces serious problems. And serious problems deserve serious consideration.
But far too often, we’ve seen good ideas stall in the Senate because a single Senator can stop everything and block an up-or-down vote without a single word uttered on the Senate floor.
Passionate debate is a good thing. Which is why I’ve proposed a “talking filibuster” — a requirement that if a Senator is going to block a vote by arguing that more debate is needed, then he or she must do so by taking the floor and making a case to the American people. That way, the American people can judge for themselves whether the obstruction makes those Senators heroes, or bums.
And when debate stops, it’s time for an up-or-down majority vote.
In a few short weeks, we can make this change happen. But it won’t be easy. And it’s going to require that the American people speak with one, clear, loud voice.
All year you stand with us and tackle the hard, serious and often challenging crises our planet is facing.
In the process, we’ve shown you some painful images: photos of orangutans left to die on palm oil plantations, tigers pushed out of their natural habitat. Images that are often horrifying and hard to look at. But these images also represent what’s really happening to the world’s rainforest creatures, and you’ve never flinched. Instead, you step into action with us.
But that’s not all there is to show. These animals are also hilarious, ridiculous, the cutest things you’ve ever seen…and just totally awesome. We thought we would show you that side for a change, to remind all of us why we work so hard to protect animals and the places they call home—and to thank you for giving this work all you have.
Thank you for all the emails and phone calls you’ve made this year. Thank you for all the rallies and marches you showed up at. Thank you for the donations you made, the direct actions you took part in, and the work you did to spread the message.
Since taking office, President Obama has noted that the United States is a Pacific nation — and that Asia will play an increasingly important role in the future of world events. On a historic trip, his fifth to the region, President Obama is making the first-ever visit by a U.S. President to Burma and Cambodia.
Before the trip, Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes put together a video to give us an overview of President Obama’s trip to Thailand, Burma, and Cambodia.
President Obama’s First Stop in Asia Is in Thailand
The first nation on the itinerary for President Obama’s Asia trip is Thailand — America’s oldest friend on the continent, with diplomatic ties stretching back nearly 180 years.
Weekly Address: Working Together to Extend the Middle Class Tax Cuts
In this week’s address, President Obama urges Congress to act now on one thing that everyone agrees on — ensuring that taxes don’t go up on 98 percent of all Americans and 97 percent of small businesses at the end of the year.
Be a Seed for Change 
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