250 to 250:154. Women’s Club Movement, Narrated by Katie Paris

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Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Women’s Club Movement, Narrated by Katie Paris

Katie Paris is an Ohio suburban mom and 25-year political veteran. In 2019, Paris quit her job in national politics to found Red Wine & Blue, a community of over half a million diverse suburban women, working together to defeat extremism, one friend at a time. Paris explores the women's club movement, whose millions of members shaped Progressive Era reform and the fight for civil rights. ‪

From 1890 to 1920, many American women joined women's clubs.

• These clubs worked to improve their communities.
• By 1914, about 1 million women belonged to these clubs.
• They supported education, women's health, and laws to protect children.
• They helped create public libraries and national parks.
• Many clubs did not allow Black women to join.
• In 1896, Black women formed the National Association of Colored Women.
• Leaders included Mary Church Terrell, Harriet Tubman, and Ida B. Wells.
• They worked for civil rights and better education.
• Today, women's groups continue to help their communities.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 2:05: Are you male or female?
• USCIS 100:55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
• USCIS 128:99. Name one leader of the women's rights movement in the 1800s.
• USCIS 128:102. When did all women get the right to vote?
• Read: What do people want? 
• Write: People want to live (and work) in freedom.

Family Fun:

• Crash Course: The Black Women's Club Movement: Crash Course Black American History #23
• Edwardian Promenade: Lifting As We Climb: the Women’s Club Movement
• NWHM: Online Exhibits | Digital Classroom Resources |  Women's History Minute: "Club Movement"
• GFC: General Federation of Women's Clubs
• NAWCW: National Association of Colored Women
• NPS: Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument | Junior Ranger Activity Booklet
• PBS American Masters: Mary Church Terrell: Co-Founder of the NAACP
• TED-ed: The breathtaking courage of Harriet Tubman - Janell Hobson
• TED-ed: How one journalist risked her life to hold murderers accountable - Christina Greer
• uscitizenpod: coloring pages Women's Clubs 

Summary to the USCIS Good Moral Character Policy Update November 4, 2026 | PM-602-0201

Summary of USCIS Good Moral Character Policy Update November 4, 2026 | PM-602-0201; created with ChatGPT; editied by Jennifer Gagliardi (color | black/white)

On November 4, 2026, USCIS issued new rules about Good Moral Character (GMC). Below is a quick summary for Teachers and students.

• Officers may review how applicants support their families and use public benefits (see below).
• Applicants who choose not to work so they can keep public benefits may face more questions.
• Officers must review each person's situation.
• Receiving public benefits legally does not automatically prevent citizenship.

For further inormation, read carefully Douglas Pierce comments on USCIS Good Moral Character Policy Update November 4, 2026 | PM-602-0201

1. Main Policy Changes: USCIS may review whether citizenship applicants:

a. Support their children and dependents.
b. Meet immigrant sponsorship obligations.
c. Give truthful information about public benefits.
d. Intentionally avoid working to keep benefits.
e. Receiving public benefits legally does not automatically prevent citizenship.

2. Legal Implications

a. Child support: Failure to support dependents may affect citizenship.
b. Sponsorship: Failure to meet financial obligations may affect eligibility.
c. Public benefits fraud: False information may prevent citizenship.
d. Self-sufficiency: Intentionally avoiding work to keep benefits may affect GMC.
e. Individual review: Officers must consider each applicant's circumstances.

3. Classroom Guidance: Teachers should help students:

a. Learn vocabulary about financial responsibilities and public benefits.
b. Practice interview questions about dependents and sponsorship.
c. Understand the importance of honesty and accurate information.
d. Know that lawful public benefits do not automatically prevent citizenship.
e. Seek qualified legal advice for complicated cases.

4. Sample Interview Questions: Practice questions only — not official new N-400 questions.

a. Do you support your children or other dependents?
b. Have you ever failed to pay child support?
c. Have you ever received public benefits?
d. Have you ever given false information to receive public benefits?
e. Have you ever sponsored an immigrant?
f. Have you fulfilled your financial support obligations?

5. What Citizenship Educators Should Expect: USCIS plans to:

a. Update the USCIS Policy Manual. (no date yet)
b. Revise Form N-400 to ask for more information about public benefits and support of dependents.
c. Provide additional instructions to immigration officers.
d. Examine financial responsibilities more closely during naturalization interviews.

**These changes are planned in the memorandum; it does not give a final implementation date.

Key Takeaways

a. Citizenship educators should teach students that Good Moral Character includes honesty, financial responsibility, and following the law.
b. Students should understand that lawful public benefits do not automatically prevent naturalization, but fraud, intentional failure to support dependents, and certain other financial conduct may affect their applications.

More soon. Again, please read the LinkedIn post by Douglas Pierce

***EXTRA INFORMATION***

Common examples of public benefits (government assistance) in the United States include:

• SNAP (CalFresh in California): Money to help buy food.
• Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California): Free or low-cost health insurance.
• SSI (Supplemental Security Income): Money for eligible older adults and people with disabilities who have limited income and resources.
• TANF (CalWORKs in California): Financial assistance for eligible low-income families.
• Section 8 Housing Assistance: Help paying rent.
• WIC: Food and nutrition assistance for pregnant women, new mothers, babies, and young children.
• Medicare: Health insurance mainly for people age 65 and older and certain people with disabilities.
• Social Security: Retirement, disability, and survivor benefits.

Important for citizenship applicants:

• Not all public benefits are based on low income.
• Receiving public benefits legally does not automatically prevent naturalization.
• USCIS may review fraud, failure to report required information, or intentional avoidance of self-sufficiency.

The November 4, 2026 USCIS memorandum specifically discusses food assistance, housing subsidies, and SSI. It does not provide a complete list of public benefits.

Why Is Becoming a U.S. Citizen So Hard Now?

250 to 250 is on a short break because I am working at our local voting center.

 

PBS Documentaries and Arizona PBS: Why Is Becoming a U.S. Citizen So Hard Now? 

The path to U.S. citizenship extends far beyond passing a civics test. For many applicants, the real challenges are financial, legal, and emotional. The stories of civics tutors and legal experts reveal how naturalization requirements were shaped, how they continue to evolve, and the unseen barriers to becoming a U.S. citizen.

CATESOL 2026: CIV-IG: The Civics and Citizenship Education Interest Group Business Meeting

CIV-IG: The Civics and Citizenship Education Interest Group Business Meeting  goggle slides | pdf

• Jennifer Gagliardi . gagliajn@gmail.com 
• Dr. Patricia Hernandez . pati.prof@runbox.com

CATESOL 2026: Rising Together: Immigrant Rights and Civics Educators Panel

CATESOL 2026: Rising Together: Immigrant Rights and Civics Educators Panel  goggle slides | pdf

• Jennifer Gagliardi . gagliajn@gmail.com 
• Dr. Patricia Hernandez . pati.prof@runbox.com
• Ryan Detwiler, MFA·  ryandetwiler@eslvideo.com
• Marc Santamaria · marc@usimmigrationplan.com 

Know Your Rights Fall 2026: A Handout for ESL Teachers Prepared by the Refugee Concerns Interest Group (RC-IG), CATESOL · catesolrc@catesol.org and Marc Santamaria, Immigration Attorney and ESL Teacher · marc@usimmigrationplan.com  (new resource)

• Google Doc |  PDF 

 

Carol Basilio (ESL Teacher at SDCCD): Immigrant Student Safety Action Plan - a smartphone-friend student-facing guide

ILRC: "Character Reference for Naturalization"  https://www.ilrc.org/resources/character-reference-naturalization (download the pdf)

FTC: How Myriam and Pedro Learn about Notario Scams English | Spanish

• This fotonovela tells readers the warning signs of a notario scam, where to find help with the immigration process, and how to report scams to the Federal Trade Commission.
• Also see more FTC Fotonovelos English | Spanish

CATESOL 2026

CATESOL 2026 is here!  To view the CATESOL26 program, you have 2 choices:

• Download the free CATESOL Community App (iphone and android)

• Use the web-based version of the CATESOL26 Program

CHECK BACK AT 1 PM FOR "Rising Together: Immigrant Rights and Civics Educators Panel (CIV-IG and RC-IC)" SLIDEDECK

Join us at these sessions:
**FRI 9:00 - 9:45 AM From CATESOL to Capitol Hill: Advocating for Multilingual Learners
Amanda Simons, Margarita Machado-Casas, Inyuva Flores Garcia

FRI 12:45-1:30 CATESOL IG Expo in gym (IG reps hand out flyers about their IG with QR code)

FRI 1:30 - 2:30 PM Rising Together: Immigrant Rights and Civics Educators Panel (CIV-IG and RC-IC)
Jennifer Gagliardi, Patricia Hernandez, Ryan Detwiler, Marc Santamaria

FRI 1:30 - 2:30 PM Purposeful Play for Meaningful ESOL Learning
Sherry MacKay

FRI 3:30 - 4:30 PM Paper to Smartphone: A Realia Toolkit for Civic, Health, and Financial Literacy
Talley Caruso, Jennifer Gagliardi, Johanna Gleason

SAT IG Breakfast Meet-Up (for IG leaders).  Contact IG Coordinator olearydavidf@gmail.com

SAT 12:45 - 1:30 PM CIV-IG: The Civics and Citizenship Education Interest Group Business Meeting
Jennifer Gagliardi and Patricia Hernandez

SAT 12:45 - 1:30 PM Refugee Concerns Interest Group Business Meeting/Networking Session
Sherry Mackay, Talley Caruso, Marc Santamaria

SAT 3:30 - 4:30 PM  Pause, Breathe, Rise: Supporting Yourself and Your Refugee Learners
Talley Caruso, Sherry Mackay

SAT 5:00 - 6:00 Town Hall & Board Meeting: Looking Ahead Together
Dr Popal & Song Hong (open to all)

Democrats Won the Midterms. Here's What Comes Next.

Wall Street Journal: Democrats Won the Midterms. Here's What Comes Next.

In 2026 midterm election, Democrats won the House of Representatives and Senate.

• Democrats can now limit President Trump's power.
• Trump said he might work with Democrats.
• Trump can veto laws he does not like.
• Democrats want to lower prices.
• Democrats want to investigate government corruption.
• Republicans must decide whether to continue supporting Trump.
• Some Republicans are already thinking about the 2028 presidential election.
• Both parties must decide how to work together or disagree during Trump's final two years in office.

Midterms and the Legislative Branch

250 to 250 is on a short break because I am working at our local voting center.

Created with MS Image Designer; edited by Jennifer Gagliardi, 2026-11-04 9 am

AP U.S. Midterm Election Results 

Political Parties (100Qs)

• 45.  What are the two major political parties in the United States?*

Introduction to the Legislative Branch (128Qs)

• 18.   What part of the federal government writes laws?
• 19.   What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
• 20.   Name one power of the U.S. Congress. *

The Senate (128Qs)

• 21.   How many U.S. senators are there?
• 22.   How long is a term for a U.S. senator?
• 23.   Who is one of your state s U.S. senators now?
• Who is your newly-elected US Senator?
• 27.   How many senators does each state have?
• 28.   Why does each state have two senators?
• 31.   Who does a U.S. senator represent?
• 32.   Who elects U.S. senators?

The House of Representatives (128Qs)

• 24.   How many voting members are in the House of Representatives?
• 25.   How long is a term for a member of the House of Representatives?
• 26.   Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators?
• 29.   Name your U.S. representative. 
• Name your newly-elected U.S. Representative.
• 30.   What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now? 
• What is the name of the projected Speaker of the House of Representatives?
• 33.   Who does a member of the House of Representatives represent?
• 34.   Who elects members of the House of Representatives? 
• 35.   Some states have more representatives than other states. Why?

Federal and State Powers (128Qs)

• 58.   Name one power that is only for the federal government.
• 59.   Name one power that is only for the states.
• 60.   What is the purpose of the 10th Amendment?
• 61.   Who is the governor of your state now? * 
• Name your newly-elected Governor.
• 62.   What is the capital of your state?

Voting and Mideterm Elections 2026

250 to 250 is on a short break because I am working at our local voting center.

uscitizenpod: Scripts and Quizzes (100 Civics Qs)

• Election ABCs google slides / video (substitute Midterms for Media)
• Electoral College Citizenship Quizzes: Part 1: U.S. Civics mp3/ pdf |  Part 2: U.S. History mp3 / pdf
• A Quick Interview Based on the N-400r plus 10qs about Voting and Elections pdf and mp3
• American Women who Fought for the Right to Vote  pdf
• Interview E-1 (N-400 focus on voting and residence)
• N-400 Part 9: Questions 1 and 2: General

uscitizenpod: 128 Civics Qs 

• 32.   Who elects U.S. senators?
• 34.   Who elects members of the House of Representatives? 
• 36.   The President of the United States is elected for how many years? * 
• 49.   Why is the Electoral College important?
• 63.   There are four amendments to the U.S. Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them. 
  
• 64.   Who can vote in federal elections, run for federal office, and serve on a jury in the United States?
• 69.   What are two examples of civic participation in the United States?
• 98.   When did all men get the right to vote?
• 99.   Name one leader of the women's rights movement in the 1800s.
• 102.   When did all women get the right to vote? 
• 112.   What did the civil rights movement do?

uscitizenpod: 250 to 250 series

• 250 to 250: 17. Fannie Lou Hamer, Narrated by Monica Land
• 250 to 250:115. Voting Rights Act, Narrated by Kevin M. Kruse

More Resources:

• COABE: Voter Resources (focused on 2026 midterms; few videos)
• Preparing for the Oath: Voting (100 civics questions)
• USCIS:    Equality and Freedom (BL) | Rights and Responsibilities (IL)
• Voting and Election Resources for Adult Students  long link | bit.ly/voting-padlet (focused on 2024 election; many videos)