Money & Jobs

Profiles in Courage: Michelle King Refused to Hand Over Your Data to DOGE. Then She Lost Her Job.

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Profiles in Courage is a new series honoring the extraordinary women and men who have transformed American institutions through principled public service. At a time when trust in government is fragile, these stories offer a powerful reminder of what ethical leadership looks like—from those who litigate for civil rights and resign on principle, to those who break military barriers and defend democracy on the front lines.

For over 30 years, Michelle King dedicated her career to safeguarding one of America’s most vital institutions—the Social Security Administration (SSA). In 2025, Michelle King resigned—or, as many suspect, was forced out—after refusing to grant the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to sensitive recipient data. The request, made under Elon Musk’s leadership of DOGE, raised serious concerns about privacy violations, potential misuse of taxpayer information, and the security of the nation’s most sensitive personal records.

New Ms. Magazine Series ‘Profiles in Courage’ Spotlights Public Service Women and Men of Valor

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In the halls of American government and federal law enforcement, courage often operates behind closed doors, in the quiet moments where integrity is tested, and in the difficult decisions that shape the arc of justice. Today, Ms. launches Profiles in Courage—a powerful new series spotlighting extraordinary women and men who have devoted their lives to public service and, in doing so, transformed our institutions from the inside out.

The first installment in this series honors the work and valor of DANIELLE SASSOON, former acting U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, who stepped down from her job at the Department of Justice in order to avoid carrying out a directive to drop federal corruption charges against Eric Adams.

Profiles in Courage: Danielle Sassoon, a Prosecutor of Principle, Quits After Rejecting Trump-Appointed AG’s Order to Shield Eric Adams

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Profiles in Courage is a new series honoring the extraordinary women and men who have transformed American institutions through principled public service. At a time when trust in government is fragile, these stories offer a powerful reminder of what ethical leadership looks like—from those who litigate for civil rights and resign on principle, to those who break military barriers and defend democracy on the front lines.

In the annals of American justice, Danielle Sassoon will be remembered not just for the cases she prosecuted but also for her unwavering integrity with which she upheld the law. A career federal prosecutor and former interim U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), Sassoon exemplified the highest ideals of the Department of Justice—courage, independence and an unyielding commitment to the rule of law.

Keeping Score: Bill Disenfranchising Women Voters Passes U.S. House, Heads to Senate; Barbara Lee Becomes Mayor of Oakland; Republicans Threaten SNAP and Medicaid

In every issue of Ms., we track research on our progress in the fight for equality, catalogue can’t-miss quotes from feminist voices and keep tabs on the feminist movement’s many milestones. We’re Keeping Score online, too—in this biweekly roundup.

This week: Only 34 percent of single women are looking for a relationship, compared to 54 percent of single men; the House passed the SAVE Act which could disenfranchise 69 million married women; Sen. Booker (D-N.J.) broke Senate speech record; Medicaid and SNAP are at risk of cuts; Kilmar Abrego Garcia remains illegally deported and imprisoned, and Trump says “homegrowns” are next; marking Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Equal Pay Day; 13 states have recently introduced bills to improve menopause care; Democratic Women’s Caucus leaders and over 150 House members urged RFK Jr. to restore frozen Title X funding; Georgia dropped charges against Selena Chandler-Scott, who was arrested after being found unconscious and bleeding after a miscarriage; and more.

I’m a Single Mom Raising Three Kids. A Year of Guaranteed Income Gave Us Breathing Room.

Front & Center began as first-person accounts of Black mothers in Jackson, Miss., receiving a guaranteed income. Now in its fourth year, the series is expanding to explore broader systemic issues affecting Black women in poverty, including the safety net, healthcare, caregiving and overall well-being.

“My name is Jasmine, and I’m 33 years old. I’m a mother of three—there’s Nehemiah, my oldest, who is 13. Then there’s my daughter, Harmoni, who is 9, and my youngest, Joshun, is 8 years old. …

“Finding reliable childcare has always been a struggle. There were times when I couldn’t get a job because I couldn’t find childcare or the process of securing a childcare voucher took too long. … My mom isn’t able to help due to being ill, and I don’t hear from my dad much. So, I don’t have a lot of people I can rely on.”

Trump’s $20 Problem: What Harriet Tubman’s Absence Tells Us About Power and Prejudice

An excerpt from Jill Elaine Hasday’s latest book, We the Men:

“From the start, women mobilizing for equality have endeavored to enrich and expand America’s dominant stories about itself. But attempts to focus public memory on women have repeatedly faced determined and protracted opposition, for generations and to the present day. 

“Consider the opposition to placing Harriet Tubman’s image on the $20 bill.”

What Threats to Government Employment Mean for Black Women

The sweeping federal job cuts taking place under the Trump administration are not just an attack on government effectiveness—they represent a direct threat to the economic stability of Black women, who have long utilized public sector employment as a pathway to financial security and upward mobility.

Now, as layoffs accelerate, Black women face a dual crisis: the loss of stable employment and the dismantling of one of the few sectors that has consistently countered private-sector inequities. These cuts risk unraveling decades of progress in building economic resilience for Black families and communities.

Our Baby Was Bleeding. I Was Jobless. Medicaid Was Our Lifeline.

When I lost my job while on maternity leave, I never expected I’d soon be in a hospital while my infant underwent emergency surgery. As my life became a highwire act, Medicaid became a safety net for my family.

Our Medicaid plan provided 100 percent coverage for what would’ve been thousands of dollars in hospital and surgical bills. It covered my baby’s follow-up appointments with specialists and his prescription formula. It covered all of our basic health needs. It covered my therapy.

The U.S. Aid Freeze: Counting the Global Cost of Chaos

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On the first day of his second stint in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order freezing all U.S. foreign assistance. Four days later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio halted foreign aid work already underway. Soon after that, Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) began to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and Rubio canceled 83 percent of its programs.

“Since Inauguration Day, I’d say the Trump administration has immediately gone to work in reckless, heartless and shameless ways that have attacked sexual and reproductive health and rights [and] LGBT rights,” said Caitlin Horrigan, senior director of global advocacy for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

This Dept. of Labor Program Transformed Our Lives. Now It’s on the Chopping Block.

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U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has given most U.S. Department of Labor employees until April 18 to opt into early retirement or deferred resignation programs, signaling the imminence of mass layoffs. As ironworker tradeswomen, we are particularly concerned about what this could mean for the Women’s Bureau, a critical agency within the department, as well as the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) program it administers. 

It is imperative that Chavez-DeRemer, a former representative of Oregon, preserve and expand support for the Women’s Bureau and WANTO. It is only fair: Oregon has received and benefited greatly from WANTO funding, along with additional federal funding for infrastructure. These investments have driven the state’s thriving economy at a time when employers nationwide face a shortage of skilled workers in key industries like construction, plumbing and electrical work.