I know it's been a little while y'all, but things have been crazy. You know this list isn't exhaustive of what I've been reading and listening to since the 27th of August, so expect another blog in your inbox before the end of the week!
(L) In the Thick | Hyper Visible and Invisible To be black and Muslim in the U.S. is quite the combination. Just ask Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. I've been following the Muslim ARC (Anti-Racism Collective) for a few years now, and love the work they do. I love when communities intersect, and when they come together.
(L) Today Explained | Biofuel Duel
Corn. Gasoline fuel. The EPA. Farmers really thought that the president would revive their industry. Instead, it's gotten worse, and even large companies like Exxon don't agree with the way this administration wants to change regulations.
(L) NYT The Daily | Why Uber Still Can't Make a Profit I know I'm new to being a business owner and I have a lot to learn, but this episode blew my mind. How is a company that is so ...successful(?), has a high value/worth and that has gone public, be so in the red? Uber loses money on every ride, there have been uprisings by drivers, and yet, they've managed to expand into Uber Freight, Uber Eats, etc. SOMEONE MAKE THIS MAKE SENSE!
(L) NPR Codeswitch | '20 And Odd. Negroes' The internet (well, Twitter) is still at odds over Nikole Hannah Jones' production of 1619 in the New York Times. The United States has never liked to acknowledge its sin, and people still are not handling the google-able truth well. The interview and experience Gene Demby recounts in this episode is such a solmen opportunity to learn and connect.
(L) Stuff Mom Never Told You | It ain't easy being green? Did y’all know that being environmentally friendly was effeminate? News to me. Apparently caring about the people and environment around you isn’t “macho” (and it isn’t just men who think that way).
Given the career trajectory I've been on since the age of 12, I always knew I'd have political connections. I never thought about my friends running for office though. I think with how society is, I subconsciously assumed politicians would continue to be middle-aged and old white men (with a few people of color sprinkled in, of course). And of course, they wouldn't be any of the white guys I knew because...well I'm going to leave why that is, alone. People say "politics isn't sexy." It doesn't need to be, you just need to understand how it impacts multiple aspects of your life on a daily basis. Encouraging you to listen to this podcast interview is arguably a plug for my friend Jamie Cassutt Sanchez who is running for City Council in Santa Fe in District 4 (so if you know someone who lives there, tell them to vote for her!), and I have no shame.
Wash Day
(R) What God is honored here?: Writings on miscarriage and infant loss by and for Native Women and Women of Color (Shannon Gibney and Kao Kalia Young)
This book is not for the faint of heart. This compilation was clearly done with care, and there is such strength and heartbreak in each piece. As someone who will never have children it’s been some sort of outer experience to read these stories. They wasted no time going into extremely graphic submissions. This book will be out in October, but it won’t be a quick read.
(W) Diagnosis (Netflix)
I don’t remember how I heard about this docuseries, but I was interested enough to add it to my “Things to Watch” note in my phone. It's fascinating, to say the least. I mean, we already use the internet for dozens of things, and to have WebMD scare us into thinking we're dying when all we really have is a cold. Dr. Sanders has been writing her column in the New York Times for years, but with the expansion to leverage the knowledge of others on the internet, some of those who wrote to Dr. Sanders for help received the answers they needed.
(W) Dora and the Lost City of Gold
Okay, I know I talked about this movie in regards to a podcast in a previous newsletter, BUT allow me to say that the movie is SO worth watching. While viewers definitely need to be familiar with the cartoon show to understand some of the silly aspects of the movie, the rest of it is definitely not made for the same demographic.
(R) You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and and Start Living an Awesome Life (Jen Sincero)
I wasn't a fan of this book. The intermittent use of black colloquialisms and accents was off-putting, and the guidance was just okay. (Really, this is all I have to say on it. It was that "meh" for me)
I'll unplug my earbuds and pull my head from my books to get back on track!
- BKC