Something Good

1. Supreme Court Delivers Major Victory To LGBTQ Employees. “The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that the 1964 Civil Rights Act barring sex discrimination in the workplace protects LGBTQ employees from being fired because of their sexual orientation.” It’s so nice to hear some good news, but there’s also some bad: Transgender Health Protections Reversed By Trump Administration.

2. the radish grower, a 10-Line Tuesday poem from Maya Stein dedicated to George Floyd.

3. Good stuff from Lion’s Roar: The Murder of George Floyd Must Be a Wake-Up Call for White Buddhists and 5 Questions That Help Us Wake Up.

4. Book: Fat phobia arose from racism and religion. “A new book explores the religious and racial origins of society’s obsession with thinness.” In related news, Diet Culture’s Racist Roots with Sabrina Strings, Sociologist and Author of Fearing The Black Body on Food Psych Podcast, and The Racist Roots of Fighting Obesity, and The Real Reasons Why My Disordered Eating Went Unnoticed by Almost Everyone, “Scratch the surface of diet culture and you’ll see that it’s rooted in female obedience and even racism.”

5. hi from Karen Walrond on Chookooloonks. “I am back, wholly and fully. And my brothers and sisters, Chookooloonks is my protest. And I will continue to protest that the beauty of the people of this planet will save us.”

6. Love Letters to Humans (no. 100) — You are necessary. You are responsible. which I found by way of Jena Schwartz’s newsletter. “You are necessary. You are responsible. Given that, what now?”

7. Poems from Home with Andrea Gibson, a live poetry performance and Q&A from Andrea’s home in Colorado on June 27th. “This month for Poems From Home, I’ll be reflecting on what Pride month means to me this year, discussing the intersection of art and activism, and working to create a space that is nourishing, loving, and present to this exact moment in time. Bring questions, bring answers, bring your sweet and rowdy selves. I am so very grateful for you all.”

8. Becoming Anti-Racist: Fear, Learning, Growth, an infographic.

9. The art of confinement: Six inspired projects by Colorado artists under quarantine.

10. Wisdom from Austin Channing Brown: “The work of anti-racism is the work of becoming a better human to other humans.”

11. Unlocking Us, a podcast with Brené Brown, “unpacks and explores the ideas, stories, experiences, books, films, and music that reflect the universal experiences of being human, from the bravest moments to the most brokenhearted…Conversations that unlock the deeply human part of who we are, so that we can live, love, parent, and lead with more courage and heart.”

12. How to Build an Anti-Racist World, a TEDTalk interview with Ibram X. Kendi. “There is no such thing as being ‘not racist,’ says author and historian Ibram X. Kendi. In this vital conversation, he defines the transformative concept of antiracism to help us more clearly recognize, take responsibility for and reject prejudices in our public policies, workplaces and personal beliefs. Learn how you can actively use this awareness to uproot injustice and inequality in the world — and replace it with love.” In related news, Listen to Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi on Spotify. I tried reading the book on my Kindle, but it’s a very dense book that requires more direct attention than I typically have when I read on my Kindle in bed at night. I’m so grateful for the option to listen.

13. What Would Efforts to Defund or Disband Police Departments Really Mean? on The New York Times. In related news, We Need More Care, Not More Cops, and There’s already an alternative to calling the police, and Yes, We Mean Literally Abolish the Police on The New York Times.

14. Whose Heritage? Public Symbols of the Confederacy from SPLC. “Our public entities should no longer play a role in distorting history by honoring a secessionist government that waged war against the United States to preserve white supremacy and the enslavement of millions of people. It’s past time for the South – and the rest of the nation – to bury the myth of the Lost Cause once and for all.” In related news, 34 Tweets Roasting That Pulled-Down Slave Trader Statue.

15. How I Feel Right Now as a Black Woman.

16. Wild Writing Family with Laurie Wagner. “a monthly membership which includes three videos a week where I talk about Wild Writing and then give you a poem to write from. Twice a month I gather with students to write live together on Zoom. The community, the writing people have been doing has been life saving for everyone – a way to stay connected to ourselves and to each other.”

17. Anti-Fragility as We Train Ourselves to Improve on Zen Habits.

18. Activists Create Public Online Spreadsheet of Police Violence Videos. “Having all video evidence of police violence documented in one place helps counter the argument that these are just isolated incidents.”

19. Anti-racism and mindfulness from Jenna Hollenstein. In related news, How I Continue to Mess Up Being an Ally (And How Meditation Helps Me Mess Up Slightly Less).

20. America, This is Your Chance on The New York Times.

Trump’s leadership has been disastrous. But it would be a mistake to place the blame on him alone. In part, we find ourselves here for the same reasons a civil war tore our nation apart more than 100 years ago: Too many citizens prefer to cling to brutal and unjust systems than to give up political power, the perceived benefits of white supremacy and an exploitative economic system. If we do not learn the lessons of history and choose a radically different path forward, we may lose our last chance at creating a truly inclusive, egalitarian democracy.

21. Allies, Don’t Fail Us Again on The New York Times. “Many white people have been moved by the current movement, but how will they respond when true equality threatens their privilege?”

22. How to Be a Poet by Wendell Berry.

23.Buy a book, read a book: Unlearning Racism: Your Anti-Racist Reading List, and These Black Writers Are Telling the Essential Stories of Our Time, and The Black Girl Project, and 20 Books To Read If You Want To Get Into Black Sci-Fi And Fantasy, and An Anti-Racist Fiction Reading List, and 12 Books By Black Women Authors To Add To Your To-Read List, and 25 Books for People Who Want to Learn More About Race in America, and 15 Books About Race Everyone Should Read, and Don’t Just Read About Racism—Read Stories About Black People Living, and Demand For Antiracist Literature Is Skyrocketing At Local Bookstores And Libraries.

24. When black people are in pain, white people just join book clubs. In related news, Beyond Book Clubs from Jena Schwartz, and The emotional impact of watching white people wake up to racism in real-time, and Performing Whiteness, and It Really Is Different This Time, and White Americans are finally talking about racism. Will it translate into action?, and “Be wary of things that are purely symbolic”: How to join the conversation on race.

25. Rise Up: A Tribute to Black Lives Matter from The Skate Kid. “A week ago, the D.C.’s Mayor Bowser had the words Black Lives Matter painted on 16th street in front of the White House. She said her hope is that we can all speak up and protect each other. I wanted to share my hope for the future. At 5:30am while the streets were still empty, my parents and I went down to Black Lives Matter Plaza to record this video. I decided to skate to one of my favorite songs, ‘Rise Up’ by Andra Day. I skated to the song based on what I was feeling.”

26. Free Food, Free Speech and Free of Police: Inside Seattle’s ‘Autonomous Zone’ on The New York Times.

27. How 2 Lives Collided in Central Park, Rattling the Nation on The New York Times. “The inside story of the black birder and the white woman who called the police on him. Their encounter stirred wrenching conversations about racism and white privilege.”

28. Not Just Tulsa: Five Other Race Massacres That Devastated Black America. In related news, A Long-Lost Manuscript Contains a Searing Eyewitness Account of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921.

29. 30 Day Racial Justice Challenge from Kertesha B. Riley on Twitter. “Black America is tired and we’re hurting. If you find yourself asking ‘what can I do,’ start here. I’ve created this challenge and am dedicating the next 30 days to learning about and engaging the work of racial justice.”

30. Artist Reimagines Picnic Table as Massive Tree That Welcomes People to Come Together. This reminds me of that saying, “If you have more than you need, don’t build a taller fence, build a longer table.”

31. Mike Birbiglia’s Working it Out Podcast. “Comedian Mike Birbiglia welcomes a different comedian or creator each week and together they work out original, untested material. And, occasionally, uncomfortable topics. Join them as they work it out.”

32. Is it safe to stay in a hotel, cabin or rental home during the pandemic? In related news, What ICU doctors have learned about COVID-19 — and how they’re prepared for a 2nd wave, and When 511 Epidemiologists Expect to Fly, Hug and Do 18 Other Everyday Activities Again on The New York Times, and Asymptomatic coronavirus spread is real.

33. 21 Black Queer-Owned Brands And Designers To Support Right Now.

34. If Your Company’s Values Don’t Align With Your Own, Should You Stay or Go? “Speaking up about injustice can be dangerous. So can staying in a harmful environment.” In related news, Why CrossFit devotees leaving the brand behind is such a big deal, and Starbucks Is Now Allowing Its Employees To Wear Black Lives Matter Merch After Getting A Ton Of Backlash, and Starbucks Updated Statement: Standing together against racial injustice, and NASCAR Bans Confederate Flag.

35. Protestors in Atlanta Set Fire to Wendy’s Where Rayshard Brooks Was Killed by Police. In related news, Video purportedly shows white woman setting Wendy’s on fire at scene of Rayshard Brooks killing, and The police killing of Rayshard Brooks at a Wendy’s drive-through, explained, and Family of Atlanta Shooting Victim Disputes Police Account on The New York Times.

36. Recipe: strawberry cornmeal griddle cakes. And some ideas for a side dish: “Bacon” 4 Ways.

37. Full Episode: Where Do We Go From Here? (Part One). (video) “Oprah Winfrey leads the conversation speaking directly with Black thought leaders, activists and artists about systematic racism and the current state of America.”

38. The underground plant exchange where white people send Black people plants. “Tending to plants is proven to boost moods and sooth anxieties – DJ Freedem’s new initiative offers some of that solace to Black people.”

39. As Black Photographers Document Protests, They Tell Their ‘Own History In Real Time’.

40. Saturday Navajo Nation COVID-19 Update: 84 New Cases and Five More Deaths. We are losing so much, so much that is precious and beloved and irreplaceable. 💔

41. On Being with Krista Tippett: Resmaa Menakem, ‘Notice the Rage; Notice the Silence’.

Resmaa Menakem is a therapist and trauma specialist who activates the wisdom of elders and a very new science, about how all of us carry the history and traumas behind everything we collapse into the word “race” in our bodies. He helps explain why vulnerabilities and inequities laid bare by the pandemic have fallen hardest on Black bodies. He illuminates why all of the best laws and diversity training have not gotten us anywhere near healing.

42. How We Are. “How We Are was started by Nicole Walker and Matthew Batt. They’re both writers and teachers and, beyond reading and writing, they’re both enthusiastic eaters and listeners and purveyors of art of all stripes.”

How We Are was started by them during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, shortly after they were among the few who attended the Associated Writing Programs conference in San Antonio. They simply wondered, after seeing so few friends and colleagues at AWP, How is everybody?… It’s a simple, but big, question, and they want to know… The idea was to begin by asking a few people they know how they’re doing, but then, like a benign virus, spread it forward and have people reply not to us, but to other people. Together we hope to post, in a time of crisis, a portrait of people simply thinking about other people.

43. 137 Ways to Donate in Support of Black Lives and Communities of Color. And also, Donate to These Orgs to Support Black Trans People.

44. An estimated 60,000 took part in this March of Silence in Seattle on Friday. (video)

45. Influencers Pose In Blackface In A Misguided Effort Of Solidarity With Black Lives Matter. In related news, Hollywood Celebs Get Dragged For Cringeworthy Anti-Racism Video.

46. Video of two men confronting Norway man’s racist signs goes viral. “Wake the fuck up. Don’t be a dick.” It really is pretty simple when you think about it. And in related news, “After our video gained so much attention we had so many requests for shirts that we created a fundraiser to help our local community. Please feel free to check it out and thank you very much for your help and support to make this a better place to live for everyone.”

47. Meet an Artist Monday: Calida Rawles. Check out her website for more of her work.

48. Juneteenth: Our Other Independence Day. “Two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, American slavery came to an end and a celebration of freedom was born.” In related news, Companies like Twitter and Nike are making Juneteenth—the day commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S.—an official holiday (video).

49. Meet the Farmer Behind CHAZ’s Vegetable Gardens.

50. 75-Year-Old Protester Targeted By Trump Conspiracy Theory Is Reportedly Suffering From Brain Injury.

51. What I Hear When You Say, a video series “that explores how words can both unite and divide us depending on our own perspective, experience, and interpretation. Each episode covers a different phrase or term that challenges what we think we know about race, class, gender, and identity. While these topics may be difficult to discuss, starting with a shared understanding will help us connect with one another.”

52. Since the pandemic began, American billionaires made an extra half a trillion dollars. Our issue, the ways in which people don’t have the basic fundamental things they need to survive, has never been a lack of resources but rather that a few hoard more than they need allowing others to suffer.

53. A Missouri Woman Got Merriam-Webster to Agree to Update Its Definition of Racism.

54. NYPD Police Officer Tells Fellow Cops He Kneeled Because the Protesters Were Scary.

55. From Trayvon Martin To George Floyd, A Dad And Son Keep Protesting For Equality.

56. Tiny Massacres: On the Anniversary of Pulse.

57. The Juice Connoisseur. (video)

58. Racism in America: Explore films and new specials focused on race.

59. Rubber Bullets and Beanbag Rounds Can Cause Devastating Injuries on The New York Times. In related news, Black activist shot by same police department he trained on bias, and New York police boss Mike O’Meara “Stop treating us like animals and thugs…” (video).

60. The Author of So You Want to Talk About Race Wants to Live in a World That Doesn’t Need Her Book.

61. Upcoming Trump Rally In Tulsa Faces Backlash Over Race, Coronavirus. In related news, As Public Opinion Shifts on Racism, Trump Digs In on The New York Times, and The Debate Over the Word ‘Fascism’ Takes a New Turn on The New York Times.

62. Anti-Racism Daily. “Sign up to receive daily emails to keep your anti-racism practice persistent and consistent.”

63. 10 Expert Tips For Thoughtfully Talking About Racism With Family Or Friends.

64. JK Rowling invokes history of sexual assault while peddling widely debunked myth about trans people in single-sex spaces. In related news, Opinion: Harry Potter’s Magic Fades When His Creator Tweets.

65. Photographer Spends 1000s of Hours Painstakingly Restoring ‘Unrestorable’ Photos, “And Here Are His 16 Most Impressive Works.”

66. Why Black joy matters, and is a form of resistance, too. In related news, One Way To Be An Ally Right Now? Support Black Mental Health.

67. Colin Kaepernick Wins Amnesty International’s Highest Honor.

68. The Woman Who Sang the Viral ‘Lose Yo Job’ Song Is Getting the Recognition—and Coins—She Deserves.

69. ‘There Is a Stench’: Soiled Clothes and No Baths for Migrant Children at a Texas Center on The New York Times. Indian reservations and boarding schools; enslavement, lynching, segregation, imprisonment, and murder of Black people; Japanese internment camps, and now ICE detention centers. Reminds me of this meme I saw last week: