5. Ethical Chocolate Companies, “a list of chocolate companies that only use ethically grown cocoa. Find out how you can tell if the chocolate you are eating is connected to child slavery.”
13. The Shaun King We’re Not Talking About. “When Clarissa Brooks questioned Shaun King about recent fundraising, King publicly threatened Brooks with legal action. However, Brooks is far from the first person to publicly question Shaun King, and she’s not the first Black woman to be disrespected by him either.”
20. First-grader pointed loaded gun at student in school office. The gun belonged to the district’s transportation director. “Nelson was allowed to carry the weapon as part of the district’s concealed-carry plan adopted last year to arm administrators and select staff members to protect students from potential gun violence.” Guns In schools. What could possibly go wrong?
23. Maiden, a really really really good documentary.
24. Wellness has come for your pets. “The $636 million pet supplement industry is fueled by the greatest suckers of all: millennial dog owners, like me.”
29. The 1619 Project, “a major initiative from The New York Times observing the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. It aims to reframe the country’s history, understanding 1619 as our true founding, and placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of the story we tell ourselves about who we are.”
2. Wisdom from Ronna Detrick: “Do what your intuition tells you, what you can clearly discern as the right course of action. Trust-trust-trust that you know what you’re doing. And let everything else go – every fear, every anticipated reaction, even every expected risk and seemingly-certain cost. It’s all going to work out.”
30. How to Buy a Gun in 16 Countries on The New York Times. “Many Americans can buy a gun in less than an hour. In some countries, the process takes months. Here are the basic steps for how most people buy a gun in 16 of them. Many countries have exceptions for specialized professions, and local laws vary.”
31. Cyntoia Brown Is Freed From Prison in Tennessee on The New York Times. “Ms. Brown, 31, was sentenced to life in prison for killing a man while she was a teenage sex trafficking victim. She was granted clemency in January.”
32. Candice Keller’s Comments on Mass Shootings Prompt Call for Resignation in Ohio on The New York Times. “In a Facebook post, the Ohio lawmaker blamed ‘homosexual marriage,’ ‘drag queen advocates’ and ‘recreational marijuana’ for mass shootings.” It’s so convenient that all the things she doesn’t like or approve of are on her list of causes.
1. Paisley & Hazel, an Instagram account where they paint pictures of adoptable dogs to help them get homes.
2. What the fuck should I do with my life? (A step-by-step process). I love that she ended with this, “Before wrapping up, I want to acknowledge that not everyone has the freedom to do what they choose in life and live out their desires. I’ve really written this article for those of us who are lucky enough to have that choice — let’s not take our freedom to do what we want in life for granted.”
3. Because of you from Alexandra Franzen. “Olympic athletes who claim the gold are very inspiring. But the person who comes in ‘last’ can be just as inspiring, if not more so.” Another good one from Alexandra, There is no rush.
7. Buddhist psychotherapist and “RAIN” champion Tara Brach on Lion’s Roar. “Western psychology and Buddhism—together they offer us a complete diagnosis of the human condition. Andrea Miller talks to psychotherapist Tara Brach, who works to combine these two disciplines into a powerful path to love and fulfillment.”
9. The mindfulness conspiracy. “It is sold as a force that can help us cope with the ravages of capitalism, but with its inward focus, mindful meditation may be the enemy of activism.” In related news, How mindfulness privatised a social problem. “The £3.4trn industry encourages a preoccupation with the symptoms of mental illness, rather than their social causes.”
11. Wisdom from Pema Chödrön, “Everything that occurs is not only usable and workable but is actually the path itself. We can use everything that happens to us as the means for waking up. We can use everything that occurs—whether it’s our conflicting emotions and thoughts or our seemingly outer situation—to show us where we are asleep and how we can wake up completely, utterly, without reservations.” P.S. this doesn’t mean we need to see our suffering and obstacles as “gifts.”
12. Wisdom from Andrea Gibson, “Even when the truth isn’t hopeful, the telling of it is.”
14. Colson Whitehead Opens Up. “In a wide-ranging conversation with The Nation, the author talks about political writing, zombies and horror stories, American history, and his new novel The Nickel Boys.”
22. ‘We’re All Tired of Being Called Racists.’ “At Donald Trump’s rally in Cincinnati, droves of attendees made it clear that they stood with the president despite his recent comments.”
57. Jordan and Andre Heroes El Paso, a GoFundMe fundraiser. “The family of Jordan Anchondo just confirmed they also lost her husband Andre Anchondo in the El Paso Shooting, leaving all three of their kids without their parents. Their 2-mos-old newborn, Paul, survived and will be released from the hospital today. Yesterday was also their 5-year-old daughter’s birthday, and they also leave behind an 18-month-old daughter.” This fundraiser is to help their kids and the family left to care for them. Andre stood in front of his wife and baby, and Jordan put her body in front of the baby when the shooter came for them. The baby survived; both parents were shot and died. They were at Walmart buying things for their 5 year old’s birthday party and school supplies.
Kind and gentle reader: In a few days, I’m flying to Oregon to visit family for a few days. Since I won’t be online much and flying home on Monday, there won’t be a Something Good list next week. Don’t forgot, there are 390 of them at this point, so you could always look back through the archives and see if there’s anything you missed, make/do something good of your own, make your own list to share, or take the week off (that’s my favorite option).
8. These are AOC’s greatest hits. (video) “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez quickly became one of the most exciting and divisive names in politics, offering a progressive alternative to Trump’s America.”
17. With ‘Molly of Denali,’ PBS Raises Its Bar for Inclusion on The New York Times. “Dozens of Alaska Native writers and advisers were recruited to help create the children’s series, one of the first to have a Native American lead.”
21. Plus-Size Adventurers You Should Follow. “Diversify your Instagram feed with plus-size ultrarunners, kayakers, and other bold outdoorspeople who want you to love getting out there too.”
2. Best Practices for Bodhisattvas on Lion’s Roar. “Traditional Buddhist vows can seem pretty hardcore, but they’re really just maps for a good human life. Zen teacher Josh Bartok translates them into values we can all relate to.”
14. How to Deconstruct Racism, One Headline at a Time, a TED Talk. “Baratunde Thurston explores the phenomenon of white Americans calling the police on black Americans who have committed the crimes of … eating, walking or generally ‘living while black.’ In this profound, thought-provoking and often hilarious talk, he reveals the power of language to change stories of trauma into stories of healing — while challenging us all to level up.”
