Well, folks, where do you even start? It’s been since March that I posted anything, a month that feels like a few lightyears away from where we are now.

Between now and then, my job has held steady as 54 million of our fellow Americans are now without work. I have the privilege of not scrambling to find rent money as evictions become active again. My family and friends have not been ravaged by COVID-19 in the same way that Black Americans and Latino Americans have been impacted and killed by this disease. And it’s taken a summer of protesting for more people who look like me to wake up to police brutality against Black Americans and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Our world can be incredibly stark — we see it in the astronomical wealth gap, access to healthcare, and varied support in the workplace, despite optics that would claim otherwise. And as we fight to create and nurture more equitable ground, it is important to emphasize what drives us toward that action. We collectively want to be safe, acknowledged, and loved. How we obtain that can be eroded by fear and panic and become a malformed pursuit. But in the spirit of those ideals, we’ll return to what you’re here for. My top five roundup for this week, July 31st, 2020.

Top Five — 7/30/20

1. ‘Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of our Nation’ — John Lewis for NYT
   John Lewis’ legacy cannot be overstated — and in his last address to this country, his marching orders are resoundingly clear. “Ordinary people with extraordinary vision can redeem the soul of America by getting in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble.”
   
   
   

2. Photographs for a Purpose
   68 artists/prints, $100 each, with proceeds going towards Planned Parenthood, Equal Justice Initiative, Coalition of Immokalee Workers, and Southerners on New Ground. Act quick since it ends this evening, but I’m torn between this one and this one.
   
   
   

3. ‘Kyoto’: How to Convince Phoebe Bridgers to Write a Rock Song | Diary of a Song

   Being a Bright Eyes fan in 2004 turned into being a Better Oblivion Community Center fan in 2019 and a Phoebe Bridgers fan in 2020. The lead single, Kyoto, from her 2020 album is as dreamy as it is dreary — so perfectly attuned for this year.
   
   
   

4. ‘Don't Try to Change the Minds of Climate-Denying Politicians. Vote Them Out’ — Stacey Abrams for Time
   ”Change comes when those in authority risk being swept away. It becomes permanent when we elect climate warriors up and down the ballot.” Enough said. Be sure you’re registered to vote.
   
   
   

5. ‘Why America Is Afraid of TikTok’ — The Atlantic
   Like the rest of the country, stuck at home, I am entranced by Gen Z’s ability to turn diatribes into themed TED talk party, among other TikTok trends. But with news about rampant security issues, including
   potential trafficking threats, it’s time for TikTok’s allure to come into criticism.
   
   Bonus: Join me on a trip to Corsicana — land of Cheer, fruitcake schemes, and one of the best arts/writing residencies in the U.S.
   
   Until next time.