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Thank you, Dr King

MLK and kids

Photo: Carl De Kayzer/Magnum Photos

First, a much overdue thank you note:

Dear Dr. King,

I don’t even know where to begin. There are so many obvious things… I get to sit wherever I want on the bus, drink from all the water fountains, I can vote. And while all of these things are rights that I believe are inalienable, we all know that they were hard won for people of color in this country. And you were right up front, leading the charge.

But what I really wanted to write about, and thank you for, is how you continue to inspire me to stand up to today’s oppression, even long after you departed this world. Your righteous anger and boundless love, your wise words and tireless energy, your fierceness… these are things that I carry with me. Even as I turn more toward women leaders as role models and mentors, and as I look to my right and left for inspiration and teachings from my sisters who form so much of the front lines in the current struggles, I still am uplifted by your eloquence. Your words, spoken a half century ago, continue to resonate today.

So thank you for mixing beauty and poetry with force and direct fierceness, for being a foundational part of my activism, for teaching me so much about the revolutionary power of love, and for being a part of my revolutionary universe.

With gratitude,

BW

And second, for those who want to take a deeper dive into the man, his life and his words, here are a few links of interest:

The New Yorker has a whole set of links to various articles they have published about Martin Luther King, Jr. All interesting and worth checking out.

From late 1957 through December of 1958, Dr King wrote an advice column for Ebony Magazine. Check out these selected letters from that year of “Advice For Living.”

Here’s an opinion piece in the New York Times about MLK’s critique of white northern liberalism. These words are perhaps even more relevant today than they were in the late 60′s.

It would be well worth your time to listen to Dr King read his Letter From A Birmingham Jail, which is arguaby his most important piece of writing. It explains so precisely the ethos behind the non-violent acts of civil disobediance and why they are so crucial in any fight for human rights.

And lastly, a piece about 5 young women who are currently fighting for education in the spirit of Dr. King.

Another year, another #GivingTuesday…

Josh's hand

Every year, for #GivingTuesday, I put up another photograph of hands. This one belongs to Josh, before we were married. It is one of the most generous hands I know.

Ok so we’re back here again, living through the week where every day has a #Name that is supposed to inspire us to spend spend spend for the holidays. For the most part, I tend to plug my ears and pretend it’s not happening until maybe halfway through Hanukkah when I panic because we haven’t started to deal with getting gifts out to the Jewish half of the family in a timely manner. (Maybe this year will be different?)

But one hashtag I wholeheartedly support is #GivingTuesday, which shines a light on giving to the non-profit organizations that do so much of the heavy lifting in our communities– especially now, as government funding is being cut right and left. I feel like so much attention lately has been placed on political campaigns (at least in my inbox)… It’s important to turn our attention to other areas, all of which are in dire need of support as well.

Here are some of the orgs my family is thinking about giving to this season:

Chef José Andrés founded the World Central Kitchen in the wake of the 2010 hurricane that devastated Haiti, because he believed that food can be an agent for change. The WCK has expanded to serve underfed communities all over the world (including the US!) with a network of Chefs all working “to empower people to be part of the solution, with a focus on health, education, jobs, and social enterprise.”

The 24 Hour Plays bring together marquee artists to create time limited theater around the world. And by “time limited,” I mean write, cast, compose, and produce entire pieces of theater in 24 hours. They also mentor a young diverse group of theater artists (24 Hour Nationals) and raise money to benefit The Lilly Foundation, which uplifts women in theater. Storytelling is a crucial way that we as humans make sense of our surroundings, and the group experience of watching a live performance fosters the type of community that is so important, particularly during these turbulent times. Oh and also, I’m on the board, so this crew is especially near and dear to my heart!

The Studio Museum in Harlem showcases and supports the work of artists of African descent and celebrates black culture and its influences on both art and society. It is more than a museum, it is a cultural nexus, a central gathering place for learning, exchanging ideas and for celebration by and of the African diaspora in all of its incarnations. Art + Community = Better everything. Just saying.

Next we have two organizations devoted to our oceans, which, by the way, cover the vast majority of the Earth’s surface. Surfrider Foundation is all about protecting the oceans, waves and beaches for the use and enjoyment of all earthlings. Oceana focuses specifically on the world’s oceans and works to protect and restore them to their former richness and diversity. It is the largest preservation and advocacy organization focused entirely on the undersea world.

Earth Justice may have the best tag line of all of these groups. Quite simply, we should all support Earth Justice “because the world needs a good lawyer.” Tell me about it.

Girls Who Code is all about eliminating the gender disparity in the tech world by teaching girls how to code. Many of these girls just happen to be people of color and come from disadvantaged neighborhoods, which is also a profound change from the predominately white male tech universe we see today. Sort of like the incoming freshman congresspeople, but I digress.

And last, but definitely not least, the good people over at Refinery29 have put together this list of ways that you can help victims of the devastating fires in California. Thousands of Americans have lost everything and are now homeless for the forseable future. FEMA, it seems, is overwhelmed and not super effective. Even a small bit of cash or in kind donations will go a long way.

Oh and if you want more ideas, click here and here for two past #GivingTuesday posts…

Monday, Monday… or more links about Election Day (which is tomorrow, by the way)

go vote

Getting the message across however I can these days… Voting is more important than ever. Please go exercise your right!

Election Day is TOMORROW here in New York, so today’s links are all about how to get yourself informed quickly. This way, when you go to the polls, which I KNOW you’re planning on doing, you can vote with confidence. Remember– all of these “smaller” elections add up to big things. Every vote counts. For reals.

First off, there is the official NYC Board of Elections Voter Guide, which I find a bit confusing, but it has all the official information you need to get yourself to the polls.

WhosOnTheBallot.org is a great resource for previewing what you are actually going to see on your own local ballot, with links to candidate’s websites, social media, etc. Plus it’s a great place to go to see if you’re registered (and to register if you haven’t already), find out exactly where your polling place is, etc… they will even set a calendar reminder for you.

My go-to, in general, is the WNYC voters guide, from our local NPR radio station. They have all of the candidates for each position, links to their websites and (this is what I love) links to a number of articles about each race, so you can go a bit deeper than just the candidate’s home pages.

The New York Times, of course, has a piece aptly titled Just Tuning In To New York’s Elections Now?, which is full of links and information to help you sort it all out before you head to the polls.

If you want the crib notes on who the reliably progressive folks are on the ballot, check out who the Working Families Party has endorsed. At the very least, if you just blindly follow their lead, you’re not going to be accidentally pulling the lever for a pro-assault weapon, anti-immigration style candidate.

Monday, Monday, or more links about how you should drop everything and go see Wonder Woman if you haven’t already, and related topics

I can honestly say that I’ve been waiting my entire life for the Wonder Woman movie to be made. And now that it is here, it does not disappoint.

Take your daughters, for obvious reasons. Take your sons because they need to believe in strong powerful women as much as your girls do. (And while we’re on the topic of boys, check out this great piece about raising feminist sons…) It is violent, so talk to your kids about that too. And about how, for this superhero, the real enemy is war itself, not the individual “bad guys” that swirl around within it.

On the off chance that you feel the need to read reviews before you go see it, here’s what they have to say at the New Yorker, The New York Times, and The Atlantic.

Frank Bruni also throws his hat into the ring, but his piece is a bit more cultural philosophy than review.

Wonder Woman, from her creation, is even more of a profound and radical feminist than most people think. The Smithsonian tells us all about her surprising origin story.

And then there was all that fuss about the all female screenings

The Mayor of Austin, TX received a letter from a guy who was clearly threatened beyond reason by the concept of a theater full of women. Here is his brilliant response.

And last but far far from least, there is Patty Jenkins the brilliant director who, against all odds, spearheaded the creation of the best superhero movie to come out in ages.

Monday, Monday or more links about the awesomeness of both the Earth and of science in general

walking in the woods

Here’s one of the photographs I took for Instagram’s Earth Day project. And also for myself, because even when I am far away from the woods, it is always lovely to remember that they are there.

Earth Day was this past weekend. Lets keep the party going for a bit, shall we?

350.org is building a global climate movement and their website has all sorts of great information about climate change and what we can do to stem the tide. Well worth checking out. NRDC.org is another great resource for info. And you can go straight to The People’s Climate March to find out how to join one of the thousands of Climate Marches and Demonstrations going on worldwide this Saturday (April 29).

To celebrate Earth Day, Instagram asked people to spend the weekend taking photographs of the natural beauty of our planet. The images were all tagged #whpnaturalbeauty (where WHP stands for weekend hashtag project) and the results are really breathtaking. It’s a great feed to check out when you’re feeling bleak about what’s going on in the political world…

Who doesn’t want to know how to take a picture of a black hole?

And while we’re in the land of the TED talk, take the command Know Thyself to heart and check out this playlist of 14 talks about the inner workings of our brains.

If you’re just jonesing for a short podcast about some kind of scientific topic, but don’t have anything specific in mind, check out San Francisco’s KQED’s Science. You won’t be disappointed.

Just now, at Pioneer Works, Amanda Palmer read a breathtakingly beautiful and profoundly feminist poem (written just this weekend by her husband Neil Gaiman) about how the first scientists were almost certainly women. The poem is called The Mushroom Hunters and the introduction and preamble are almost as insightful and interesting as the poem itself.

Monday, Monday… or more links to help get us on the road to positivity

looking up

The view from the ground.

Last week, we took a trip into the Berkshires and I went cross country skiing for the first time. I fell. A lot. but the view was so beautiful from the ground, I could have cared less. And thus began my effort to actively seek positivity in a world that feels full of chaos and negative energy right about now. These links all lead to things that celebrate the good in one way or another. Please enjoy.

And have a nice day!

Here are 10 simple ways to raise more creative kids.

Listen to this playlist curated by my friend Luisa for our friend Jill Platner’s blog. It’s called Summoning Spells with good reason…

Spending just 10 minutes a day on mindfullness can completely change the way you react to just about everything. Or at least that’s what the folks at the Harvard Business Review think. And they should know.

Be kind to your immune system by making some of this Astragalus Chai.

Read this amazing piece on the history of recorded jazz music. With photos and sound to go with. It’s a great way to close out Black History Month, if you’re looking to do that kind of thing…

An inspirational and incredible story of an escape from the Holocaust killing grounds of Lithuania.

Monday, Monday (on Tuesday which is also Valentines Day), or a few links about how to love ourselves just a little bit…

origami valentine hearts

The fruits of this year’s Valentine’s Day labor. After we got over the upsetting new No Candy rule at school. Origami to the rescue!

This Valentine’s Day, we all need to treat ourselves to a little love. So for this week’s set of links, I give you some lovely suggestions for ways to escape from the crazy that we have all been inhabiting lately. Happy Valentine’s Day to us!

14 chocolate treats that you can make in under an hour. Need I say more?

Read something sweet, like these really cute things my friend Joanna’s 3 year old son says to her, and smile.

Make something for yourself, damn it. This Scandinavian wall art/hanging thing is the kind of object I see in stores but don’t buy because I think I can make it myself. Which actually wasn’t true till I found step by step instructions online. Thank you Internet.

Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. This is supposedly the answer to all of our problems. But we have to do it right. Luckily, the good ladies at Goop are here to guide us.

Listen to some music. ALL of the playlists on here we go now kick ass. For reals.

Maybe just give in and go to Florida for the weekend? Or you could just fantasize about any of the places on Design Tripper

Who knew that pine pollen has been used for centuries as a powerful aphrodisiac? It also balances hormones, boosts metabolism and increases energy. You can add some to your daily smoothie, or use it to make these delicious raw lemon rose truffles.

Monday, Monday… or more links about people gettin’ ready

I spent the past few days huddling with a posse of like minded souls, thinking and talking about what we can do to help keep our country from sliding off the rails. And as we gathered, and planned, and thought about the long line of civil rights activists that came before us, this song came to mind.

So instead of my usual varied Monday links, I give you 7 of my favorite versions of the great 1965 song by The Impressions that has become an anthem for so many.


Here’s Curtis Mayfield himself, breaking it down with a whole bunch of priceless outfits on stage with him.


The Reverend Al Green, joined by Linda Jones and Wanda Neal, has a smile that could sink a thousand ships.


Ok so this one isn’t a video, but it’s Aretha Franklin. And as she is the Queen of Soul, her rendition of this song is not to be missed.


Eva Cassidy Keeping it real at the Blues Alley jazz supper club in Georgetown, DC, on the 3rd of January back in 1996.


It wouldn’t be a playlist without a reggae break. So here’s the son of God, Ziggy Marley, with his joyous version.


Alicia Keys, singing her heart out at the piano, before she stopped wearing make up.


And last but not least, Rod Stewart. Seated, unplugged, and bespeckled, but still killing it.

Monday, Monday (on a Wednesday!) or more links about what to do with all of those damned apples…

apples

Ok so now it’s mid October, and we spent a recent weekend really living the following locavore dream:

Head down the road to a local farm with close friends and a gaggle of kids, pick waaaay too many apples, grab some produce at the farmstand, stop by the fish market on the way home for the main course, and a delicious dinner (all sourced from within 30 miles or so) is had by all.

But now it’s a week later and we still have So. Many. Apples. Every year I somehow forget that I don’t need 75 apples on my kitchen shelf, so I go crazy picking tons of apples, and then I get home and reality sets in. Because while it is totally delicious, one can only make so much curried apple soup in a fortnight.

So the next two weeks are gonna be all about apples in this house. How shall I cook them? Let me count the ways, whilst you click on the links for the recipes:

Clearly, there will be glazed apple cider donuts.

I am also thinking we should make some magic apple plum cobbler. Because any dish that has the word “magic” in it is alright by me.

For cocktail hour this time of year, one should always consider serving up a nice apple smash.

Mark Bittman helps us get healthy with this lovely apple slaw.

Ummm… did I hear you say caramel apple upside down cake?

And while we’re on the topic of bittersweet candied apples

Last but not least, before you roll into bed stuffed to the gills with deliciousness, I give you braised and bruleéd apples with ice cream. You can thank me later.

Here are some links about getting it together, posted on a Friday rather than the usual Monday. Because late is better than never.

It has been a long time since my last post. All sorts of crazy things are happening in the world (shootings, bombs in Chelsea, Donald Trump for president…) plus summer is really over and school is in full swing. It is time for my autumnal press of the restart button, when I make all kinds of resolutions about how I will be finishing the year strong. Maybe you’d like to join me…?

Here are a few of my plans:

I’m going to keep eating at home most nights with my family. And feeling really good about it after watching the video above.

I’m putting down my phone and reading more books, like The Underground Railroad by Colson Whittehead.

This year I swear to God we’re going to make the whole school/homework/activities thing less haphazard.

I’m going to keep things clean– naturally– with apple cider vinegar.

I’m going to cook more profound food from The Moon Juice Cookbook. Anything that calls itself cosmic alchemy sounds good to me!

I’m going to go see more art: like the Alma Thomas show at The Studio Museum.

I am going to start to learn how to more effectively use all of these digital tools I have lying around the house. And then I’m going to actually organize the unruly jungle that is my desktop.