No. 16: MD Newsletter
False prophets and profits
So, about the future of democracy…
Just kidding. I have no idea what’s in store. And maybe don’t trust anyone who says they do.
But even without the gift of prophecy, I’ve had many conversations this past week or so about what the future of the United States. And so far, the only possible antidote I can find to counteract the current state of sociopolitical upheaval and dissatisfaction and oppression is community. Whether in person or virtual, whether in passing or around your dinner table. Maybe it’s your neighbors, your friends, your church, or your internet brethren in the comment trenches. Maybe it’s your school district, or a sports fandom. Maybe it’s your fellow direct action protestors tying themselves to the front doors of Acme HQ or whatever. Wherever our values intersect with others is where we find our community. And there, maybe we can find some hope that not all is lost, and that we know what it is like to come together to solve problems in the name of the greater good. Or maybe I am a tragic optimist.
Part of the reason I became a journalist is because I wanted to be a part of what could hold our systems accountable to our society. I still believe this is a critical function, and one I aim to perform to my very best every day. But there is a feeling of sticking your finger in the hole of the dam while a wrecking ball hovers overhead. Fatalism, though, will get you nowhere, and so I press onward. I wear my figurative heart on my sleeve when interviewing others or reaching out to connect about topics that interest me. I try to find topics and insights that will get people who are running our economy doing it a little better, a little safer, a little more thoughtful. I like to ask people about the things they’re passionate about improving for the benefit of others. I relish these interactions, because they remind me that we are — whether we like each other or not — all in this together.
On the capitalism beat
There’s always something interesting happening in the world of retail, and in my work I really try go beyond the “sell, sell, sell” of the thing. Obviously companies are trying to make money. Obviously they want you to buy things that you (or the planet) probably don’t really need. But short of the entire economy pivoting to the degrowth movement, this is the only game in town, and I like to see if we’re at all changing the norms.
Parachute is among the first-ever home brands to launch a take-back program. You may have seen this for clothes — drop off your old stuff to get a coupon — but doing it with linens is interesting because a) they’re way bigger than apparel b) the resale or reuse value isn’t as high. I also got to fangirl with the SuperCircle team who are doing pretty fascinating things in the recycling world.
Hoka opened up its NYC flagship store this summer, and I spoke to president Robin Greene about how even though their core audience may be runners they’ve been able to capture the attention of many other shoppers. I don’t really run anymore (unless I am chasing a small human) but I love watching this brand grow. As I reported, expect more from them on the apparel side soon.
My latest labor story looked at how REI agreed to an informal settlement after workers in its NYC repair shop raised concerns about how respirators were used while melting plastic. This was a tricky piece to report because I had a document to go off of and only one side would get on the phone with me. But it underscores a greater issue in retail that I am reporting more and more about — workers don’t really feel safe.
Elsewhere
Over at the Coachella Valley Independent, I’m looking for new ideas to play with over the next few months. If you are a hi-dez business owner, get in touch! Also looking for more Civic Solutions ideas. I firmly believe our communities are only as thriving as we invest in them to be. That requires more than just paying your taxes and hoping for the best from the powers that be. It means getting involved, whether that’s responding to the natural world, helping care for others, or creating a space for free.
Here’s my latest:
The Morongo Basin has a new artist collective and they just opened their first-ever community art gallery in Yucca Valley! We went to the opening last week and were so impressed by the works on display, and just genuinely stoked about how enthusiastic attendees were. I love where I live and the other wonderful eccentric people who call this place home.
My latest Civic Solutions piece looked at how The Joslyn Center became the country’s first-ever certified autism-trained senior center. That means their staff knows what to look for in autistic adults, something that will become more important as populations age.
This is from late May, but I’m super proud of this story about how Riverside County tapped animal rescue groups for its largest-ever removal operation of 80+ horses and a couple dozen dogs. The details on the site were scant, because the investigation is ongoing, but I am super grateful to All Things Hooved and the county for sharing thier stories with me. I am seeing that more and more of the rescued horses are finding homes, and I hope they thrive wherever they land.
Tunes & tales
My Kindle continues to be the closet thing I have to a child’s security blanket. Like my son’s favorite stuffed puppy, I don’t want to go sleep without it. Sometimes in the morning I find it on my husband’s nightstand instead of my own, because I fell asleep with it in my hand sprawled across his side of our bed.
As far as the contents, I’m all about the cozy mystery lately. I finished the third of the Thursday Murder Club series and PHEW what a treat! Those books really make me laugh out loud and have some great mastery twists, but are also really touching in a humanistic sense. Absolutely stoked about a potential film treatment. I am also devouring anything from Lucy Foley, I love the characters she creates and the interesting settings (The Hunting Party in particular is a great place to start). I also had a spate of trying to get into the Robert Greene works (48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction) but honestly never got in a groove so sent them back to the San Bernardino County Library System. A spell for another day, perhaps
On the music front, I’m getting back into Tom Petty in a big way thanks to the “Ways to Be Wicked” cover from the beguiling badass Margot Price. Diving into older catalogs is a really fun exercise, because there’s something satisfying about hearing new songs from an artist you’re already very familiar with. The new Zach Bryan album is everything I wanted it to be, as in something to play loud while driving into the sunset around JT. I also really like that new Sabrina Carpenter song “Please Please Please” a lot, even if it reminds me that I am basically older than dirt, and I’m excited to see what she does next. And the other day on KCRW I heard a dog called “John Lee Hooker for President” by Ry Cooder and I’ve probably listened to it another dozen times as I get into the rest of his work. In Cooder’s words; I want everybody to know I'm strictly copacetic.
Thanks, as always, for reading,