Hey! It’s been a while. Do you, too, feel like you’re in some upside-down, surreal other world? Hoping that this finds you healthy and well, despite, well… everything.
The Little Newspaper Club
Quarantine has us writing, assigning, and editing! Know a little Editor? Want to find out what that even means? Join us at The Little Newspaper Club.
So, about that book I’m writing…
Gheesh. The book writing thing has been very up and down this year. (Oh, what a year to write a book!)
But! Sometime in this last week I got to 1968. Getting to 1968 is like getting to the pirate ship in Goonies. Granted, there are 14,000 other things I need to do before I send this around for criticism and notes but it’s happening. I can see the light.
Notes from the archives this month: Jane Jacobs on our dark days ahead.
Non-Fiction for Young People
“The Constitution was supposedly written for all people who live in the U.S.,” write authors Lewis and Sargent. “However, because it was written by a small number of white men with power, we have to read it critically.” 🇺🇸🌟📜 from WE THE PEOPLE 🇺🇸🌟📜 by Aura Lewis and Evan Sargent
Tidbits, asides, miscellany…
This is the section where I tell you all about what I’m reading & listening to (because quite literally this has been the only adventure to be had, as of late).
An open letter to urbanists by Jay Pitter. Also from the Canadian Urban Institute: How Do We Respond to Anti-Black Racism in Urbanist Practices and Conversations?
A future without cars in NYC! Hey Rivertown-ies: "The plan wouldn’t improve just Manhattan. A ban on private cars on the island would ripple across the Hudson, altering transportation and livability across the wider metropolitan region."
Hamilton, obv!
The fight to preserve Black history, when only 2% of the National Register of Historic Places focus on the experiences of Black Americans. “To diversify historic preservation, you need to address not just what is preserved but who is preserving it—because, as it turns out, what counts as history has a lot to do with who is doing the counting.”
Sweet stories for kids…
On taking notes on the flora and fauna close to home, with inspiration from the beautiful little picture book THE HIKE by Alison Farrell.
The Babysitters Club is finally on Netflix! See also: this ode to Claudia Kishi in the comic essay format.
Thoughts? Ideas? Recommendations? I love connecting with fellow readers, writers, parents, and humans. Please drop me a line!
New here? Peruse the archive of letters right here or join below for monthly-ish news and notes.
r.p.
