Hi everyone! This week, we start with Airbnb, a company that is extremely good at making people mad. Then comes an excellent video that points out how easily racism can curtail young people’s dreams. After the break, enjoy a multimedia profile on an impressive young woman, and finally, appreciate the marvel of the New York Public Library system.

Living and Dying on Airbnb

This article was everywhere this week. No matter where or how I turned, this article didn’t go away. It’s a very sad story, and it raises questions about whether we need more stringent regulations to protect consumers from “sharing economy” businesses like Airbnb.

Apostrophes

Nikole Hannah-Jones, a writer for the New York Times Magazine, is my favorite education reporter. She writes about the longstanding effects of segregation in schools. Here she speaks about a smart young woman in high school who wants to live the American Dream. Except there’s an apostrophe in her name. This video lasts 9 minutes.

Here’s my former student Chezlyn with Vice President Joe Biden! Now attending Spelman College, Chezlyn is studying to become a doctor. (Joe has good teeth.)

Ashima Shiraishi could become best female climber in the world at just 14

14-year-old Ashima Shiraishi is already one of the most talented climbers in the world — but can she reach the height of her father’s ambition? (This young woman is very impressive.)

A Book Odyssey

One of the best features of the public library — after that you can read books for free — is that you may request them to appear at your local branch. Here’s how a book traveled through the New York Public LIbrary system.

Thanks for reading! As always, reply to this email if you’d like to share your thoughts. Have a great week!