Many Highlighter subscribers call Oakland their home. But you don’t need to live in Oakland to understand the city’s rapid changes. What many say has happened in San Francisco (e.g., unaffordable housing, gentrification, displacement, a loss of identity and character) is happening in Oakland. This report, which focuses on one block in North Oakland, explains the effects that Proposition 13, passed by voters in 1978 to reduce taxes for homeowners, has had on education, housing, and business. Take your time: click on all seven stories, take a look at the maps and charts, and realize that there isn’t a simple solution to this mess.
Newsletter #165: Jim Crow Education
The biggest problem in American education, according to our lead article two weeks ago (#163), is not the achievement gap. It’s the opportunity myth. We promise kids of color that if they work hard, they’ll be rewarded. This is a lie. Across the country, we’re comfortable offering a separate and unequal education to Black and Brown students, as long as white kids get the resources they need.
Newsletter #164: School Colors
Welcome, loyal readers! The Highlighter shies away from politics, but Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court will transform issues of race, education, and culture. This week’s edition focuses on affirmative action, support for abused women, voting rights, and public space — all critical issues that hang in the balance. Hope you’ll find time to read one or two of them!
Also: I love hearing from you. Reach out and share your thoughts. Let’s chat and build our reading community. Hit reply, leave a voice message, or give me a call at (415) 886-7475. Thank you!
The Rise and Fall of Affirmative Action
Affirmative action is about to die. If Edward Blum and Students for Fair Admissions get their way, colleges across the country will no longer be able to factor in race in their admissions decisions. For Michael Wang and many other high-achieving Chinese American students, elite schools like Harvard unfairly discriminate, admitting applicants with lower GPAs and test scores. But as this outstanding article explores, what we say is “fair” is complicated. Hua Hsu explains the origin of affirmative action, the history of Asian American immigration, and our country’s different notions of “justice for all.” (40 min)
+ What surprised you? This article definitely built my background knowledge on affirmative action. Hit reply and tell me what you learned!
Safe Homes: Secret Shelters for Abused Immigrant Women
Valentina (not her real name) opens her home to fellow Latina immigrant women whose partners have abused them. She’s done this for a long time, ever since her husband began to beat her. Many of the women she serves are undocumented, unsure whether to press charges, scared to leave their partners, worried about losing their children. Valentina listens, gives them shelter, and discusses their options. (17 min)
+ Read more from Lizzie Presser: #80, #96
A Glimmer of Hope? Restoring Voting Rights in Florida for Ex-Felons
Florida is one of four states that bars ex-felons from voting — yes, forever, even after they’ve served their time. Its law, passed in the Jim Crow era to block Black people from voting, now disenfranchises 1.69 million people. Since the presidential election of 2000, Desmond Meade has fought to reverse the ban, building an unlikely coalition with older white conservative Republicans. Polls say Florida Amendment 4 will pass next month. (14 min)
+ Read more on voting rights: #3, #24, #63, #116.
Libraries Are Palaces for the People: (Too Bad No One Ever Steps Inside.)
You like libraries, right? Me too. But when’s the last time you stepped foot inside one? This ode to libraries by NYU sociologist Eric Klinenbergreminds us that libraries are one of the last bastions of public space in our increasingly isolated, lonely society. But I don’t buy his rosy statistics about overwhelming library usage. My theory is that we like that libraries exist. They make us feel good. But mostly we stay away. (12 min)
Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter. Tell me what you thought by hitting reply or by using the thumbs below. Also, let’s please welcome our 7 new subscribers: Asha, Asali, Linda, Stephen, Cheryl, Marla, and Wendy! If you value The Highlighter, feel free to:
Forward this issue (or all issues) to a friend.
I really appreciate your support. On the other hand, if the newsletter is just too much, please unsubscribe. I’ll see you back here next Thursday at 9:10 am. Have a great week!
Newsletter #163: The Opportunity Myth
Good morning, loyal readers. Last Thursday, The Highlighter arrived in your inboxes during the Supreme Court confirmation hearing, and this week, the newsletter is published as senators read the FBI report that concludes its investigation. It is a very troubling time for our country.
Today’s Issue: If you’re an educator or a parent, please read this week’s lead article. It’ll jolt you, no doubt, but the push will be a good one. If you’re looking for cheerier fare, check out the second article and learn what San Antonio schools are doing to desegregate. Want some inspiration? Skip all the way to the bottom and have AJ Holbrook get you to the gym.
+ I would love to hear from you! Say hello and let me know what you think. All you need to do is hit reply.
We tell young people that if they go to school and work hard, they’ll get into college and success will follow. What if we’re lying to them? What if they do exactly what we say and then find themselves grossly underskilled and unprepared for the rigors of college? That’s exactly what’s happening, according to this report by The New Teacher Project. The biggest problem in American education is not the achievement gap but rather the opportunity myth. Schools are offering dumbed-down curriculum that does not challenge students to engage deeply in rigorous thinking. Perhaps worse, well-meaning teachers are calling their students “amazing” even when they’re performing below grade level. This combination leaves students not only unready but also unaware of their reality. (55 min)
78207: America’s Most Radical School Integration Experiment
On the bright side, some school districts are doing the right thing. Schools in San Antonio are starkly segregated by income, ever since San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez (1972), which declared that states do not have to fund school districts equally. For the past three years, superintendent Pedro Martinez has worked to integrate schools by redistricting them by gradations of income, by opening schools of choice, and by attacking beliefs about poor kids — that pobrecitos can’t possibly achieve. (29 min)
The Disappeared Kids on Long Island
Three years ago, 15-year-old Miguel Morán went missing one evening on Long Island. When his mother Carlota went to the Suffolk County Police Department the next morning, officers declared Miguel a runaway. In this article, Hannah Dreier(#138) explains how as MS-13 became stronger in Brentwood, the police retreated. Carlota said, “You get the sense that the police here have this attitude that we Latinos are just killing each other. If Miguel was an American, they might have found him right away.” (39 min)
+ Prefer a podcast version? Listen to this article on This American Life.
+ Thank you to loyal reader Anne for suggesting this story. (Want to nominate an article?)
This 20-Year-Old Transgender Man Wants to Change Bodybuilding
AJ Holbrook came out as trans when he was 13. Now he’s a bodybuilder who wants to compete against his cisgender opponents and become Mr. Olympia. Current IFBB policy is unclear on whether people who have had hormone replacement therapy can participate in its tournaments. AJ doesn’t care. He says, “Nothing is ever possible until it’s done. I’m going to make it possible.” (10 min)
That’s it for this week’s issue of The Highlighter. Thank you for reading it. Tell me what you thought hitting reply or by using the thumbs below. Also, let’s please welcome new subscribers Gayle and Phil! If you value this newsletter, forward this issue (or all issues) to a friend. Or use the buttons in the upper right to share via Facebook or Twitter. Word of mouth is the best way for our reading community to grow. On the other hand, if The Highlighter has become a slog, it’s OK, please unsubscribe. I’ll see you back here next Thursday at 9:10 am. Have a great week!
Newsletter #162: No Way Out
Good morning, Highlighters, and thank you for opening up this week’s issue of the newsletter. After reading today’s lead article, an exposé of Georgia’s unconscionable, unforgivable special education program, I needed several minutes to put myself back together. This story will stay with you, and I urge you to read it. The other three articles this week are also outstanding, though I must warn you if you’re trending cheerful. These are heavy — and important. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’re willing to share them with me. Thank you!
+ Spotlight: Last week’s lead article about fat shaming resonated with many of you. If you’d like to read more great articles about weight, dieting, and body positivity, I’ve compiled a collection of my favorites. Click here to read them!
Special Ed in Georgia: Separate and Unequal
Seth Murrell is a 4-year-old African American kid who has autism, yells loudly when he’s praised, doesn’t like wearing shoes, and sometimes spits in his teachers’ faces. Because he lives in Georgia, Seth attends GNETS, a separate, state-run school for children with special needs. Almost all of his peers are Black boys. The conditions at the school are abominable: Seth is often left alone, receiving an average of just 30 minutes of instruction per day. Seth’s mom advocates for a better placement, but like for most of the 4,000 kids in the system, there’s no way out. That is to say, until one day, when Seth is assaulted by his teacher. (37 min)
+ Rachel Aviv writes with urgency and lets her subjects tell the story. Check out her previously highlighted articles in #76, #87, and #130.
When I was 4 years old, I took an IQ test that determined the rest of my academic career. This article explores how “gifted education” offers advantages for a small percentage of children at the expense of others. Writing from her experience in Canada, Katrina Onstad argues that segregating children by perceived intellectual ability not only undermines public education but also harkens back to eugenics and Social Darwinism. (27 min)
Speak Truth to Power: ‘We Must Tell Anyone and Everyone Who Will Listen’
This is a brilliant essay by Lacy M. Johnson, adapted from her new book, The Reckonings. She writes, “All across the country this situation is replicated with slight variations: a woman reports rape, is told that boys will be boys; a woman reports rape, is not believed. She is shamed. She is ostracized, traumatized, and retraumatized. At best, the woman’s life is forever and irrevocably changed. At worst, she self-destructs. Men, however, seem to thrive in a culture in which they can rape women with near impunity.” (30 min)
Kids Aren’t Being Taught To Read
Only 40 percent of American fourth graders are proficient readers. Why? According to this article (and podcast), it’s because teachers don’t know what they’re doing. Instead of following what brain research says to do (phonics, scripted curricula), teachers make stuff up (whole language, balanced literacy). When it comes to the reading wars, Emily Hanson takes no prisoners and allows no equivocation. (28 min)
Reader Annotations: Loyal reader Nicki read last week’s article featuring the financial struggles of 13 teachers and had this to say:
I relate to many aspects of Binh Thai’s story. I am the daughter of immigrants and my parents did not come to America so that I can be “just a teacher.” Although my parents have recently come to terms with my choice to go into education and that my choice is not “a phase,” they constantly worry that I will not be financially stable. With the low pay and high cost of living in the Bay Area, side hustles are almost necessary for those of us in education.
Nicki is the best for sharing. Readers, keep sharing your thoughts!
You’ve reached the end of this week’s issue of The Highlighter. Thank you for reading it. Please tell me what you thought by using the thumbs below. Also, let’s welcome new subscriber Grattan! If you like this newsletter, forward them the archives and urge them to subscribe. I would really appreciate it. On the other hand, if you think The Highlighter is humdrum, please unsubscribe. I’ll see you back here next Thursday at 9:10 am. Have a great week!
Spotlight: Dieting, Body Positivity, and Fat Shaming
Loyal readers of The Highlighter will notice that I tend to follow topics over time. For a several years, I’ve been interested in articles on dieting, body positivity, and fat shaming. Here are my favorites. Let me know what you think of this spotlight!
Roxane Gay’s New Memoir, Hunger, Is Her Most Feminist Act Yet
This is a profile of author Roxane Gay and a review of her new book, Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body. Ms. Gay writes about her weight, what it feels like to be fat, how our society can’t talk about fatness, and about how being a fat person of color negates gender. In addition to decrying the weight-loss industry, and self-help books, Ms. Gay writes about her shame, and whether there is a bottom of it, and how the shame and weight gain emerged from being raped when she was 12.
Weight Watchers Cruise: What It’s Like to Diet on Vacation
With “diet” fast becoming a four-letter word (“It’s not about dieting! It’s about health!”), what are you supposed to do if you want to shave off a few pounds? According to Weight Watchers, there’s no better answer than packing your bags and shoving off on a week-long Caribbean cruise—along with 600 fellow fitness fanatics who like you seek to attain their goal weight cooped up aboard a massive ship. This delightful first-person piece follows author Leah Prinzivalli and her battles with the bountiful buffet and the program’s weight loss coaches, who ask typical coachy questions like, “What are you noticing?” and my favorite, “How does that make you feel?”
Losing It in the Anti-Dieting Age
The weight-loss industry is quickly gaining steam as a popular topic in The Highlighter. Here’s a full-blown magazine article about Weight Watchers and its attempts to stay relevant in our anti-dieting age. Being thin is out; being healthy is in. Calling someone fat is not OK; calling yourself fat is. What is a weight-loss company to do when it knows how weight loss works but can’t tell its customers the truth?
No Fatties: When Health Care Hurts
Our country doesn’t like fat people: They’re lazy, indulgent, and greedy. It turns out that doctors don’t like fat people, either. “A fat person walking into a doctor's office can expect lectures, condescension, and misdiagnoses from a medical culture that chalks every health issue up to weight,” author Cary Purcell writes. In other words, it may not be obesity that leads to worse life outcomes. Rather, it may be the scorn and contempt.
Diet and Exercise Don’t Work. To Lose Weight, Surgery is the Best Option.
After a season of cookies, cakes, candies, and pies, January is the time for resolutions involving weight loss. But bariatric surgery turns out to be the best treatment for obesity. Why do so few people — just 1 percent of eligible patients — get the procedure? And why is surgery even rarer among teenagers? Read what happened to 18-year-old Jewel Francis-Aburime, who weighed 394 pounds before doctors removed 80 percent of her stomach, and maybe there’s your answer.
It’s the New Year. How’s your diet? Are you doing the Whole30? The DASH, or maybe the Flexitarian? This article debunks our obsession with clean eating and warns against orthorexia nervosa. “Clean eating,” author Bee Wilson argues, “confirms how vulnerable and lost millions of us feel about diet — which really means how lost we feel about our own bodies.” Maybe my diet, The Intermittent Cookie, isn’t so bad after all.
In January 2018, Roxane Gay decided to get a sleeve gastrectomy, which greatly reduced the size of her stomach. “As a fat person,” Ms. Gay writes, “I am supposed to want to lose weight. I am supposed to be working on the problem of my body.” She told no one, not even her family, about the operation. Now she’s losing weight — but isn’t any happier.
Everything We Know About Obesity Is Wrong
Kids as young as 3 describe their larger classmates as “lazy” and “stupid.” Nearly half of 5-year-old girls worry about being fat. Doctors cut their appointments short for their obese patients, telling them to eat less and go on a diet. But diets don’t work. For too long, the medical community has ignored mountains of evidence and has instead waged a futile war on fat people, poisoning public perception and ruining millions of lives.
Newsletter #161: The War on Fat People
Hello Highlighters! Thank you for taking the plunge and opening this week’s issue. Today’s lead article, which focuses on our fat-shaming culture, explores how the worldwide obesity epidemic is not going to disappear by wishing fat people would go away. If that doesn’t interest you, I recommend Elizabeth Bruenig’s disturbing article about a young woman who bravely reports that she was raped — and about her friends and the authorities, who turn their backs on her.
I would love to hear from you! Say hello and let me know what you think. All you need to do is hit reply.
Everything We Know About Obesity Is Wrong
Kids as young as 3 describe their larger classmates as “lazy” and “stupid.” Nearly half of 5-year-old girls worry about being fat. Doctors cut their appointments short for their obese patients, telling them to eat less and go on a diet. But diets don’t work. For too long, the medical community has ignored mountains of evidence and has instead waged a futile war on fat people, poisoning public perception and ruining millions of lives. (30 min)
+ Michael Hobbes knows how to write: also see #83 and #124.
+ For more on our obsession with dieting, see #104, #105, and #125.
We know that teachers don’t make much. But they shouldn’t have to skip work because they don’t have enough gas to get to school. And they shouldn’t have to donate their blood plasma to make ends meet. This Time cover story explains the economic challenges teachers face. (10 min)
+ Teachers: Which of these 13 stories do you identify with the most? Hit reply and let me know!
A Girl Is Raped. Nobody Cares, Again.
When Amber Wyatt was a 16-year-old cheerleader in Arlington, Texas, she attended a party one Friday night and was raped. Despite significant physical evidence, her attackers said they didn’t do it. Her classmates turned against her. Authorities didn’t prosecute. This is normal, Elizabeth Bruenig reports. This is who we are. (36 min)
Jet Lag Doesn’t Have to Be a Drag
I’ve long argued that jet lag doesn’t exist, though my friends (and science) don’t agree. This article dispels some jet lag myths (for instance: staying awake doesn’t work) and confirms some jet lag truths (traveling East is way worse). But its biggest message: If there’s no way to beat jet lag, we might as well embrace it. (14 min)
Reader Responses: “Rich Teachers” (#159) has definitely struck a chord! It continues to elicit strong feedback. Loyal reader Denisewrites:
I love that Erin voiced that she hates Teachers Pay Teachersfor the SAME EXACT REASON I do!! I refuse to get on that website. Teachers, REGULAR TEACHERS should not ever HAVE to pay to get good content. I’m a fan of stealing. It’s no secret. I tell all teachers that the best teacher move is to steal steal, STEAL. Steal everything and anything. Get it off of Pinterest. Google it. Ask other teachers that teach the same content you do. However, the people with the money should ALWAYS pay the teachers.
Loyal reader Katherine offers an astute opposing view:
I LOVE Teachers Pay Teachers and follow a handful of my favorite “Teacher-authors” on Instagram. Two thoughts I have about this are: I love TpT because I’ll trust a teacher over a textbook company any day, and most teachers probably make a small sum from this work, and that probably makes all the difference for them in places where pay is atrocious. While that’s cool, what does it say about the value of our work? The age-old question.
Thank you for these responses, and thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter! Please tell me what you thought by using the thumbs below. Let’s welcome new subscribers Hansaand Courtney! If you value this newsletter, forward this issue (or all issues) to a friend. I would really appreciate it. On the other hand, if you’re not opening up this email too often, please unsubscribe. I’ll see you back here next Thursday at 9:10 am. Have a great week!
Newsletter #160: Can Good Teaching Be Taught?
Hi Readers! I was a teacher for a long time, and have been an instructional coach for a long time, but never have I led a school. This week’s lead article — about how a principal tries to improve teaching at her school in Atlanta — gave me empathy for school leaders and the challenges they face. If you care about education, please take the time to read it.
HHH #7 was strong and robust! (At least Shannon and Laurenthought so.) We chatted about the articles, attendees got Highlighter folders, Jim won the grand prize, and I announced a special event coming soon. (The big reveal is next Thursday.) Mark your calendars: HHH #8 is Dec. 6!
This article was made for me. Sara Mosle, who knows education, follows a dedicated principal’s quest to improve instruction at an elementary school in Atlanta. It’s essential — and not easy. How do you give teachers the feedback they need to get better, while supporting them not to quit in this overworked, underpaid, under-respected profession? (28 min)
+ What do you think? What should Principal Gunner do? Share your thoughts by clicking on the speech bubble below or by hitting R for reply.
+ Bonus: Read this piece with my 30 highlights and annotations!
This is an outstanding essay about immigration, race, and the effect that social and government labels have on people of color. Sharmila Sen grew up in Calcutta and understood distinctions between castes and religions, between the educated and the illiterate. But Ms. Sen had no sense of racial categories until she arrived in the United States when she was 12. (28 min)
Social Media, Social Life: What Teenagers Think
While research suggests that smart phones and social media are destroying the lives of teenagers, making them more lonely and neurotic, young people think otherwise, according to this major study by Common Sense Media. But among young people with low social-emotional well-being (i.e., those who lack confidence, have low self-esteem, or are depressed), social media just makes things worse. Skip to page 8, where the charts and graphs begin. (15 min)
Plastic Bags: American Beauties
Two years have passed since California became the first state to ban single-use plastic bags. But we all secretly love plastic bags, right? (Ziplocs are my personal favorite.) This photo essay explains the meteoric rise of polyethylene bags since their debut in grocery stores in 1979 — and why we can’t quit them just yet. (12 min)
Reader Highlights: Last week’s lead article — featuring teachers who got rich via Instagram and Teachers Pay Teachers — sparked strong reaction. Reader Erin @teacher_beasts wrote:
I consider myself the queen of the side gig. I work three jobs in addition to being a classroom teacher. However, I’m totally opposed to Teachers Pay Teachers because teachers shouldn’t have to pay teachers. Teachers shouldn’t have to work additional jobs, but some of those additional jobs are what keep me invigorated in the teaching profession.
What do you think? Leave me a note about this article or one from this week. Also, for more examples of what teachers do to scrape by, click here and here.
Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter! Please tell me what you thought by using the thumbs below. If you value this newsletter, forward this issue (or all issues) to a friend. I would really appreciate it. On the other hand, if there’s just too much to read, and this newsletter isn’t at the top of your list, I understand, please unsubscribe. I’ll see you back here next Thursday at 9:10 am. Have a great week!
Newsletter #159: Rich Teachers
Nobody becomes a teacher to get rich. But in many places across the country, the typical teacher’s salary does not eke out even a middle-class lifestyle. (It’s very possible some Highlighter subscribers understand this phenomenon firsthand.) As a result, as this week’s lead article explains, more teachers pursue side hustles to pay the bills. It turns out, some do very well.
Don’t forget that tonight is Highlighter Happy Hour #7! We’ll be meeting at Room 389 in Oakland beginning at 5:30 pm. If you’re advanced, read all of today’s articles beforehand, so you’re fully prepared! (Suggested reading time: 3 hours.) Get your ticket here.
Now let’s get to the articles: There’s something for everybody!
To Make Ends Meet, Teachers are Moonlighting As Instagram Influencers (and Making Money)
We’ve heard stories of teachers quitting their jobs to become bartenders or supplementing their income driving for Lyft. But why work when you can become YouTube- or Instagram-famous instead? The real trick, reporter Julia Reinstein finds, is to make your fortune on Teachers Pay Teachers, where you convince other teachers to spend their paltry salary on your merchandise. Or if you’re fancy, have Scholastic sponsor your classroom. After all, you can’t count on money coming from the state. (9 min)
+ What do you think? Is this practice inspiring, unethical, or sad? Let me know by hitting reply. Don’t want to type? Leave a voicemail instead.
+ Bonus: Click here to read this piece with my highlights and annotations!
Dropping Out of College Before Even Starting: Stopping Summer Melt
It’s one thing to get a first-generation student into college. To have them graduate, that’s another story. The problem begins early: Fully 10-20 percent of high school graduates never arrive as freshmen on their college campuses. Read about what programs like D.C. College Access and Georgia Tech are doing to address the problem. (Hint: It has to do with texting.) (6 min)
The Trigger Effect: The Murder of a Queer College Kid in Atlanta
Scout Schultz was a white, bisexual, intersex, and nonbinary student at Georgia Tech who was shot to death last year by a university police officer. Their best friend, Cam Monden, a black transgender woman, was arrested at a rally protesting the shooting. This story is about what happened next, underscoring how colleges fail to support queer students’ safety and mental health. (63 min)
We Saw Nuns Kill Children: The Ghosts of St. Joseph’s Catholic Orphanage
Scandal after scandal after scandal has wreaked havoc on the Catholic Church, leaving many believers to question whether to leave the faith. This disturbing article — about murder and sexual abuse in the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s at St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Burlington, Vermont — uncovers more harrowing secrets the Church would prefer to keep hidden. (106 min)
At HHH #6, Michele won the grand prize: a plush Highlighter pillow! Who’s going to win this time? See you tonight at Room 389 in Oakland beginning at 5:30 pm. If you still need a ticket: hltr.co/hhh7
Sometimes it takes time for me to make decisions. My solo piano recital, originally scheduled for 2004, is now slated for 2020. (I’m still deciding on the program.) My journalism teacher Nick used to say I worked so slowly “moss could grow.” But isn’t it true that “slow but steady wins the race?” This article, which offers new ways to make decisions (no more pro-con lists!), may finally wrest me from my inertia. Watch out, world! (8 min)
Every new school year brings us yet another article about the death of cursive (see here, here, here). But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, cursive is back. Except now, it’s considered art, plus you have to go to an expensive camp to learn how. Six-year-old Francesca says, “When I’m older, I can sign my name on contracts in cursive.” (5 min)
You’ve reached the end of this week’s issue of The Highlighter. I appreciate your loyal readership! Please tell me what you thought by using the thumbs below. Also, let’s welcome new subscribers Nate, Nicki, and Avery! If you get something out of this newsletter, please tell a friend. I would really appreciate it. On the other hand, if you’re secretly annoyed that The Highlighter lands in your inbox every week, please unsubscribe. I’ll see you back here next Thursday at 9:10 am. Have a great week!
Newsletter #158: Estranged in America
I want to begin today’s issue with my deep appreciation. Thank you for subscribing to The Highlighter. Thank you for opening this email every Thursday morning, and for reading the blurbs, and for clicking on the articles, and for talking about the newsletter with your friends, and for encouraging them to subscribe.
More than three years ago, I sent out the very first issue of what would later become The Highlighter. My goal then was the same as it is now: to share my favorite articles on race, education, and culture. I remember feeling nervous as I clicked send and sent the first issue off to Subscribers 1 and 2. (Hi Ben and Peter!)
Since Issue #1, the newsletter has grown a ton, thanks to your support. We’ve built this thing together — whether you’ve been subscribing for years or have recently joined. (Hi Eva and Claire and Vincent and Kim and Joe and Ashmeet!) Thank you.
I’m proud of what we’ve built. And I want The Highlighter to get even better and to grow even more. Your feedback is very important to me. Hit reply and tell me what you think. What have you liked? What could be better? Which articles have moved you?
If feedback is not your thing: Attend a happy hour, send me a great article or a photo of your pet, forward a friend your favorite issue and encourage them to subscribe, or leave me a quick message.
Thank you again. Now let’s get to this week’s articles!
As a child, Lucia Gaspar escaped war-torn Guatemala and immigrated with her family to Alamosa, Colorado. Years later, despite thriving in school, Lucia found she could not realize her dream of going to college because she was undocumented. For Lucia, now 27, living in the United States is about feeling stuck in between. She’s a recipient of DACA, which is now in jeopardy. Her three children are citizens, but her husband is not. She lives in a city that embraces her but in a country trying to deport her. (21 min)
Be Yourself. Be Good, and Try to Be Great — But Always Be Yourself.
In this moving essay, Stephen Curry — who is pretty good at basketball — shares his dreams for his daughters, Riley and Ryan. As they grow up, his daughters should not live in a world with unnecessary obstacles limiting their potential. For Mr. Curry, the idea that “women deserve equality” should not even be a question. (7 min)
HHH #7 is just one week away! Loyal subscribers Wenner, Clem, Peter, Angelina, Abby, Michele, Ainate, Calvin, Samantha, Ray’Von, Kyle, Shannon, and Amy want you to attend. Get more details and your free ticket at hltr.co/hhh7.
The Surge of Restorative Justice in California Schools
While restorative justice has become more popular in schools, particularly in the Bay Area, the practice remains challenging for some educators to adopt. This profile of Fremont High School in Oakland outlines how RJ focuses on understanding conflict and encouraging reconciliation, rather than emphasizing punishment (which doesn’t work, plus is racist). (9 min)
The Water Crisis Is Here. Now What?
Say “climate change” and people freeze from the term’s weight of inexorable doom. Maybe it’s better to start with smaller problems, like our global water crisis, which humans can still reverse. This article will build your background knowledge about the state of water in our world. You’ll stress out that Beijing and Mexico City are sinking and that Cape Town will soon run out of water. But you’ll also start taking shorter showers. Maybe. (25 min)
Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter! Please tell me what you thought by using the thumbs below. If you like The Highlighter, encourage a friend to subscribe. On the other hand, if the newsletter is not a great fit, please unsubscribe. I’ll see you back here next Thursday at 9:10 am. Enjoy your week!