#356: 8 Years Later

This week’s issue is dedicated to teachers heading back to work this week. We all know it’s not an easy job. But now that I’m back working at a school, I’m reminded of the cognitive, physical, and emotional labor that the profession demands. As you work your butts off to prep rigorous and joyful learning experiences for your students, please feel free to rest big along the way – especially this weekend. You deserve it.

All three of this week’s selections relate to education. The lead article, “Since Ferguson,” profiles students at Normandy High School eight years after the murder of Michael Brown. They share how it feels to live in Ferguson, what the school has (and hasn’t) done since the murder, and what it means to be Black in America. If you have time to read just one article this week, I suggest this one.

But the other two pieces are outstanding, too. The podcast “No Excuses” follows a white teacher’s journey at a no-excuses charter school in Chicago, and “Sam Taggart’s Hard Sell” focuses on all the myriad techniques that door-to-door salespeople employ to close the deal. (Being a teacher is sometimes not unlike being a door-to-door salesperson.) Please enjoy!

ARTICLE CLUB: This month, we’re focusing on “Revolt of the Delivery Workers,” by Josh Dzieza. This week, we’re annotating the article together and sharing our thoughts. Feel free to get in there, highlight, and add your comments on this shared Google Doc copy of the article. Also, if you’d like to discuss this outstanding piece with other thoughtful people, sign up for our discussion on Sunday, August 28. There are two options:

1. In person in Oakland: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm PT (for paid subscribers)

2. Online on Zoom: 2:00 - 3:30 pm PT (for all subscribers)

⭐️ Want to sign up? Just click the button below! After you sign up, I’ll follow up with more information, plus answer any questions you have.

Sign up for the discussion

1️⃣ Since Ferguson: Life For Students After Michael Brown

When Michael Brown was murdered eight years ago, Bobby Reed II was 9 years old. Now he’s a senior at Normandy High School, where Mr. Brown graduated in 2014. Despite his 3.8 GPA and his plan to become an illustrator after college, Bobby laments that not much has changed at his school and in his community over the years.

“It’s embarrassing,” he said. “They like, ‘Oh, you from Normandy, you one of those.’ They stereotype me. People look at us, they like, ‘Oh, he a thug, like he thuggish or he a menace.’ And you just be like, ’No, I’m just a regular dude.’ ” 

In this revealing and frustrating article, Prof. Rita Omokha travels to St. Louis to chronicle what has and hasn’t been done to support students’ emotional and academic needs since the Ferguson uprisings. There are some bright spots, no doubt. But on the whole, students report that their school has chosen mostly to ignore the legacy of their classmate, opting for business-as-usual. (36 min)

2️⃣ Race And Reckoning At A Chicago Charter School

Before he became a journalist, DJ Cashmere was a Teach for America corps member and taught for seven years at Bulls College Prep, a no-excuses charter school in Chicago. In this podcast documentary, Mr. Cashmere reflects on his experience, noting that his infatuation with the school’s academic success contributed to his controlling and punitive style. Ever since George Floyd’s murder in 2020, the school has reckoned with its “assimilationist, patriarchal, white supremacist, and anti-Black” discipline system, moving to a restorative justice model. Mr. Cashmere returns to Bulls to interview his former students about their experience, as well as to witness and report on the seismic shift in school culture. (52 min)

3️⃣ Sam Taggart’s Hard Sell

Time for a career change? How about becoming a door-to-door salesperson? After decades of downturn, the industry is heating up, and D2D salespeople like Sam Taggart are making millions by knocking on doors and selling solar panels and pest control. You can sell anything to anyone, says Mr. Taggart, a millionaire at age 25. All you need to know is whether the person is a bull, owl, lamb, or tiger. Don’t worry if they say no. That’s normal. Just keep pressing, and once you’re inside their home, the deal’s done. (Note: It also helps to be young and good looking and Christian and impenetrably positive and appeal to people’s fear and paranoia and believe in God’s abundance.) (43 min)

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter Article Club. Hope you liked it. Feel free to share your thoughts and feedback. All you need to do is hit reply, email me, or leave me a voice message.

To our six new subscribers – Leah, Lea, Jennifer, Morgan, Haetae, and Nidna – I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Valinda! Vernon! Venice!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Yolanda, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter Article Club, please help it grow. I really appreciate your support. Here are some ways you can help out:

📬 Invite your friends. Know someone who’s kind, loves to read, and wants to spend less time doomscrolling? Forward them today’s issue and urge them to subscribe. Word of mouth is by far the best way to strengthen our reading community. Thank you very much for spreading the word.

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#355: It’s August! Let’s read and discuss “Revolt of the Delivery Workers,” by Josh Dzieza

Delivery workers store their bikes at a garage overnight and prepare to take the subway home. Photo by Philip Montgomery.

Welcome to August, loyal readers. Hope you’re closing out the summer strong.

Today’s issue is dedicated to this month’s Article Club selection, “Revolt of the Delivery Workers,” by Josh Dzieza. It’s an outstanding piece about the 65,000 people who hurtle through the streets of New York City on their electric bikes, weaving through traffic to get late-night slices of cake to stock traders in skyscrapers just minutes after making their order on DoorDash.

The job was tough even before the delivery apps began exploiting them with lower pay and horrific work conditions. It was tough even before thieves began stealing their bikes. It was tough even before the police ignored their pleas for protection.

And then the pandemic made things even worse.

Here’s what I wrote about the article last October when I highlighted it in Issue #314:

Juan Solano doesn’t want to be called essential. Dignity is his goal. One of New York City’s 65,000 delivery workers, Mr. Solano is tired of being attacked at night, with thieves stealing his bike, police turning a blind eye, and lawmakers dilly-dallying on change. He wants a decent wage from DoorDash, a way to charge his electric bike, and a place to go to the bathroom. Mr. Solano is part of a growing group of workers fighting to protect themselves from danger and demanding respect in our inequitable economy. (34 min)

This article definitely caught my attention, bringing up a range of issues, including how late-stage capitalism, the rise of technology, and our obsessive desire for convenience promote the dehumanization of marginalized people, in this case immigrants from Mexico and Central America.

A bit about the author…

My second favorite thing about Article Club (after you, its kind and thoughtful participants) is that talented authors participate, too. They answer our questions, record podcast interviews, and sometimes even join our discussions. It’s pretty great. This month, I’m happy to announce that journalist Josh Dzieza of The Verge will be joining the conversation. Here’s a little bit about him.

Josh Dzieza is a writer at The Verge, where he covers technology and science. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, Pacific Standard, MIT Technology Review, and other publications. Mr. Dzieza’s story about migratory beekeepers and the pollination industry for Pacific Standard received the 2016 Science in Society Journalism Award from the National Association of Science Writers. His piece about sea level rise and the growing market for beach sand was a notable story in 2017’s Best American Science and Nature Writing. His most recent article, “The Great Fiction of AI,” explores how authors are using Sudowrite, a writing assistant that uses GPT-3 artificial intelligence, to churn out fiction for their readers.

A big thanks to Mr. Dzieza for saying yes to Article Club!

Want to dive in? Join this month’s discussion!

If “Revolt of the Delivery Workers” intrigues you, I encourage you to dive in by joining Article Club this month. Article Club is a community of kind, thoughtful people who read, annotate, and discuss one great article every month on race, education, or culture. Everyone is welcome!

Here’s how it works:

• This week: We sign up below and begin reading the article on our own.

• Next week: We annotate a shared version of the article.

• Week 3: We listen to an interview of the author.

• Week 4: We discuss the article together on Zoom.

More than 100 of you have participated in Article Club. Many of you — like VIPs Summer, Jennifer, and Elise — participate month after month. If you’re interested, it’d be great to have you! — whether this is your first time or your 29th.

We’ll be discussing Mr. Dzieza’s article on Sunday, August 28. There are two options for this month’s conversation:

1. In person in Oakland: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm PT (for paid subscribers)

2. Online on Zoom: 2:00 - 3:30 pm PT (for all subscribers)

⭐️ Want to sign up? Just click the button below! After you sign up, I’ll follow up with more information, plus answer any questions you have.

Sign up for the discussion

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter Article Club. Hope you liked it. Feel free to share your thoughts and feedback. All you need to do is hit reply, email me, or leave me a voice message.

To our five new subscribers – Meli, Shannon, Chris, Raphinha, and Pauly – I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Unique! Upton! Ursa!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Monique, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter Article Club, please help it grow. I really appreciate your support. Here are some ways you can help out:

📬 Invite your friends. Know someone who’s kind, loves to read, and wants to spend less time doomscrolling? Forward them today’s issue and urge them to subscribe. Word of mouth is by far the best way to strengthen our reading community. Thank you very much for spreading the word.

Subscribe now

☕️ Buy me a coffee to express your appreciation of the newsletter and keep my reading stamina strong and mighty.

❤️ Become a VIP member for $3 a month, like Molly and Mark. You’ll join an esteemed group of readers who value the mission of The Highlighter Article Club. Plus you’ll receive surprise perks and prizes, like Highlighter Sticky Notes and exclusive audio letters from me to you.

On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please feel free to unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT!

#354: Can Difficult Conversations Create Justice?

Hi Loyal Readers,

Before launching in, I’d like to welcome the many folks who have subscribed to the newsletter over the past month. Thank you for joining our thoughtful reading community. Please make yourself at home. I hope that you find that The Highlighter Article Club offers you an opportunity to read and discuss great articles on race, education, and culture.

One thing I like about putting this newsletter together is trying to find the highest quality writing from a variety of publications — not just The New York Timeses and The New Yorkers of the world. This week’s issue is no different. Leading the way is “Can Difficult Conversations Create Justice?” a provocative piece in The Forum, a publication of the African American Policy Forum. The author argues that American schools should teach young people about race but challenges the assumption that white and Black students should learn about racism together.

Also in this week’s issue: an outstanding profile on Chris Smalls, who defeated Amazon; a riveting podcast on the Unabomber; and a witty reflection on the benefits and drawbacks of tanning. I hope you find at least one selection worth your time and attention (they’re all good), and I hope you have a great week!

ARTICLE CLUB: Big thanks to everyone who joined our discussion of “When the Myth of Voter Fraud Comes For You” last Sunday. Our conversations covered a range of topics, including how to practice hope in the face of despair. We ended the session by creating a list of actions we can take to fight against voter suppression. I’ll reveal August’s article next Thursday. Hope you’re all in!

READER ANNOTATIONS: Several of you let me know that you listened to “Discrimination & Gaslighting,” in which the hosts of Teenager Therapy recounted their appalling experience at the Aspen Ideas Festival. Loyal reader Xuan-Vu astutely noted the issues of equity, dignity, and comfort zone that the episode explored and invited us to consider this question for discussion.

What can we adults do to create/nurture a more equitable environment for young people living in economic hardship? What does it really mean to support young people from these realities to break the poverty cycle?

Thank you for the great question, Xuan-Vu. Loyal readers, did you listen to the podcast? If so, would you like to contribute your thoughts and ideas? Click on the button below and leave a comment!

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1️⃣ Can Difficult Conversations Create Justice?

White high school teacher Willie Randall used to think the best way to move toward justice was to engage his students in meaningful discussions on race. But then he noticed that his Black students were doing far more emotional work than his white students. “They just sit there,” one Black student said. “Why do they just sit there?”

It’s not all white students, Mr. Randall makes sure to emphasize. “Many white students respond with open hearts and brave minds.” But some remain trapped in a state of paralysis. Mr. Randall is left wondering, “Who benefits? Who are such discussions designed to help? Is it possible to create a racial curriculum where all students benefit? I once said yes. Now, I’m no longer sure.”

His shift in perspective becomes stronger after speaking with a former Black Panther. She says, “Let Black families and Black teachers teach Black children and let whites deal with whites.” (8 min)

2️⃣ What Will Chris Smalls Do Next?

You’ve taken on Jeff Bezos, an army of anti-union consultants – the veritable behemoth of Amazon – and won. What’s next for you? For labor organizer Chris Smalls, who unionized the first Amazon facility in the country, the answer is not to rest on his laurels. The battle has just begun, he says. After all, now comes the actual negotiating-a-contract part. Meanwhile, Mr. Smalls is faced with the challenges of celebrity, with critics questioning if the fame has gone to his head and lobbing accusations of financial impropriety. (38 min)

+ Why are Amazon warehouse workers called “pickers?” Mr. Smalls asks, calling Mr. Bezos a slave master. “Amazon is definitely the new-day slavery.”

3️⃣ Project Unabom (podcast)

You think Attorney General Merrick Garland has it tough, deciding whether to prosecute the former president? Try Janet Reno, rest in peace, my attorney general growing up, who had to deal with Waco, Elián González, and of course, the Unabomber. In this fascinating podcast series, Eric Benson tells the riveting saga of how Ted Kaczynski grew to despise the harmful effects of technology, how he became radicalized to believe that terrorism was a solution, and how FBI agents finally cracked the case – with the help of his brother. (38 min)

4️⃣ Should I Be Tan?

More friends than usual this summer have commented on my tanned skin. They seem taken aback and have demanded an explanation. My two go-tos: (1) My hearty Mediterranean stock, (2) I’ve gone outside from time to time. But Kelly Conaboy, whose childhood nickname was “pale girl,” wonders if being tan should be a goal in the first place, and if so, whether spray tanning is the way to go. In this hilarious piece, Ms. Conaboy shares her experience with Glow2Go, which conveniently brings a tanning tent to your place, ready to make you sorta orange (with purple and green undertones). The biggest problem? You can’t take a shower, or sweat, or have your dog lick you, or else the tan fades fast. (11 min)

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter Article Club. Hope you liked it. Feel free to share your thoughts and feedback. All you need to do is hit reply, email me, or leave me a voice message.

To our eight new subscribers – including Raphinha, Pauly, Karim, Clare, and Mohamed – I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Tyler! Teresa! Thanh!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Chris, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter Article Club, please help it grow. I really appreciate your support. Here are some ways you can help out:

📬 Invite your friends. Know someone who’s kind, loves to read, and wants to spend less time doomscrolling? Forward them today’s issue and urge them to subscribe. Word of mouth is by far the best way to strengthen our reading community. Thank you very much for spreading the word.

Subscribe

☕️ Buy me a coffee to express your appreciation of the newsletter

❤️ Become a VIP member for $3 a month, like Paula and Monica. You’ll join an esteemed group of readers who value the mission of The Highlighter Article Club. Plus you’ll receive surprise perks and prizes, like Highlighter Sticky Notes and exclusive audio letters from me to you.

On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please feel free to unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT!

#353: Bro

Hi there, loyal readers! Thank you very much for reading this week’s issue. It’ll be a shorter one than usual because I started my new job on Monday (haven’t been fired yet! 😀), which has significantly reduced my reading time.

But never fear! I’m pleased with this week’s selections and hope that you carve out some time to read (and listen) to them.

For our lead article this week, I’ve highlighted “Bro,” a short story about Greg, a white man in Canada who wants to do something to advance social justice after feeling sorry about police murders of unarmed Black men in the United States. His wife suggests volunteering or donating to a non-profit organization. That’s not enough for Greg. His goal? To make a Black friend.

Yes, the story is cringey — and absurd, and tragic, and sometimes funny. Most of all, though, the piece represents an unspoken truth embraced by some white people: that if they befriend Black people, then they can’t be racist, that they’re safe, that they’re “a good white person.”

Hope you enjoy the piece. I’d love to hear what you think! Does the story ring true for you? Leave a comment below – or if writing something isn’t your thing, leave me a tiny voice message.

Leave a comment

1️⃣ Bro

Ian Williams: “Not counting the NBA, Greg saw very few — no — Black people on a daily basis. To his knowledge, his wife didn’t have any Black friends either, not even on Facebook. So, when he beheld a Black man at the Home Depot in the next town, he recognized the significance of the occasion. Greg didn’t know how to talk to the man. Before getting married, he had only ever thought about approaching women. All his lines seemed like pickup lines. He would have to build this friendship in stages. On the way in, he nodded at the man.” (11 min)

2️⃣ The Sum of Us

Last year, Heather McGhee published The Sum of Us, an outstanding book that clearly explains how racism hurts us all. Analyzing both historical and current examples of zero-sum thinking (one example: how communities drained public swimming pools rather than desegregating them), Ms. McGhee concludes that capitalism and white supremacy have taught us that one person’s progress must mean another person’s loss. But not all Americans embrace that view. In her new podcast, Ms. McGhee is hitting the road, telling hopeful stories of people figuring out how to overcome their differences. She’s spotlighting communities coming together: fighting for clean water, expanding voting rights, and making sure our multiracial society has a chance to survive. (3 min trailer, Spotify only)

3️⃣ Discrimination & Gaslighting

Teenager Therapy has long been one of my favorite podcasts that I keep recommending to my friends. The premise is simple: Five teenagers (now out of high school) talk vulnerably and listen deeply to each other about issues they’re facing. In this week’s episode, they share their painful experience at the ritzy Aspen Ideas Festival, where they were invited to be speakers but treated like second-class presenters. After serving on a panel and meeting Hillary Clinton, Gael Aitor confronts a clueless and defensive representative from the festival, who clearly has missed trainings on equity and inclusion. (82 min)

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter Article Club. Hope you liked it. Feel free to share your thoughts and feedback. All you need to do is hit reply, email me, or leave me a voice message.

To our four new subscribers – including Sol, Kiera, and Trisha – I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Sara! Shareen! Steve!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Marni, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter Article Club, please help it grow. I appreciate your support. Look at these ways you can help out!

📬 Forward today’s issue to a friend and urge them to subscribe. If they use this sign-up form, they can say you referred them, and when I find out, I will shower you with thanks and praise (and maybe a prize).

☕️ Buy me a coffee to express your love of the newsletter

❤️ Become a VIP member for $3 a month, like Tony and Clare. You’ll join an esteemed group of readers who value the mission of The Highlighter.

On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please feel free to unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT!

#352: The Only Way to Defeat Gadgets Is To Ban Them

One of my goals this summer is to become less addicted to my phone. ☎ Safe to say, I haven’t succeeded — yet. After all, making goals is easier than reaching them.

Or maybe I’m not the problem? Maybe the endeavor is impossible, given how technology works, unless I escape from the network entirely?

That seems to be the message of this week’s lead article, “The Medium Is the Menace.” Futurist Andrey Mir argues that as long as we keep clicking and swiping, there’s becoming no real distinction between “the real world” and “the digital world.” We’re just an extension of the machine. We can say that we’re getting off Instagram and Facebook (or TikTok, my favorite) to seek moderation or a digital detox, but ultimately we’re fooling ourselves.

Are you making progress in maintaining your humanity in the face of the inexorable advances of technology? If so, please share your tips and your wisdom!

Leave a comment

Also in this week’s issue:

• Listen to an interview with Vann R. Newkirk II, author of this week’s Article Club selection, “When the Myth of Voter Fraud Comes for You”

• Enjoy well-written pieces on the rise of hair tourism and the dangers of antidepressants

And away we go! I hope you enjoy this week’s issue. If an article, or the interview, or maybe the pet photo resonates with you, please reach out. I’d love to hear from you!

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The Medium Is the Menace

When we find ourselves checking our email, or doomscrolling Twitter, or texting a friend, or playing Wordle, or reading this newsletter (you get the idea), “we’re not just spending time on the Internet,” writes media futurist Andrew Mir in this thoughtful essay. Rather, “we’re investing time in its improvement.”

In other words, we’re performing labor.

For all our time online, we gain convenience, connection, and access. But “all this labor is changing us,” Mr. Mir writes, altering our physical skills, our brain’s physiology, and our expectations of time and space.

But Mark, you say, we already know this! Tell us something new.

That something new is that there’s no real way out. Moderation isn’t the answer. There’s no such thing as moderation. Every time we check our phone, we’re withdrawing ever farther from the physical world. Mr. Mir writes:

The transition from the physical world to the digital world is happening with astonishing rapidity. The shift from nomadic to sedentary culture took millennia; the migration from villages to cities took centuries; the resettling onto the Internet will take about 70 years.

If digital world demands our attention, the only sensible answer is to flee and to spend our time elsewhere, deeply in the physical world. “Media literacy is, first and foremost, time management. Media literacy is the ability not to use media,” Mr. Mir writes. He adds, “The only way to defeat gadgets in the fight for attention is to ban them.”

Maybe we’re too far gone. Maybe it’s too late for us, Mr. Mir suggests. But what about our children? What can we do for our children? (16 min)

Article Club: An interview with Vann R. Newkirk II

The second best thing about Article Club — after you, the kind people who read and annotate and discuss thought-provoking articles every month — is that we get to hear from talented authors, who generously volunteer their time to participate.

That means that this month, we have the pleasure of listening to Vann R. Newkirk, the author of “When the Myth of Voter Fraud Comes for You.”

A few weeks ago, co-facilitator Sarai and I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Newkirk. It was an honor. Thanks to his thoughtfulness, it was a great conversation. We spoke about a number of topics, including how he approached writing the article, how it felt to meet Crystal Mason, why the Republican party is pursuing fake allegations of voter fraud, and what the impact those efforts have on our democracy.

Hope you enjoy the interview. Here it is. Go ahead and press play!

Note: If you click play from your email, it’ll open up to an online version of this post, and you’ll need to scroll back down here and press play again to listen.

Good news: There’s still time to join us in the discussion on Sunday, July 24, if you’re interested. Here’s a copy of the article for you to annotate. All you need to do is click the button below to sign up.

Sign up for our discussion!

2 More Great Articles For You

Last week’s lead article, “A Kingdom from Dust,” was a bit hit, despite its monstrous 89-minute reading time. I was pleasantly surprised. Thank you to loyal readers Lisa and Corinne and Tim and Lynn and others for sharing your thoughts about farming magnates Stewart and Lynda Resnick. As a bonus treat, here’s Ms. Resnick making a POMtini with Martha Stewart (starting at 4:35). “We invented this!” she says.

This week, here are a couple pieces I appreciated and encourage you to read:

How Instanbul Became the Global Capital of the Hair Transplant

By Alex Hawkins in GQ

Male celebrities like LeBron James, Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper don’t go bald anymore. If you’re a man, why should you? And while you’re at it, why spend $20,000 to pay an American doctor to perform a hair transplant, also known as Follicular Unit Extraction, when you can travel to Istanbul and get one on the cheap? In this well-written travelogue, writer Alex Hawkins chronicles the nitty-gritty of his hair journey from start to end. Some tips: don’t draw your new hair line too low (it’s fake looking), don’t go outside after your surgery (you can’t let your head get wet), and don’t think you’re going sightseeing (you won’t leave your hotel). (18 min)

Breaking Off My Chemical Romance

By P.E. Moskowitz in The Nation

“There’s the familiar story we’ve been told about depression,” writes P.E. Moskowitz. “It’s caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, that it’s a disease like diabetes and thus requires medication.” However, this story might be more marketing than medicine. Ever since the release of Prozac in 1986, scientists have not pinpointed how antidepressants work — or if they work demonstrably better than the placebo effect. As prescriptions continue to rise (now one-fifth of Americans take medication for mental health), especially among young people, more attention is being paid to the side effects of psychiatric drugs (e.g., brain zaps, sexual dysfunction, tardive dysphoria) and the difficulty many people face tapering off them. (21 min)

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter Article Club. Hope you liked it. Please feel free ALWAYS to give me feedback — especially over the next few months, as I iterate on and figure out this new newsletter format. All you need to do is hit reply, email me, or leave me a voice message.

Leave a voice message

To our three new subscribers – Karen, Jim, and Imène – I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Rob! Rhoda! Ryan!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Deanna, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter Article Club, please help it grow. I appreciate your support. Look at these ways you can help out!

📬 Forward today’s issue to a friend and urge them to subscribe. If they use this sign-up form, they can say you referred them, and when I find out, I will shower you with thanks and praise (and maybe a prize).

☕️ Buy me a coffee to express your love of the newsletter

❤️ Become a VIP member for $3 a month, like Lael and Kevin. You’ll join an esteemed group of readers who value the mission of The Highlighter.

On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please feel free to unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT!

#351: A Kingdom from Dust

Ever had a Cutie? 🍊

Or a bottle of Fiji water? Or a glass of pomegranate juice?

Maybe you prefer nuts — like maybe an almond? Or a pistachio, perhaps?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, you support the empire of billionaires Stewart and Lynda Resnick, the king and queen of California agriculture, who control not only hundreds of thousands of acres of land, but also billions of gallons of water every year, not to mention the livelihoods of thousands of mostly undocumented people who work in their vast fields and live in their company town, Lost Hills.

For that reason alone, I recommend that you read this week’s lead article, “A Kingdom from Dust,” a sweeping account that explores how two non-farming, kitsch-selling business people from the East coast built massive wealth by moving out west and making it big in California.

But if you’ve subscribed to this newsletter for any significant amount of time (hi there, long-time readers!), you know that I’m not going to include an 89-minute piece just because some folks struck it rich. (Except, of course, if they hacked the lottery – see “Jerry and Marge Go Large,” now a feel-good movie on Paramount+.)

No, it’s not that at all. Rather, I deeply appreciated this article because of what I learned about my home state – namely, how much power its big farmers wield, how little power its farmworkers possess, how messed up its water policies are, and how our desire for delicious produce in the supermarket is influencing climate change, contributing to wildfires, and literally making the land underneath our feet sink.

And on that delightful note, let’s get to the article! 😀 (I promise, it’s a good one.)

A Kingdom from Dust

If you asked me to introduce myself, I probably wouldn’t lead with “I’m Californian.” But the truth is I’ve lived here nearly all my life, and I don’t plan on moving anytime soon — no matter what Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says.

One big thing I’ve noticed about my California identity is that I remain mostly ignorant about the state’s history and economy. Sure, Miss Milanesio made us make a mission in fourth grade. But she certainly didn’t explain the nuances of water politics, or how agricultural barons transformed the land and exploited its people to extract a bounty of fruits and vegetables from the earth.

That’s why I’m grateful to journalist Mark Arax. His well-written article has it all. Not only will you meet Stewart and Lynda Resnick, but you’ll also learn about how they schemed their way to the top, stealing water to protect themselves from drought; how they built a company town, keeping their laborers dependent on philanthropy; and how they destroyed the environment, planting trees where they don’t grow and ripping out trees where they do.

And if you step back, as Mr. Arax encourages us to do, you’ll realize how fragile California is, and how dire our situation is — how we’ve managed to construct an enormous agricultural apparatus because of people’s ambitions for fortune, one that the country depends on, but one that fundamentally does not work, and one that will inevitably fail sooner rather than later.

After all, no matter how strong California dreaming is, there’s just no escaping the reality that 40 million people are living in a desert that’s getting drier.

+ No, despite what you’ve maybe seen on the web, and even though the Resnicks said so, pomegranate juice does not cure heart disease and erectile dysfunction.

This week at Article Club: Let’s annotate!

Last week, I revealed that we’ll be discussing “When the Myth of Voter Fraud Comes for You” on Sunday, July 24, 2:00 - 3:30 pm PT. This event will be free, on Zoom, and limited to 24 people. (Thank you to the 10 of you who have already signed up.) After a quick introduction, we’ll spend most of our time in small, facilitated discussion groups (5-7 people each).

There’s still time to join us if you’re interested. All you need to do is click the button below and sign up!

Sign up for our discussion!

This week, we’re annotating the article. Here’s a copy we can annotate together. Annotating is a great way to connect with other Article Clubbers and share your thoughts about the piece, right inside the text. You can build on others’ comments or add your own. Try it, you’ll like it!

If you’re new to our Article Club, welcome! We look forward to meeting you and having your voice in the conversation. Feel free to reach out with questions. Also, here’s what you can expect this month.

Coming up this month

• This week: We’ll annotate the article and share our first impressions.

• Thursday, July 14: We’ll listen to Mr. Newkirk’s thoughts on the article.

• Sunday, July 24: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers.

Read The Highlighter Article Club in the Substack app

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1 More Great Article For You

Last week’s poll indicated that many of you resonated with Dave Eggers’s account of how and why his book was banned from a South Dakota school district. His story reminded me of the time when all the copies of Native Son were removed in the middle of the night from my first school’s book room. Sadly, book bans are on the rise and will likely continue. That’s why I’m on the hunt for articles about librarians and communities that are fighting back. Here’s one:

How Libraries Came To Be Sanctuaries for LGBTQ Kids

By Beth Hawkins in The 74 Million

Don’t believe the stereotype that librarians are staid introverts who like everything tidy and just so. In reality, the opposite is true, as this article profiling Michael McConnell reveals. Growing up in the 1940s and 1950s, Mr. McConnell visited the local library to understand his same-sex attraction. After he wasn’t successful, he dedicated his career as a librarian to curate books and safe spaces for queer youth. His activism intensified after the Stonewall Uprising in 1969. He married his partner in 1971 and helped to make the American Library Association the first professional group with a queer committee formally advocating for LGBTQ rights. Now 80 years old, Mr. McConnell laments the recent backlash and the widespread banning of Two Grooms on a Cake, a book about his life. But he’s happy that LGBTQ-related books remain the most stolen from school and public libraries. That means there’s demand, and that his life’s work continues to be meaningful.

+ Last year, nearly 1,600 books were challenged, according to the ALA. Many librarians fear for their lives. One said, “There were comments about library staff, calling us groomers and pedophiles and saying we needed to be fired, we need to be jailed, we needed to be locked up, that all the books needed to be burned.”

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter Article Club. Hope you liked it. Please feel free ALWAYS to give me feedback — especially over the next few months, as I iterate on and figure out this new newsletter format. All you need to do is hit reply, email me, or leave me a voice message.

To our three new subscribers – including Matthew and Ronald – I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Quince! Querida! Quest!), you’re pretty great, too. VIP Sivan, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter Article Club, please help it grow. I appreciate your support. Look at these ways you can help out!

📬 Forward today’s issue to a friend and urge them to subscribe. If they use this sign-up form, they can say you referred them, and when I find out, I will shower you with thanks and praise (and maybe a prize).

☕️ Buy me a coffee to express your love of the newsletter

❤️ Become a VIP member for $3 a month, like Jen and Loretta. You’ll join an esteemed group of readers who value the mission of The Highlighter.

On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please feel free to unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT!

#350: When the Myth of Voter Fraud Comes for You

Hi there, loyal readers, and welcome to the 350th issue of The Highlighter, the 100th issue of Article Club, and the first-ever issue of The Highlighter Article Club. I’m really happy you’re here.

Quick #storytime: Seven years ago, I started sharing my favorite articles on race, education, and culture in a weekly newsletter called The Highlighter. Many of you subscribed. Thank you! Then about two years ago, I launched another newsletter, called Article Club, that focused on discussing one outstanding article every month. Many of you subscribed. Thank you!

Everything’s been great with both publications, and I appreciate the community we’ve built in both spaces. But a few months ago, it dawned on me: Aren’t The Highlighter and Article Club sort of similar? Why do two things when one might be better?

So that’s what we’re going to do! Welcome to The Highlighter Article Club.

Our goals will be very familiar to you:

• Let’s read the best articles on race, education, and culture

• Let’s engage in thought-provoking ideas from a variety of perspectives

• Let’s connect with other kind readers and build a thoughtful reading community

And away we go! I’m looking forward to seeing where our reading community will take us. Please feel free to reach out, say hello, and share your hopes.

In fact: Why don’t you do that right now — by leaving a comment below? I’d love to hear where you’re from, how you learned about The Highlighter or Article Club, why you’re a subscriber, and how you’d like our community to grow.

Leave a comment

Hey, thank you for doing that!

All right, now it’s time for the main event: revealing our article of the month. Ready?

When the Myth of Voter Fraud Comes For You

I’m pleased to announce that this month, we’ll be reading and discussing “When the Myth of Voter Fraud Comes for You,” by Vann R. Newkirk II. Originally published in The Atlantic last December, and featured in The Highlighter Issue #327, the article explores how far advocates of voter integrity will go to prosecute allegations of voter fraud — even when they don’t really exist.

Here’s my blurb:

You have a better chance of being struck by lightning twice than you do of committing voter fraud. Don’t tell that to Crystal Mason, sentenced for five years in prison for inadvertently casting an ineligible provisional ballot in Texas. Ms. Mason’s prosecution is part of a campaign led by purveyors of the Big Lie, who seek to disenfranchise Black and Latinx people using overt and subtle tactics of fear and intimidation. Author Vann R. Newkirk II writes, “Jim Crow was not imposed by a single stroke. It was built community by community, year by year, ruined life by ruined life, law by law, and lie by lie.” (20 min)

A senior editor at The Atlantic, Mr. Newkirk has covered the battles for voting rights since the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder. He was also the host of Floodlines, a narrative podcast about Hurricane Katrina. Mr. Newkirk’s forthcoming book, Children of the Flood, a chronicle of Black America’s fight against climate crises, will be published by Random House.

Does the article sound interesting? If so, I urge you to read it, and if you appreciate it, I invite you to join me and others in our reading community to discuss the piece on Sunday, July 24, 2:00 - 3:30 pm PT. This event will be free, on Zoom, and limited to 24 people. After a quick introduction, we’ll spend most of our time in small, facilitated discussion groups (5-7 people each).

Are you IN?

I hope so! If so, click the button below to sign up. I’ll follow up with more information.

Sign up for our discussion!

If you’re new to our Article Club, welcome! We look forward to meeting you and having your voice in the conversation. Feel free to reach out with questions. Also, here’s what you can expect this month.

Coming up this month

• This week: We’ll sign up for the discussion and start reading the article.

• Next week: We’ll annotate the article and share our first impressions.

• Thursday, July 14: We’ll listen to Mr. Newkirk’s thoughts on the article.

• Sunday, July 24: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers.

3 More Great Articles

The point of this newsletter is not to inundate you with every single great article that I come across. That would be way too many. Rather, in addition to the main article, I’ll recommend just 1-3 more that I feel are worth your time and attention. I’d love to hear which ones resonate with you. Here’s what I found this week:

Lowell Freshmen Face Stigma Due to Lottery Admissions

If you’re not from the Bay Area, Lowell is the elite public high school in San Francisco that before last year admitted students based on “merit.” It’s like Stuyvesant in New York and Latin in Boston. Asian and white students are overrepresented; Black and Latinx students are underrepresented. After the murder of George Floyd and during the pandemic, the board of education rescinded that policy and began to admit students by lottery, like every other school in the district, in an effort to achieve greater equity. The percentage of Black and Latinx students rose. Then racist mayhem ensued. Reporting for their school newspaper, Kelcie Lee and Laura Reyes explain how both students and teachers bullied the more racially diverse new class of students, calling them “lottery kids” and suggesting they were inferior. (8 min)

+ The controversy engulfed the wider community as well. The Daily podcast devoted this episode to explore how the change in the admissions policy led San Francisco voters to oust three board members. Last week, the new board reversed course, reinstating the old admissions criteria.

Anatomy of a Book Banning

When author Dave Eggers found out that a South Dakota school district banned his book, The Circle, he decided to investigate. Among his findings: The school board president, who voted for the ban, has seven children, but none attend schools in the district. Another school board member, who also voted for the ban, was the treasurer of the Family Heritage Alliance and has no children attending the local schools. Most frustrating, though, was the effect on English teachers, many of whom left the district or substituted their regular curriculum for a safer alternative. One said, “I actually apologized to my students at the end of this school year, admitting to them that I didn’t think they got the best of me. I was teaching scared.” (15 min)

Suspending Belief: Abortion and the Right to Regret

“Abortion is hard to write about, hard for many even to talk about,” writes Dr. Christine Henneberg in this tender account, written before last week’s Supreme Court reversal of Roe v. Wade. In the piece, Dr. Henneberg explores her initial judgment when one of her patients shares her complicated feelings of regret after having an abortion. But after reflection, she writes, “Maybe it is simply their way of saying, in those tense, vulnerable moments, something that has nothing to do with politics, something entirely personal: I feel terrible about this. And I know I still need to do it. She may regret it afterwards, at least for a while, maybe even forever. I can still trust her to make her own decision, which no one else — not her boyfriend, not her doctor, not her governor — can make for her. That is, and should always be, her right, and her burden.” (16 min)

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter Article Club. Hope you liked it. Please feel free ALWAYS to give me feedback — especially this week and over the next few months, as I iterate on and figure out this new newsletter format.

#349: Time For A Change

Next Thursday marks the seventh anniversary of The Highlighter. Thank you all for reading my newsletter week after week. There’s no way I could have predicted seven years, but thanks to your enthusiasm and loyalty, well, here we are. It’s been a great journey so far.

As we approach Issue #350, I’m happy to announce some changes that I hope you’ll like. The Highlighter will merge with Article Club, my other reading-related newsletter, to become one publication.

Maybe you can guess the new name? Yep, you got it: It’s The Highlighter Article Club. 😀

The goals will remain the same:

• to share the best articles on race, education, and culture

• to offer thought-provoking ideas from a variety of perspectives

• to encourage us to read, reflect, and connect more deeply

But a few things will be different. For example, there will be a greater emphasis on each issue’s lead article. I’d like us to get into it, reflect on it, and share our thoughts about it with one another. And I want to experiment with more ways for us to connect and build our reading community. After all, our world might be a slightly better place if we read more good things and then talked about them with other thoughtful people.

Here’s the best news: You don’t have to do anything. There won’t be any clicking or resubscribing or filling out a survey. You’ll receive next week’s issue next Thursday at 9:10 am PT like normal. Be on the lookout for it! especially if the email gods conspire and send it to promotions.

All right, that’s enough housekeeping. Let’s get into this week’s issue!

White Parents Chased A Black Educator Out Of Town. Then, They Followed Her to the Next One.

There are two parts to this story. The first is about Cecelia Lewis, an experienced and talented Black educator from New Jersey, who accepts a district job in suburban Georgia focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and who gets run out of town, twice, by angry, anti-CRT, anti-1619 Project white parents who don’t want a Black woman from the North having any authority over the education of their children.

The other part, though more subtle, is perhaps more powerful: This is also the story of well-meaning white educators in suburban Georgia (including the superintendent) who say they want change and more equity in their district, and who promise to support Ms. Lewis, but who then cave on their vows of allyship, taking the more comfortable route, leaving her vulnerable to attack. As a white educator who has not always lived up to my values, this is the part that spoke most to me. (34 min)

The Backlash Against Sex Ed

Parents against comprehensive sexuality education, or CSE, are by and large the same parents against CRT and The 1619 Project and SEL and trans kids in sports and instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity. The point is “to protect the innocence of children.” This article charts the rise of parents opting their children out of sex ed and the subsequent potential for violence. Author Joan Walsh compares the current parental rights movement to the QAnon cult and writes, “If you believe that LGBTQ teachers, or even straight sex-ed teachers, are ‘grooming’ children for sexual abuse, then violence can seem justified.” (22 min)

Finding Time For Life

Many of you have told me that you want to read more but can’t find the time. How do you do it? you ask. My answer is probably not one you want to hear: I’m way less busy than you are. But writer Anne Lamott’s answer is likely much more helpful. Whether your goal is to read more, or to write more, or to live life more, the key is simple: Don’t clean the house today. Skip the gym. Interrogate every last thing you find essential and see what you can let go of, at least once in a while. (4 min)

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter. Did you enjoy it? If so, give me a thumbs up below and tell me why. And if you didn’t like it, that’s OK, too – that’s what the thumbs down is for.

To our new subscriber Tamarah, I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Olga! Osvaldo! Otto!), you’re pretty great, too. VIP Corinne, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow. I appreciate your support. Word of mouth is how our reading community gets stronger. Here are a few ways you can help:

📬 Forward today’s issue to a friend and urge them to subscribe. If they use this sign-up form, they can say you referred them, and when I find out, I will shower you with thanks and praise (and maybe a prize).

☕️ Buy me a coffee to express your love of the newsletter

❤️ Become a VIP member for $3 a month, like Reba and Nicole. You’ll join an esteemed group of readers who value the mission of The Highlighter.

On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT.

#348: ‘Four Years Being Seen As Family’

Hi loyal readers! Thank you for being here. There’s plenty of doom out in the world right now – and plenty of pieces detailing that doom. If you’ve been a subscriber for any length of time, you know that I don’t shy away from doomsday articles. But this week – the beginning of a one-month break between jobs – I was in the mood for something different.

Today’s issue explores the theme of belonging from three perspectives. The lead article charts the rise of Black colleges and universities as joyful, safe, and transformative alternatives to predominantly white elite institutions. The second piece examines the controversial claims of Landmark Forum, which promises its participants breakthrough personal growth in just one three-day workshop. And the third article investigates whether belonging to a fantasy sports league is the answer to men’s inability to forge meaningful relationships. (Answer: No.) Please enjoy!

+ Program Note: After seven great years, I’m switching things up a bit. Beginning with Issue #350 on June 30, I’ll be merging The Highlighter with Article Club, my other reading-related newsletter. I’ll share more next week about why I’m excited about this shift, but for now, here’s a quick summary of what to expect:

• You don’t have to do anything

• You’ll keep getting issues every Thursday at 9:10 am

• There will be new features that I think you’ll like

Please let me know if you have questions. Thank you and I hope you have a great weekend coming up.

Why Students Are Choosing H.B.C.U.s: ‘Four Years Being Seen as Family’

Erica L. Green: “The nation’s H.B.C.U.s have experienced a boom. From 2018 to 2021, applications for a cross section of Black schools increased nearly 30 percent, according to the Common App, a platform for students to submit one application to multiple colleges, outpacing the increases of many other schools. Submissions using the Common Black College Application, solely for H.B.C.U.s., are projected to reach 40,000 this year, quadruple the total in 2016. And enrollment has soared at some of the schools, even as it declined nationally.

“ ‘College is the time when you’re trying to figure out who you are,’ said SeKai Parker, who chose Spelman over Yale. ‘It’s impossible to figure that out in a space where you not only feel like you have to assimilate to fit into that space, when they didn’t invite you there or they tolerate you there, but you have to prove that your existence has value.’ ” (21 min)

+ Big thanks to VIP Sivan for sending this article my way. Want to nominate an article or podcast? Please do!

The Landmark Forum: A Program For Personal Transformation, Or A Cult?

I’m always looking for ways to improve my life. That is why I got close to attending a Landmark Forum event years ago when a good friend assured me that the experience would lead to transformative personal growth. Good thing I declined. This outstanding podcast (especially Parts 1 and 3) describes the allure (and cultiness) of Landmark, its questionable history (as an outgrowth of est), its problematic premise (that we’re 100% in charge of our destinies), and its enduring impact in corporate culture and discourse. Even if you’re not a habitual podcast listener, try this one, you’ll like it (49 min).

+ Big thanks to VIP Jessica for the referral.

Can Men Be Friends? My Life in Fantasy Basketball.

In seventh grade I convinced (i.e., forced) my friends to join a fantasy baseball league with me. (I was in charge of the statistics, and yes, there was a weekly newsletter. Girls weren’t allowed.) The experience led to years of mirth – or at least we thought so, being teenage boys. But this thoughtful piece by Zak Cheney-Rice got me thinking: Did I found the league as a last-bastion effort to maintain the childhood friendships threatened by the entropic forces of middle school? Surely Mr. Cheney-Rice would agree with my analysis, except in this well-written piece, he cares more about whether straight men in their 30s can be friends (particularly if they have lives), or if fantasy sports serve as a crutch for intimacy. (19 min)

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter. Did you enjoy it? If so, give me a thumbs up below and tell me why. And if you didn’t like it, that’s OK, too – that’s what the thumbs down is for.

To our five new subscribers – Giuseppina, Bobby, Martha, Mark, and Willie – I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Nora! Nancy! Nathalie!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Jillian, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow. I appreciate your support. Word of mouth is how our reading community gets stronger. Here are a few ways you can help:

📬 Forward today’s issue to a friend and urge them to subscribe. If they use this sign-up form, they can say you referred them, and when I find out, I will shower you with thanks and praise (and maybe a prize).

☕️ Buy me a coffee (or two, like Elizabeth! thanks Elizabeth!) to express your love of the newsletter

❤️ Become a VIP member for $3 a month, like Kibos and Dave. You’ll join an esteemed group of readers who value the mission of The Highlighter.

On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT.

#347: The End of Equity

For many people, the summer protests of 2020 following the murder of George Floyd felt like a real chance for change. Ibram X. Kendi called for antiracism. Michelle Alexander called for the defunding of the police. Nikole Hannah-Jones called for reparations. There was a reckoning. There was a moment of possibility.

We all know what happened next: a global pandemic, a big lie, an insurrection, a backlash to The 1619 Project and critical race theory, book bans, anti-trans laws, and an upcoming Supreme Court decision. For some of us, this is a step backward. But for others – like San Francisco voters, who recalled progressive prosecutor Chesa Boudin, and Los Angeles voters, who backed pro-police mayoral candidate Rick Caruso – this is a desirable correction to increased crime and failed leftist policies.

Today’s issue of The Highlighter includes two articles on both sides of the divide. The lead piece, “Equality ≠ Equity,” may surprise many of you who have come to expect a social justice bent to this newsletter. Author Tal Fortgang argues that seeking equity, or the equality of outcomes, does not represent Americans’ notions of fairness. Checking privilege is one thing; sacrificing privilege is another. I encourage you to read the article, especially if you think you’ll disagree, like I did.

If you’re an educator, like many of you are, don’t read the second article, which profiles a gay teacher in Florida who resigned after the state passed the Don’t Say Gay law. It’s infuriating. Instead, take in the beautiful photo of Yosemite and head straight down to the last two pieces – about large-scale cheating in a college course and about promoting empathy and compassion among doctors. Please enjoy!

+ Want to read more, read more deeply, and connect with other thoughtful people? Check out Article Club. This month, we’re reading “The Roe Baby,” by Joshua Prager. Here’s more information. We’re meeting June 26.

Equality ≠ Equity

Conservative law student Tal Fortgang believes at least two things are wrong with the progressive goal of equity, or common outcomes. First, notions of equality are too deeply rooted in American culture that seeking equity comes across as unfair. Equally as important, Mr. Fortang argues, Democratic leaders have hedged, not going all in on equity, afraid to be upfront with the American people on the true definition of equity for fear of losing the upcoming election. Besides, Americans like the idea of “equal opportunity.” But equity? That’s socialist. (14 min)

A Florida Teacher Felt She Had To Quit Amid “Don’t Say Gay” Rhetoric

Up until this year, Nicolette Solomon taught fourth graders in Key Biscayne, Florida, with boundless joy. She was good, too – nominated teacher of the year. Then came HB 1557, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law, which emboldened Ms. Solomon’s colleagues to explain that being gay is against God’s rules and that she should not be teaching young children. One said, “I like you as a person, but I don’t support gay marriage.” Even though she loved the kids, Ms. Solomon decided she couldn’t work at a school if she couldn’t wear her wedding ring. (20 min)

My Students Cheated. A Lot.

Matthew Crump teaches psychology at the Brooklyn College of CUNY. He wants the best for his students – even when they cheat. This is Prof. Crump’s account of last semester’s class, in which many of his students cheated (via a group chat), how much they cheated (a lot), and how well they cheated (they didn’t know Prof. Crump was also on the group chat). What could easily be a gossipy gotcha story turns out to be a tale of redemption, thanks to Prof. Crump’s empathy and desire to improve as an educator. (He’s also pretty good at the programming language R.) (48 min)

Bad News 101: Empathy Training Helps Medical Students Sit With Uncertainty

It’s not a secret that medical students spend most of their time learning about anatomy and diseases and very little time learning about how to interact with people. That’s why Meg Senuta volunteers as a mock cancer patient and participates in role plays with medical students practicing how to deliver bad news. Why does she do it? She’s a cancer survivor herself. “I’m still figuring out how to live with uncertainty and fear. I am still figuring out what happened to me,” she writes. “How to make use of it. Not meaning, but use.” (17 min)

Thank you for reading this week’s issue of The Highlighter. Did you enjoy it? If so, give me a thumbs up below and tell me why. And if you didn’t like it, that’s OK, too – that’s what the thumbs down is for.

To our four new subscribers – Mohamed, Courte, Mohamed, and Janet – I hope you find the newsletter a solid addition to your email inbox. To our long-time subscribers (Mona! Maureen! Mike!), you’re pretty great, too. Loyal reader Francisco, thank you for sharing the newsletter and getting the word out.

If you like The Highlighter, please help it grow. I appreciate your support. Word of mouth is how our reading community gets stronger. Here are a few ways you can help:

📬 Forward today’s issue to a friend and urge them to subscribe. If they use this sign-up form, they can say you referred them, and when I find out, I will shower you with thanks and praise (and maybe a prize).

☕️ Buy me a coffee (or two, like Beth! thanks Beth!) to express your love of the newsletter

❤️ Become a VIP member for $3 a month. You’ll join an esteemed group of generous readers who value the mission of The Highlighter.

On the other hand, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe. See you next Thursday at 9:10 am PT.