#american indian community housing organization

[inprogresstoday]

We had such a great day of photo portraiture out at Brighton Beach. The day was winter warm, with deep snow, melting icicles and a crew of serious, ready to learn artists. As we continue into next week we will move to receiving and sharing oral histories from elders. There is so much talent and willingness in this group and we are all having a blast!

--Kristine Sorensen / Stories of Resiliency / American Indian Community Housing Organization / Duluth

[fatehbaz]

---

Native American tribes from Michigan, Wisconsin and Ontario have come together to call for an end to the Line 5 pipeline.

The Enbridge Line 5 crude oil pipeline, first constructed in 1953, stretches from Wisconsin through 645 miles of Michigan and ends in Sarnia, Ontario. Part of the pipeline travels underwater through the Straits of Mackinac.

In recent years, the pipeline's continued operation has become a source of controversy. Many tribal nations and communities claim that the pipeline goes through their traditional territories. The Straits area in particular is considered a place of significant cultural and historical importance to many native groups, including the Anishinaabe. According to tribal leaders, the pipeline poses a major and direct threat to the ecosystems along its path.

“The Straits of Mackinac are [...] sacred from both a cultural and historical perspective in the formation of the Anishinaabe people,�� said Austin Lowes, chairperson of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, in a statement. “Protecting the Straits is also a matter of the utmost environmental and economic importance — both to our people and the state of Michigan.”

Tribal leaders and other environmental groups have publicly opposed the pipeline for many years and have called for the pipeline to be shut down.

Supporters of the pipeline point out that it transports 540,000 barrels of light crude oil and natural gas liquids through Line 5 on a daily basis. [...]

In an effort to address safety concerns, Enbridge has proposed an underwater tunnel to house the portion of Line 5 that runs under the Straits of Mackinac. [...] Critics of the tunnel project say no oil should be transported through the Straits at all, as a spill could have a devastating impact on more than 700 miles of Great Lakes shoreline. [...]

Previous attempts to shut down the pipeline have been stopped through various means, mostly the 1977 Transit Pipeline Treaty between Canada and the United States.

The latest attempt saw 51 tribal organizations from Wisconsin, Michigan and Ontario submit a report to the United Nations Human Rights Council. This report, dated April 4, claims that the Government of Canada is violating the human rights of Indigenous peoples through its continuous support for Line 5.

The report was submitted to be considered during Canada's upcoming Universal Periodic Review, conducted by the United Nations. As a United Nations member state, Canada is required to be evaluated for its human rights record on a regular basis.

Canada's Universal Periodic Review will take place this year on Nov. 6-17.

The 51 different tribal organizations that signed the report include: The Anishinabek Nation, which represents 39 First Nations throughout the province of Ontario, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Bay Mills Indian Community, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians, Hannahville Indian Community, Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

---

Headline and text by: Brendan Wiesner. “Michigan, Wisconsin and Canadian tribes come together to fight Line 5.” Yahoo! News. 8 April 2023. Article originally appeared on The Sault News with the title “Great Lakes tribes send report to United Nations to fight Line 5.” [Some paragraph breaks and contractions added by me.]

Context:

Line 3 brings oil from Alberta to Lake Superior. Then, Line 5 brings the fossil fuel from the Duluth area to the Detroit/Windsor area in Ontario.

[darkmaga-returns]

Is this what America is going to do now when we have disasters? Bring in the bulldozers and the flame throwers? Light the trash and debris pyres, and once down to ashes, cover up and forget?

Dr. Peter and Ginger Breggin

Nov 22, 2024

“Outbreaks and natural disasters have shown that mismanagement of the dead can show distrust and undermine public health efforts to contain diseases and can also contribute to long-term trauma for survivors when the bodies of loved ones are not considered to have been treated with respect.”

Ethical and sociocultural challenges in managing dead bodies during epidemics and natural disasters

[Please click on the headline to read this complete article in Substack]

It does not take a public health study to tell us that disrespecting the remains of those lost in a storm or other disaster leads to grave distress among survivors. Respectful handling of the dead goes back into the misty records of human prehistory.

Yet, suddenly, these most fundamental, core traditions of human culture—how the dead are treated and disposed of—are being completely ignored by American federal and state agencies in southeastern Appalachia where more than 30 communities and an uncounted number of inhabitants have been wiped out by Hurricane Helene. Twenty-five North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians have been identified for Federal major disaster declaration—this approaches one third of the state of North Carolina. Tennessee, too, has been massively impacted by that storm.

FEMA Disaster Declaration of 10.15.2024

The surviving residents of Western North Carolina and volunteers are struggling to locate their missing and dead family members and neighbors, often last seen as they or their houses were swept away in a record-high tide of water or mud and debris. Since the early hours and days after Hurricane Helene hit the mountains of southern Appalachia, there have been eyewitness reports on social media of bodies hung up in trees, tangled in brush piles, buried in mountains of muck and uprooted trees, crumpled vehicles, smashed buildings and a toxic mix of chemicals, and sewage. Residents often don’t hear about toxic releases until much time has passed, leading to chemical burns, asthma and other toxic exposure-related illnesses.

Volunteer Search and Rescue teams with trained cadaver dogs are still doing body recovery; they see the desperate need. United Cajun Navy and Mercury 1 Charity are two of the organized charities doing search and rescue and air drops for those whose entire lives have literally been washed away as evidenced by 911 recordings just released on the 19th of November.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

The Chronicle Herald :: Michael de Adder :: @deAdder

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

July 28, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Jul 29, 2024

Just a week ago, it seems, a new America began. I’ve struggled ever since to figure out what the apparent sudden revolution in our politics means.

I keep coming back to the Ernest Hemingway quote about how bankruptcy happens. He said it happens in two stages, first gradually and then suddenly.

That’s how scholars say fascism happens, too—first slowly and then all at once—and that’s what has been keeping us up at night.

But the more I think about it, the more I think maybe democracy happens the same way, too: slowly, and then all at once. 

At this country’s most important revolutionary moments, it has seemed as if the country turned on a dime. 

In 1763, just after the end of the French and Indian War, American colonists loved that they were part of the British empire. And yet, by 1776, just a little more than a decade later, they had declared independence from that empire and set down the principles that everyone has a right to be treated equally before the law and to have a say in their government.

The change was just as quick in the 1850s. In 1853 it sure looked as if the elite southern enslavers had taken over the country. They controlled the Senate, the White House, and the Supreme Court. They explicitly rejected the Declaration of Independence and declared that they had the right to rule over the country’s majority. They planned to take over the United States and then to take over the world, creating a global economy based on human enslavement. 

And yet, just seven years later, voters put Abraham Lincoln in the White House with a promise to stand against the Slave Power and to protect a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” He ushered in “a new birth of freedom” in what historians call the second American revolution. 

The same pattern was true in the 1920s, when it seemed as if business interests and government were so deeply entwined that it was only a question of time until the United States went down the same dark path to fascism that so many other nations did in that era. In 1927, after the execution of immigrant anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, poet John Dos Passos wrote: “they have clubbed us off the streets they are stronger they are rich they hire and fire the politicians the newspaper editors the old judges the small men with reputations….” 

And yet, just five years later, voters elected Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who promised Americans a New Deal and ushered in a country that regulated business, provided a basic social safety net, promoted infrastructure, and protected civil rights.

Every time we expand democracy, it seems we get complacent, thinking it’s a done deal. We forget that democracy is a process and that it’s never finished.

And when we get complacent, people who want power use our system to take over the government. They get control of the Senate, the White House, and the Supreme Court, and they begin to undermine the principle that we should be treated equally before the law and to chip away at the idea that we have a right to a say in our government. And it starts to seem like we have lost our democracy. 

But all the while, there are people who keep the faith. Lawmakers, of course, but also teachers and journalists and the musicians who push back against the fear by reminding us of love and family and community. And in those communities, people begin to organize—the marginalized people who are the first to feel the bite of reaction, and grassroots groups. They keep the embers of democracy alive.

And then something fans them into flame. 

In the 1760s it was the Stamp Act, which said that men in Great Britain had the right to rule over men in the American colonies. In the 1850s it was the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which gave the elite enslavers the power to rule the United States. And in 1929 it was the Great Crash, which proved that the businessmen had no idea what they were doing and had no plan for getting the country out of the Great Depression.

The last several decades have felt like we were fighting a holding action, trying to protect democracy first from an oligarchy and then from a dictator. Many Americans saw their rights being stripped away…even as they were quietly becoming stronger. 

That strength showed in the Women’s March of January 2017, and it continued to grow—quietly under Donald Trump and more openly under the protections of the Biden administration. People began to organize in school boards and state legislatures and Congress. They also began to organize over TikTok and Instagram and Facebook and newsletters and Zoom calls. 

And then something set them ablaze. The 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision stripped away from the American people a constitutional right they had enjoyed for almost fifty years, and made it clear that a small minority intended to destroy democracy and replace it with a dictatorship based in Christian nationalism. 

When President Joe Biden announced just a week ago that he would not accept the Democratic nomination for president, he did not pass the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris.

He passed it to us. 

It is up to us to decide whether we want a country based on fear or on facts, on reaction or on reality, on hatred or on hope.

It is up to us whether it will be fascism or democracy that, in the end, moves swiftly, and up to us whether we will choose to follow in the footsteps of those Americans who came before us in our noblest moments, and launch a brand new era in American history.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[bfpnola]

introductory excerpts on the rainbow coalition:

The Rainbow Coalition was an antiracist, anticlass[1] multicultural movement founded April 4, 1969 in Chicago, Illinois by Fred Hampton of the Black Panther Party, along with William "Preacherman" Fesperman of the Young Patriots Organization and José Cha Cha Jiménez, founder of the Young Lords. It was the first of several 20th century black-led organizations to use the "rainbow coalition" concept.[2]

...

The Rainbow Coalition soon included various radical socialist community groups like the Lincoln Park Poor People's Coalition,[3] later, the coalition was joined nationwide by the Students for a Democratic Society ("SDS"), the Brown Berets, the American Indian Movement and the Red Guard Party. In April 1969, Hampton called several press conferences to announce that this "Rainbow Coalition" had formed. Some of the things the coalition engaged in joint action against were poverty, corruption, racism, police brutality, and substandard housing.[4] The participating groups supported each other at protests, strikes, and demonstrations where they had a common cause.[5][6]

The coalition later included many other local groups like Rising Up Angry, and Mothers and Others. The Coalition also brokered treaties to end crime and gang violence. Hampton, Jimenez and their colleagues believed that the Richard J. Daley Democratic Party machine in Chicago used gang wars to consolidate their own political positions by gaining funding for law enforcement and dramatizing crime rather than underlying social issues.[citation needed][7]

The coalition eventually collapsed under duress from constant harassment by local and federal law enforcement, including the murder of Hampton.[6]

...

The phrase "rainbow coalition" was co-opted over the years by Reverend Jesse Jackson, who eventually appropriated the name in forming his own, more moderate coalition, Rainbow/PUSH. Some scholars, including Peniel Joseph, assert that the original rainbow coalition concept was a prerequisite for the multicultural coalition that Barack Obama built his political career upon.[11]

The Rainbow Coalition youth—made up of Panthers, Young Lords, and Young Patriots—also launched free breakfast programs that were supported by donations from community businesses and ran free daycare centers for neighborhood children. Several operations were upheld by the women of the Black Panthers and women’s focus groups like the Young Lordettes and Mothers and Others (MAO). The federal government institutionalized the School Breakfast Program in 1975.

“We’re gonna fight fire with water. We’re gonna fight racism not with racism, but with solidarity. We’re not gonna fight capitalism with Black capitalism, but with socialism… We’re gonna fight with all of us people getting together and having an international proletariat revolution,” Hampton was recorded saying.

...

In public appearances, the Rainbow Coalition was backed by community residents and Black and brown street gangs—but they also had the support of unions, Independent Precinct Organizations, college students and activists who supported the movement through Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Rising Up Angry, and countless other organizations. Their allies included Concerned Citizens of Lincoln Park, the West Town Concerned Citizens Coalition, the Northside Cooperative Ministry, Neighborhood Commons Organization, and Voice of the People. “It was really based on common action,” said Mike Klonsky, a former Chicago leader of SDS (who, like Hampton and Cha-Cha, had a reward out for his arrest). “If there was a protest or a demonstration, the word would get out and we would all come to it and support each other. If somebody was arrested, we would all raise bail. If somebody was killed or shot by the police, we would all respond together.”

...

In December of 1969, the FBI conducted an overnight raid on Hampton’s apartment with intelligence provided by an infiltrator. He had just been named spokesperson of the national Black Panther Party. A barrage of police bullets struck him in his sleep as he lay beside his pregnant fiance, Akua Njeri, who survived. Another occupant, Black Panther security chief Mark Clark, was also killed.  Distraught members of the Coalition unofficially disbanded, and a handful of the leadership went underground after Hampton’s assassination, fearing for their own safety. Thousands of people lined up to witness the open crime scene, while lawyers from the People’s Law Office disputed the later-disproved official police account, which had falsely claimed a heavy firefight on both sides. Having assassinated its most vocal leader, the Feds had effectively crushed the 1960s’ most promising push for united, cohesive social resistance in Chicago.

[angelique-of-the-volturi-guard]

I made a list of resources. Spread it to anyone who needs it please and thank you!

For the Girls

Savvyladies.org- non profit for financial education 

Freegrantsforwomen.org- grants for housing, bills, education, etc.

Avvo.com- free directory of lawyers

Divorcehelp.org- for divorces

Endhomelessness.org- for step by step help with homelessness

Rainn.org- 800-656-4673- for help with sexual assault

Domestic Violence Hotline- 800-799-7233

For the POC

uscis.gov- for citizenship resources

Latinxtherapy.org- for de stigmatizing mental health in the Latinx communities 

naapimha.org- nonprofit organization for the mental health of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

advancingjustice-aajc.org/asian-resource-hub -for resources for Asian Americans 

nacainc.org- Native American non profit organization for health resources

nihb.org- National Indian health board for tribal resources for native Americans

aif.org- resources for the Indian community

For Black people

blackmentalhealth.com- for mental health resources 

thelovelandfoundation.org- nonprofit organization helping black women and girls with financial resources

blackmenheal.org- for therapy and mental health resources for black men.

parentsofblackchildren.org- for resources and education about the impact of being black on children

everymothercounts.org/anti-racist-reading/- for resources for pregnant black women

blackmamasmatter.org- to advocate for the reproductive health of black people

For the LGBTQIA+

glaad.org- for resources and advocacy for the gay community

thetrevorproject.org- 1-866-488-7386 - for crisis support

transgenderlawcenter.org- for legal advocacy for and by trans people 

hrc.org- for resources for all LGBTQIA+ people by topic

lgbtqhealthcaredirectory.org- find healthcare near you

[beardedmrbean]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill Saturday that would have made California the first U.S. state to outlaw caste-based discrimination.

Caste is a division of people related to birth or descent. Those at the lowest strata of the caste system, known as Dalits, have been pushing for legal protections in California and beyond. They say it is necessary to protect them from bias in housing, education and in the tech sector — where they hold key roles.

Earlier this year, Seattle became the first U.S. city to add caste to its anti-discrimination laws. On Sept. 28, Fresno became the second U.S. city and the first in California to prohibit discrimination based on caste by adding caste and indigeneity to its municipal code.

In his message Newsom called the bill “unnecessary,” explaining that California “already prohibits discrimination based on sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other characteristics, and state law specifies that these civil rights protections shall be liberally construed.”

“Because discrimination based on caste is already prohibited under these existing categories, this bill is unnecessary,” he said in the statement.

A United Nations report in 2016 said at least 250 million people worldwide still face caste discrimination in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Pacific regions, as well as in various diaspora communities. Caste systems are found among Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Muslims and Sikhs.

Proponents of the bill launched a hunger strike in early September pushing for the law’s passage. During their campaign, many Californians have come forward with stories of discrimination in the workplace, housing and education. Opponents, including some Hindu groups, called the proposed legislation “unconstitutional” and have said it would unfairly target Hindus and people of Indian descent. The issue caused deep divisions in the Indian American community. Hundreds on both sides came to Sacramento to testify at committee hearings in the state senate and assembly.

Thenmozhi Soundararajan, executive director of Equality Labs, the Oakland-based Dalit rights group that has been leading the movement to end caste discrimination nationwide, said she still views this moment as a victory for caste-oppressed people who have “organized and built amazing power and awareness on this issue.”

“We made history conducting the first advocacy days, caravans, and hunger strike for caste equity,” she said. “We made the world aware that caste exists in the U.S. and our people need a remedy from this violence. A testament to our organizing is in Newsom’s veto where he acknowledges that caste is currently covered. So while we wipe our tears and grieve, know that we are not defeated.”

The Hindu American Foundation and Coalition of Hindus of North America claimed Newsom's veto as a victory for their advocacy efforts.

“With the stroke of his pen, Governor Newsom has averted a civil rights and constitutional disaster that would have put a target on hundreds of thousands of Californians simply because of their ethnicity or their religious identity, as well as create a slippery slope of facially discriminatory laws,” said Samir Kalra, the Hindu American Foundation's managing director.

In March, state Sen. Aisha Wahab, the first Muslim and Afghan American elected to the California Legislature, introduced the bill. The California law would have included caste as a sub-category under ethnicity — a protected category under the state’s anti-discrimination laws.

Nirmal Singh, a Bakersfield resident and member of Californians for Caste Equity, said the introduction of this bill “represents a shifting tide in California to understand caste-based discrimination.” Singh also represents Ravidassia community, many of whom are Dalits with roots in Punjab, India.

“The fact that caste-oppressed people were given a platform to stand up for our basic human rights is a huge win in and of itself,” he said.

Earlier this week, Republican state Sens. Brian Jones and Shannon Grove called on Newsom to veto the bill, which they said will “not only target and racially profile South Asian Californians, but will put other California residents and businesses at risk and jeopardize our state’s innovate edge.”

Jones said he has received numerous calls from Californians in opposition.

“We don’t have a caste system in America or California, so why would we reference it in law, especially if caste and ancestry are already illegal,” he said in a statement.

Grove said the law could potentially open up businesses to unnecessary or frivolous lawsuits.

A 2016 Equality Labs survey of 1,500 South Asians in the U.S. showed 67% of Dalits who responded reported being treated unfairly because of their caste.

A 2020 survey of Indian Americans by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace found caste discrimination was reported by 5% of survey respondents. While 53% of foreign-born Hindu Indian Americans said they affiliate with a caste group, only 34% of U.S.-born Hindu Indian Americans said they do the same.

[misfitwashere]

July 28, 2024 

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

JUL 29READ IN APP

Just a week ago, it seems, a new America began. I’ve struggled ever since to figure out what the apparent sudden revolution in our politics means.

I keep coming back to the Ernest Hemingway quote about how bankruptcy happens. He said it happens in two stages, first gradually and then suddenly.

That’s how scholars say fascism happens, too—first slowly and then all at once—and that’s what has been keeping us up at night.

But the more I think about it, the more I think maybe democracy happens the same way, too: slowly, and then all at once. 

At this country’s most important revolutionary moments, it has seemed as if the country turned on a dime. 

In 1763, just after the end of the French and Indian War, American colonists loved that they were part of the British empire. And yet, by 1776, just a little more than a decade later, they had declared independence from that empire and set down the principles that everyone has a right to be treated equally before the law and to have a say in their government.

The change was just as quick in the 1850s. In 1853 it sure looked as if the elite southern enslavers had taken over the country. They controlled the Senate, the White House, and the Supreme Court. They explicitly rejected the Declaration of Independence and declared that they had the right to rule over the country’s majority. They planned to take over the United States and then to take over the world, creating a global economy based on human enslavement. 

And yet, just seven years later, voters put Abraham Lincoln in the White House with a promise to stand against the Slave Power and to protect a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” He ushered in “a new birth of freedom” in what historians call the second American revolution. 

The same pattern was true in the 1920s, when it seemed as if business interests and government were so deeply entwined that it was only a question of time until the United States went down the same dark path to fascism that so many other nations did in that era. In 1927, after the execution of immigrant anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, poet John Dos Passos wrote: “they have clubbed us off the streets they are stronger they are rich they hire and fire the politicians the newspaper editors the old judges the small men with reputations….” 

And yet, just five years later, voters elected Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who promised Americans a New Deal and ushered in a country that regulated business, provided a basic social safety net, promoted infrastructure, and protected civil rights.

Every time we expand democracy, it seems we get complacent, thinking it’s a done deal. We forget that democracy is a process and that it’s never finished.

And when we get complacent, people who want power use our system to take over the government. They get control of the Senate, the White House, and the Supreme Court, and they begin to undermine the principle that we should be treated equally before the law and to chip away at the idea that we have a right to a say in our government. And it starts to seem like we have lost our democracy. 

But all the while, there are people who keep the faith. Lawmakers, of course, but also teachers and journalists and the musicians who push back against the fear by reminding us of love and family and community. And in those communities, people begin to organize—the marginalized people who are the first to feel the bite of reaction, and grassroots groups. They keep the embers of democracy alive.

And then something fans them into flame. 

In the 1760s it was the Stamp Act, which said that men in Great Britain had the right to rule over men in the American colonies. In the 1850s it was the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which gave the elite enslavers the power to rule the United States. And in 1929 it was the Great Crash, which proved that the businessmen had no idea what they were doing and had no plan for getting the country out of the Great Depression.

The last several decades have felt like we were fighting a holding action, trying to protect democracy first from an oligarchy and then from a dictator. Many Americans saw their rights being stripped away…even as they were quietly becoming stronger. 

That strength showed in the Women’s March of January 2017, and it continued to grow—quietly under Donald Trump and more openly under the protections of the Biden administration. People began to organize in school boards and state legislatures and Congress. They also began to organize over TikTok and Instagram and Facebook and newsletters and Zoom calls. 

And then something set them ablaze. The 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision stripped away from the American people a constitutional right they had enjoyed for almost fifty years, and made it clear that a small minority intended to destroy democracy and replace it with a dictatorship based in Christian nationalism. 

When President Joe Biden announced just a week ago that he would not accept the Democratic nomination for president, he did not pass the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris.

He passed it to us. 

It is up to us to decide whether we want a country based on fear or on facts, on reaction or on reality, on hatred or on hope.

It is up to us whether it will be fascism or democracy that, in the end, moves swiftly, and up to us whether we will choose to follow in the footsteps of those Americans who came before us in our noblest moments, and launch a brand new era in American history.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

It is up to us to decide whether we want a country based on fear or on facts, on reaction or on reality, on hatred or on hope.

VOTE

[brostateexam]

Ten years ago, I interned at a literary magazine, publishing imprint, and agency in Minneapolis called Paper Darts. It’s the first time in my life I had ever felt like a member of the in-crowd.

For the in-crowd, taste is all about social bonding. It isn’t developed in isolation. It’s a direct result of engagement with a peer group of other avid consumers. It was there at those meetings in my boss’ cramped, modestly decorated house that what I was supposed to like was communicated to me: tacos (one of the editors had an entire blog devoted to them, which they took very seriously); the musical act Neon Indian; Portlandia (Fred Armisen blurbed one of the imprint’s books, although, judging from his quick response to the email request, he likely didn’t read it); sans serif fonts; and clothing brands like ModCloth, among other early-2010s trends that were both things to buy and ways of being sold to.

The magazine itself, a whimsical and kitschy artifact, had a vaguely countercultural bent in the way that everything organized by young people does. Its own cool pretentiousness was modeled after magazines like McSweeney’s and the Believer, founded by the once-cool Gen X-er Dave Eggers. By the standards of the upper Midwest, Paper Darts embodied the characteristics of publications they wanted to be more like, trafficking in many of the same ideas. But I didn’t feel like I embodied those characteristics myself.

As the only non-white person there, the only 21-year-old Black woman hailing from a Muslim background, the expectation was that I was supposed to meet them at their level, not the other way around. My coworkers became a prism through which to look, filtering my own perspective through their white, supposedly rarified lens.

[pearlwestbrook]

Welcome to Aurora Bay, PEARL WESTBROOK! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like GRACE VAN PATTEN. You must be the TWENTY-SEVEN year old EMPLOYEE AT THE MOVIE HOUSE THEATER. Word is you’re SAVVY but can also be a bit MALICIOUS and your favorite song is SAME by DEB NEVER. I also heard you’ll be staying in OCEAN CREST APARTMENTS. I’m sure you’ll love it!

STATS.

Full Name: Pearl Odette Westbrook Nickname(s): Rabbit (by anyone who knew her when she was younger) Gender: Cis woman, she/her Sexual Orientation: Bisexual Birthday: October 30, 1995 (27) Religion: None Nationality: American Ethnicity: White Hometown: Palmdale, California Current Residence: Ocean Crest Apartments Length of time in Aurora Bay: 7 years Occupation: Employee at the Movie House Theater Education: Three semesters of community college

Height: 5′6 Tattoos: "Thank you and sweet dreams" in Jeff Buckley's handwriting on her upper left ribcage Piercings: Two in her left lobe, three in her right lobe, right nipple Scars: (tba)

Mother: Helena Westbrook Baker (48) Father: Kristoff Mack (55) Step-Father: George Baker (56) Siblings: Stevie Mack (half-sibling) Pet(s): A mean ass Calico cat called Mrs. Washburn, named after her mean ass seventh grade math teacher

PERSONALITY.

Pos. Traits: Savvy, quick-witted, perceptive, self-sufficient, intelligent Neg. Traits: Reckless, mercurial, sarcastic, pretentious, indecisive, self-indulgent, malicious Likes: Experimental cinema, lacy underwear, fashion, Indian food, weed, cigarettes, making people she doesn't like feel bad about themselves, telling lies for no reason, putting ketchup in her macaroni, Jeff Buckley, sex, dark beers, black metal, calzones, her cat, anything that gets her blood going, talking to strangers Dislikes: Sports, most poetry, modern interior design, minimalism, Star Wars, YouTubers, school, working a regular job, her family, philosophy, organized religion, feeling dependent on other people, standup comedy Fears: Having no direction in life, disappointing people, being abandoned

TL;DR.

Pearl's mother — one of nine kids and whose father had two wives — ran away from home at 17, got knocked up by a man who was part of a cult-like religious organization in Provo, Utah, that she met at the strip club where she worked, and then got ghosted by him. She left Utah, went west, and had Pearl in Palmdale, California. Her mother went back to stripping when she was very young and often left her alone and to fend for herself, and then, when Pearl was in her early teens, married the owner of the strip joint, who also happened to be a drug trafficker. When she was 17 he started trying to get Pearl to strip at his club and that was the last straw. She left home at 18 after graduating high school and ended up in Aurora Bay with a roommate a few years later. She tried community college but hated it and works at the movie house theater now.

CURRENT CONNECTIONS.

unknown half-sibling of @mackstevie

enemies to besties with @helenasoarcs

toxic undefined relo with @ulyflynn

frenemies with benefits of @rominacortez

casual hookup of @jake-hudson

unwilling victim of attempted parenting with @cristian-valdes

fan of and friends with @amayapowers

casual enemies and 2am deep convos with @carterjohnsons

golden retriever/black cat energy with @greengideon

mutually destructive friendship with @xaviermattthews

bad influence on @liamburkes

HEADCANONS.

Finds it hilarious that her initials are POW and calls herself a prisoner of war

She got the nickname rabbit partly bc of her full cheeks but also bc she'll chow down on carrot sticks like a rodent, only people who knew her when she was younger wld know the nickname

Doesn't actually like the taste of cigarettes but is fully addicted

Despises weed culture and will stop listening when someone tries telling her about strains

tba

BIOGRAPHY.

**trigger warnings for parental abuse and neglect, allusion to homelessness, mention of religious extremism, drug trafficking, alcoholism

Helena Foughner's mother was one of Josiah Foughner's two wives, and she herself was just one of his nine children. It was a deeply toxic family and he was a deeply toxic and abusive man, and she ran away from all of it when she was seventeen years old, about four months before she would have failed to graduate high school with the rest of her peers. She didn't get far at first — she stayed in and around the Provo and Salt Lake areas for the next few years, often couch-surfing with friends and staying with boyfriends and frequenting motel rooms.

In her early twenties Helena discovered stripping, and it was through this that she finally started making enough money to get an apartment of her own; it was also how she met Kristoff Mack. He was charming in a way that disturbed and fascinated her, and not long after the second or third time they slept together did Helena find herself knocked up with his child and unable to contact him. Devastated and pregnant and terrified and with more hatred in her heart for Utah than ever before, Helena decided to leave for good. With what little money she'd saved, she traveled west just her and her unborn baby, before finally settling down in Palmdale, California, almost nine months later where Pearl was born.

Helena started stripping again just a couple years later. Pearl was often left with neighbors or cheap babysitters or completely alone, because daycare was too expensive and Helena couldn't keep a steady relationship to save her life.

Until she could, of course. George Baker owned the strip joint, and he took a liking to Helena. George Baker was also a drug trafficker, and not a very nice man. As Pearl got older her mother stopped stripping, married George, and allowed him to take care of them, which meant Pearl suddenly had some man pretending to be her father figure when it came to all the shitty stuff but none of the good stuff. He thought Pearl was an instigative little brat and he was right, and she thought he was an evil son of bitch and she was right. Helena was drinking too much by the time Pearl was a teenager to do anything about the abusive way her husband spoke to her daughter. She was also too drunk to be any help when, just before turning eighteen, George approached Pearl about stripping in his club. So she didn't bother ratting him out to her mom at all — Pearl simply left home the minute she turned eighteen and graduated high school.

Unlike her mother before her, Pearl had saved up just enough money through retail jobs she worked in high school to afford an apartment with a friend, and they ended up in Aurora Bay. There, Pearl tried a few different jobs before settling at the Movie House Theater, which she enjoyed because she'd always loved movies and, if she'd been able to last longer than three semester at a nearby community college, would likely have gone on to study film.

That being said, her rough start to life never instilled in her much confidence and that on top of hating the school setting meant she gave up on that idea quickly. She's not content with what she does but doesn't have the ambition to try for anything better, so a lot of her externalized rage is a product of that deep unhappiness and dissatisfaction with her life and her perceived ability to change it.

She dates on and off, sleeps around a lot more. Despite it never helping, she tries to fill the gaping void in her life with meaningless relationships that only end up making her feel worse in the end, and often leave her with additional trauma to pile on top of the rest.

Recently, she's started looking into her biological father out of some misplaced notion that understanding where she comes from might somehow give her a sense of purpose. Her mother never spoke of her father save for a first name, but through some deep digging she finally managed to get a last name as well and connect it to a man in Provo, Utah, who was part of a cult-like religious organization with a freaky recruiting website. It's not really a surprise to her given who her mother is, but it was still, deep down, just another confirmation that her life is garbage and she comes from shitty stock with bad luck.

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

A current roommate

The roommate she moved to Aurora Bay with seven years ago (could be the same as the current roommate or something could have happened and they or she moved out)

Co-workers at the movie theater or any other little retail job she did before that

A few besties

Weed smoking buddies

Harder drug buddies + a dealer

Someone who tries to parent her (mostly unsuccessfully)

Someone who’s super chaotic with her and encourages all her poor choices

Some exes (would pretty much all have been toxic relos in some way)

Someone she lowkey idolizes

Enemies baybeeeeee

Would love someone she used to be rly close with and they hate each other now

Also would love the opposite, someone that started off on a bad foot with her but now they’re close

Frenemies!!! Friends only when they’re drunk vibe

Fake friends where they pretend to be friends for some reason but both loathe each other actually

Apartment building neighbors that she’s probably annoyed

Maybe one neighbor who kinda sees through her bullshit tho and lowkey is rly helpful like helped her go down to the basement when she blew a fuse or smth

Someone she knows bc she rear ended them when she borrowed her friend's car or smth ygfuhjds could have turned into a friendship or could be enemies now

Someone she Witnessed Something Weird With and now theyre trauma bonded over it

Hookups/fwb/etc

[inprogresstoday]

We had such a wonderful first day of digital storytelling at Gimaajii Mino Bimaadizimin in Duluth. For the next few months IP artists Kristine Sorensen and Aaliyah McQueen will be assisting a community of artists in honoring the Indigenous history of the region through documentary video and photography. Such good planning and willingness to learn. This will be an amazing project!

--Living Histories / Duluth

[analisaguzmanblog]

The Canary Islanders of San Antonio

The Canary Islands are located off the coast of Spain and are considered Spanish territory. King Philip V of Spain sent multiple families from the Canary Islands, also known as the “Isleños,” to claim territory under Spain in North America in the 18th century. The Spanish government wanted to claim land before the French started to expand there. These families settled in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, but this text will specifically discuss the Canary Islanders that immigrated to San Antonio.

The Isleños settled in a village on the banks of the San Antonio River (The Institute of Texan Cultures, 2019). Upon their arrival, the families were given new supplies and were housed until they could build their own homes and also begin to farm. All that was in the village was Presidio San Antonio de Béxar and the Mission San Antonio de Valero, which is now considered the Alamo (The Institute of Texan Cultures, 2019). The Presidio San Antonio de Béxar housed the Spanish soldiers and the families who were settlers, and the Mission was inhabited by the local Native Americans and Franciscan Friars, which is a group that takes orders from the Catholic Church, and the friars were ordered to convert the American Indians into Christianity (The Institute of Texan Cultures, 2019). The history of the Catholics converting the American Indians  and forcing them to assimilate into European culture was pretty common across the states.

The Canary Islanders also organized a community called La Villa de San Fernando which was considered the Spanish capital of Texas (The Institute of Texan Cultures, 2019). There, they also initiated the first municipal government in Texas (The Institute of Texan Cultures, 2019). Furthermore, the settlers became mayors, sheriffs, and judges of this new community in order to enforce Spanish law (The Institute of Texan Cultures, 2019). So, the Canary Islanders heavily influenced the way Texas does local government and also contributed in establishing the city of San Antonio. 

The Canary Islanders spoke a dialect of Spanish that was influenced by the Guanche language which was spoken by the indigenous people of the Canary Islands. Additionally, the Canary Islanders heavily influenced the Bexar area with their culture and their ranching and farming practices. When the Isleños came to San Antonio, they brought many tools and livestock that would help them bring their agricultural practices. However, they couldn’t start farming and ranching immediately. They had to divide the land and had to build temporary homes called jacals houses (The Institute of Texan Cultures, 2019). From there, they started to sow their fields using oxen with cotton, corn, beans, fruit, and barley (The Institute of Texan Cultures, 2019). Once the Islanders established their agricultural applications, they turned their focus on constructing the village. 

I could find much information about the San Antonio Canary Islanders treatment towards the Native Americans. I believe that I could not find this information because I think that the Canary Islanders are a niche group of people since there was only a small number of families that came to San Antonio. The only thing that I could find was that the Canary Islanders who were farmers and ranchers were attacked by the local Native Americans, and there were no details following that statement. However, I want to take this time to generally discuss Spaniards' treatment towards the Native Americans.  The Canary Islanders that came were Catholic and the Spaniards had built missions to convert the Native Americans into Catholicism. The Spaniards forced the American Indians into assimilating the European culture and through that process they have faced tremendous abuse. The attempt to erase the culture and lives of the Native Americans by the settlers should be acknowledged especially because I have mentioned the Spaniards building missions.

Furthermore, a tradition that is carried out until this day is the Fiesta de la Flores, which is held every year in April. The festival celebrates the arrival of spring and features a parade, live music, and traditional Isleño food.

At this point, I think it’s fair to conclude that the Canary Islanders played an important role in the history of San Antonio, Texas. Their customs, traditions, and language have had a lasting impact on San Antonio’s culture, and they continue to be celebrated and remembered today.

I am a proud descendant of Francisco José de Arocha of La Palma of the Canary Islands. The Arocha family was one of sixteen families that settled in San Antonio, Texas. Simón de Arocha, the son of Francisco José de Arocha, and Francisco José de Arocha both served as a city clerk and a public notary (Jackson, 2022). Simón was also a judge of public land distributions, an alcalde, and the lieutenant of the local militia (Jackson, 2022). Furthermore, Simón’s son, Tomás Antonio de la Trinidad de Arocha, was a rancher, a rebel during the Mexican War of Independence, and a well known public figure of San Antonio (de la Teja, 2021). Also, Tomás was an alguacil (constable) and as an alcalde (magistrate) for San Antonio (de la Teja, 2021). He was also accused of incitement by the Spanish royal government because the San Antonio municipal council was reduced, and he was later charged with sedition (de la Teja, 2021). Also, my family informed me that one of my ancestors fought in the Battle of the Alamo fighting for Texas Independence. Unfortunately I can’t find it in any historical archives, however, my father’s cousin has documents proving that I have a family member who fought.

Also, I am not sure how valid this information is about my family, but my ancestors are responsible for the construction of the San Jose Mission in San Antonio. My grandparents had the honor of getting married there in the chapel, and apparently you need special permission to use the chapel. You also supposedly need to be related to the people who helped construct the mission in order to use the chapel. Additionally, again I do not know if this is 100% true, if someone in my family passes away, we can request the city of San Antonio to shut down a road in order to celebrate the life of the person who passed away. I just thought I would add that in there, but my father is the one who told me this. My father likes to lie to me to be funny because he knows that I am really gullible. So please take this paragraph with a grain of salt. The image below is the San Jose Mission and the chapel inside.

My ancestors were clearly very influential to the establishment and history of San Antonio. Because of their efforts, my family can qualify for the Sons of the Republic of Texas, the Daughter of the Republic of Texas, and the Canary Islands Descendents Association. Canary Islands Descendents Association was established to preserve the historical documents and promote the education of the legacy of the Canary Islanders of San Antonio (Handbook of Texas, 2018).

The Arocha family also owned land in downtown San Antonio, but the land in question now has a Macy’s built on it. The land that I have discussed had a lawsuit. The Joske Brothers were German immigrants who built a giant store on my family's land. I am not sure if my ancestors had sold the land or if it was left unclaimed territory and the Joske Brothers decided to build on the land. The lawsuit happened a century ago and my ancestors were suing for a million dollars worth of damages to the land against the Joske Brothers. The court decided that my ancestors, the Arochas, were the rightful heirs of the land. After going through Spaniard land grants, it was proven that the Arochas were the original owners of the land. The land was obviously not given back to the Arochas, but they won the lawsuit and received financial compensation for the damages of the land. Now, as I said before, there is a Macy’s there. My family and I think it’s so strange that the land the Macy’s is on used to belong to my family over a century ago. The image below is a newspaper clipping of a brief explanation of the lawsuit that took place. They also owned a cemetery located in Elmendorf, Texas which is southeast of San Antonio. I have a very interesting story about this cemetery.

When my grandfather was a child, he visited the Arocha family cemetery. Decades later my grandfather remembered this cemetery, but he had no idea where it was or how to find it. In 2002, to start the journey of finding this cemetery, my grandfather and his cousin began to look at city records in San Antonio and in Elmendorf. Eventually they found the man who owned the property. When my grandfather visited the cemetery decades later the headstones were missing and their mobile homes surrounding the cemetery. A place where my ancestors lie peacefully for eternity was destroyed. My grandfather was heartbroken by what happened to not only what was a historical artifact, but also something so sacred to my family. The pictures below show the front gate of the cemetery and one of the gravestones that was fortunately found.

There was a mobile home directly on the cemetery where a couple lived, but the house kept burning down. The wife swears that the house was haunted. Spooky! The man who owned the property told my grandfather that he had thrown the headstones into a nearby field. Most of the headstones were able to be found, but unfortunately some could not so some of the burials are unidentified. One headstone was being used as a step for someone to get in their mobile home. Eventually, the man who owned the land decided to sell the land back to my grandfather. Now my family proudly owns the cemetery, however, there are still mobile homes surrounding the cemetery. Unfortunately, my grandfather passed away in May of 2004, two months before I was born, and he was buried in the family cemetery along with his ancestors.  My grandfather was a certified member of the Canary Islands Descendants Association and became a part of the Sons of the Republic of Texas after his findings about our family history. The images below are my grandfather’s certificates of being a member of the Canary Islands Descendants Association and the Sons of the Republic of Texas. My grandfather's name is Robert Jesse Guzman.

Every now and then I get to see the cemetery and I am reminded how interesting my family history is. However, it saddens me when I see my grandfather’s grave. Not only do I hate seeing my father sad, but I also imagine a life where my grandfather was still alive. But I can’t dwell on what could've been if he was here. I should focus on the kind of friend, brother, husband, father, and grandfather he was, and his efforts to explore and learn about my family’s history. He has inspired me to do research on my family’s history, and educate myself and the rest of my family about our roots. The video that is attached below gives a brief story about the Canary Islanders from San Antonio and their impact on the city.

I wanted to add a picture of my grandfather's grave and my grandfather's sister's grave. Both of their gravestones are located in the Arocha cemetery. Fortunately, the pictures do not feature the mobile homes in the background.

References

“Canary Islanders,” Handbook of Texas Online, accessed April 25, 2023, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/canary-islanders.

de la Teja, Jesús "Frank",  “Arocha, Tomás Antonio de la Trinidad de,” Handbook of Texas Online, accessed April 22, 2023, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/arocha-tomas-antonio-de-la-trinidad-de.

Jackson, Jack ,“Arocha, Simón de,” Handbook of Texas Online, accessed April 22, 2023, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/arocha-simon-de.

“The Canary Island Texans,” The Institute of Texan Cultures, accessed April 25, 2023, https://texancultures.utsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/TOA_Canary_Islanders_Combined2019-1.pdf. 

[whitepolaris]

Spiritualists of Spook Hill

The craggy hill looms over tiny Wonewoc like a medieval castle wall, its steep backdrop of rocks and trees dominating the village and shading the houses nestled against it.

Even the most casual passerby will notice the magnificent ridge, but only those very familiar with the area will know the outcropping's Halloweenish name-Spook Hill. Anyway, that's what the locals have called it since it became the summer home of a cadre of psychics and Spiritualists mediums in 1877. For their part, the hill's seasonal inhabitants prefer the name Wonewoc Spiritualist Camp, but they cheerfully accept the Spook Hill moniker.

In peak periods, as many as 1,500 people a week visit the camp. Some come to take part in classes or group readings; others make the journey just to enjoy solitude in one of the thirty-nine buildings on the wooded campus. There is even a "healing tree," complete with legends of miraculous cures. Most, though, seek spiritual advice or communication with departed loved ones.

A rotating group of psychics and mediums, certified by various organizations but all adhering to basic Spiritualist principles, conduct thirty-minutes on weekends, with each psychic holding up to eighteen sessions per day. Charging $30 for thirty minutes, mediums such as ordained Spiritualist minister Barbara Picha hold court in their simple cabins while clients line up outside. A rainbow of sequins glitters on the pebbled walkway to Picha's small white cottage, and the front steps are accented by two purple planters shaped like the ladies' boots, with Picha found on sale at Big Lots.

Inside, Picha invites clients to sit at a table, covered with a white cloth, as an indefinable floral scent (Picha says it has no known source) sweetens the air. Like every medium at Spook Hill, Picha puts her own unique stamp on spirit communication. She has a startling way of banging the flat on her hand on the table when the spirits are testifying, and she appears to be able to look at, past, and through the person she's reading-all at the same time. She doesn't just see deceased relatives; spirit guides come too, she says, all clamoring to be heard.

Bradley K. Moore, part African American, part Crow Indian, and part Irish, says that he identifies with the entire human race, which gives him a particular empathy with clients. He has studied Spiritualism with a Native American shaman, and he is the proud possessor of a tackle box that's filled with a variety of stones. Occasionally, when the spirit moves him, he'll give someone a stone. Moore is an ordained Spiritualism minster and has been a teacher and a reader for twelve years.

A favorite spot for both Picha and Moore is the camp's wood-paneled chapel, decorated with paintings of spirit guides and a portrait of early Spiritualist Andrew Jackson Davis. Davis was Spiritualism's "forerunner," says Moore. "He received the nine principles we adhere to," he explains. "Our creed is called the Magic Staff: Under All circumstances, keep an even mind."

Given the camp's long history, it's not surprising that most of the surrounding community seems accepting of it. As far back as the 1850s, even the sons of an area judge were full-fledged members of the Wonewoc Spiritualists. In those days, the group shared a building with the German Lutherans and other denominations. The Reverend John L. Protter, a medium, served the first flock. Under his direction, the Spiritualists wowed the town with formal affairs, comic pageants, such events as oyster suppers, and the always popular manifestations meetings, which featured table tipping, ghostly rappings, and other antics believed to be the works of spirits. According to a story in the Wonewoc Reporter, at a meeting on January 18, 1891, the table was said to have been carried away by unseen forces, jumping wildly until one gentleman leaped on top and rode it around the room in an impromptu furniture rodeo.

Spook Hill has not been without its detractors. In 1884, a plot to burn down the main hall was discovered when someone found wads of straw stuffed into the building's chinks. And more recently, some religious groups have climbed the hill to picket the camp and try to dissuade clients from getting psychic readings. "They really just brought us more people," says Moore philosophically.

Whether the mediums and psychics who give readings at Spook Hill are genuinely contacting the deceased loved ones of their clients is something the clients will have to determine for themselves. But both Moore and Picha emphasize that everyone is welcome at the Wonewoc Spiritualist Camp, no matter what their personal belief system is. "We're an all-inclusive bunch. We love everybody."

[abigailspinach]

I keep coming back to the Ernest Hemingway quote about how bankruptcy happens. He said it happens in two stages, first gradually and then suddenly.

That’s how scholars say fascism happens, too—first slowly and then all at once—and that’s what has been keeping us up at night.

But the more I think about it, the more I think maybe democracy happens the same way, too: slowly, and then all at once. 

At this country’s most important revolutionary moments, it has seemed as if the country turned on a dime. 

In 1763, just after the end of the French and Indian War, American colonists loved that they were part of the British empire. And yet, by 1776, just a little more than a decade later, they had declared independence from that empire and set down the principles that everyone has a right to be treated equally before the law and to have a say in their government.

The change was just as quick in the 1850s. In 1853 it sure looked as if the elite southern enslavers had taken over the country. They controlled the Senate, the White House, and the Supreme Court. They explicitly rejected the Declaration of Independence and declared that they had the right to rule over the country’s majority. They planned to take over the United States and then to take over the world, creating a global economy based on human enslavement. 

And yet, just seven years later, voters put Abraham Lincoln in the White House with a promise to stand against the Slave Power and to protect a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” He ushered in “a new birth of freedom” in what historians call the second American revolution. 

....

Every time we expand democracy, it seems we get complacent, thinking it’s a done deal. We forget that democracy is a process and that it’s never finished.

And when we get complacent, people who want power use our system to take over the government. They get control of the Senate, the White House, and the Supreme Court, and they begin to undermine the principle that we should be treated equally before the law and to chip away at the idea that we have a right to a say in our government. And it starts to seem like we have lost our democracy. 

But all the while, there are people who keep the faith. Lawmakers, of course, but also teachers and journalists and the musicians who push back against the fear by reminding us of love and family and community. And in those communities, people begin to organize—the marginalized people who are the first to feel the bite of reaction, and grassroots groups. They keep the embers of democracy alive.

And then something fans them into flame. 

[pari-patel]

Sailor Moon Blog Post

I like how this anime attacked themes surrounding gender roles and emphasized the importance of collaboration and friendships. This anime reminds me a lot of Winx Club which is an animated American show I used to watch as a child. It involved a girl group of fairies who were both caring and awesome fighters. The way female characters are portrayed as powerful warriors and caring friends challenges the rigid expectations that the Japanese society places on women whether it be at the house or in the labor force. This can expand beyond just Japan as it promotes messages of inclusivity, strength and resilience. The diversity in the cast, with each having their own abilities and stories, promotes the importance of acceptance, something that goes beyond just cultural boundaries.

I see parallels in Usagi’s journey of self discovery and responsibility. Coming into college was daunting at first as I was away from home for the first time and had to take on more of an independent nature to not only survive but flourish. At first, I had difficulty finding a sense of self, but overtime, with the right community I was glad to have found a newer, more comfortable version of myself. Likewise, Usagi’s initial reluctance and subsequent growth into a leader mirrors my experiences of stepping outside my comfort zone to be able to take on more rigorous workloads and push myself to surpass my limits. The series also emphasizes the importance of strong support networks, something I have found invaluable in my own friendships and community involvement as I am part of the Indian Student Association here at UF alongside various academic organizations. In contrast to the previous anime about Retsuko, this anime actually sees women differently and challenges that  notion of gender inequality and male dominance as these characters prove women can be both nurturing and formidable fighters. This duality encourages viewers to see beyond stereotypes and appreciate the multifaceted approach to identity. The idea of embracing one’s strengths and power of unity aspires viewers, like myself, to actually take on more of a empowering role!

[indiahouseinc]

Exploring Community Service Opportunities and the Vibrant Indian Community in Houston, TX

Houston, Texas, is a city renowned for its cultural diversity, dynamic economy, and rich history. Among its many vibrant communities, the Indian community stands out for its significant contributions to the city's cultural fabric. One of the focal points for this community is India Houseinc, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a wide array of services and fostering community engagement. For those looking to give back, Houston offers numerous places to do community service, each providing unique opportunities to make a meaningful impact.

Community Service Opportunities in Houston

Houston is home to numerous organizations and initiatives where residents can volunteer their time and skills. Here are some notable places to do community service in Houston:

Houston Food Bank The Houston Food Bank is the largest food bank in America in distribution and is a key resource for combating hunger in the community. Volunteers can assist with sorting and packing food, distributing meals, and participating in special events. The Food Bank's efforts are crucial in ensuring that no family in Houston goes hungry.

Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity provides an excellent opportunity for those interested in hands-on work. Volunteers help build and repair homes for families in need, contributing to the creation of safe and affordable housing. This experience is not only rewarding but also educational, offering volunteers practical skills in construction and teamwork.

Star of Hope Mission Star of Hope Mission is dedicated to supporting homeless individuals and families. Volunteers can get involved in various capacities, including serving meals, mentoring, and assisting with job training programs. Their work is pivotal in helping individuals transition out of homelessness and regain stability in their lives.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Houston This organization focuses on youth mentoring, pairing adult volunteers with children in need of guidance and support. Mentors play a vital role in the lives of young people, helping them navigate challenges and reach their full potential. Volunteering here is an investment in the future of Houston's youth.

Animal Shelters and Rescue Organizations For animal lovers, volunteering at local animal shelters such as the Houston SPCA or BARC Animal Shelter is a fulfilling way to contribute. Volunteers assist with animal care, adoption events, and community outreach programs, ensuring that abandoned and stray animals receive the love and care they deserve.

The Indian Community in Houston, TX

The Indian community in Houston is one of the city's most dynamic and rapidly growing populations. This community has established a robust network of cultural, social, and economic initiatives that contribute to Houston's diversity and vitality. India House plays a central role in this community, offering a variety of services and programs that cater to the needs of Indian Americans and the broader Houston population.

India House: A Hub for Community Engagement

India House is more than just a cultural center; it is a cornerstone of the Indian community in Houston. Established to promote Indian culture and heritage, India House provides a range of services including health and wellness programs, educational workshops, and social events. The center serves as a meeting place where people can connect, celebrate, and support each other.

Cultural Celebrations and Festivals

One of the hallmarks of the Indian community in Houston is the vibrant celebration of cultural festivals. Events such as Diwali, Holi, and Navratri are celebrated with great enthusiasm, drawing large crowds from across the city. These festivals are not only a time for celebration but also for cultural education, as they provide an opportunity for people of all backgrounds to learn about Indian traditions and customs.

Educational and Professional Development

The Indian community places a strong emphasis on education and professional development. India House offers a variety of educational programs, including tutoring for students, professional workshops, and career counseling. These programs are designed to empower individuals with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their academic and professional lives.

Health and Wellness Initiatives

Recognizing the importance of health and wellness, India House offers several health-related services. These include medical clinics, yoga and fitness classes, and health fairs. By providing these services, India House ensures that community members have access to essential health resources and can lead healthy, active lives.

Community Service and Philanthropy

Philanthropy is a core value within the Indian community, and many individuals and organizations are dedicated to giving back. India House itself is heavily involved in community service, organizing various volunteer opportunities and charity events. From food drives to disaster relief efforts, the community actively participates in initiatives that support those in need.

Conclusion

Houston is a city of opportunity and generosity, offering countless ways for residents to get involved and give back through community service. Whether it’s volunteering at a food bank, building homes, mentoring youth, or caring for animals, there are numerous places to do community service in Houston that can make a significant difference.

Simultaneously, the Indian community in Houston, centered around institutions like India House, exemplifies the power of cultural cohesion and community support. Through cultural celebrations, educational programs, health initiatives, and philanthropic efforts, this community not only preserves its rich heritage but also contributes significantly to the broader Houston society. For anyone looking to experience the warmth of this community or to find fulfilling volunteer opportunities, Houston—and India House in particular—offers a welcoming and vibrant environment.