ordinary thoughts: just go for it
What. a. week. Are we right? It’s only Thursday, but if you’re reading this, we’ve somehow managed to survive a full moon in Scorpio, massive protests across campuses nationwide,
our nation’s BILLION-dollar funding of the genocide in Gaza, the criminalization of the unhoused, and oh… did we mention, it’s only Thursday?
Right, well. Let’s get on with it.
Amid the chaos, we have so much to be grateful for. This past weekend we had the amazing opportunity to be in community with fellow writers at the Letters to My Younger Self exhibition hosted by Massiel Alfonso in Inwood, NY. We had an incredible time connecting with so many creatives. ICYMI, we also shared our writing at the open mic! Check out our recap of the event below, along with a new podcast episode, hot new music, trivia, and more fun stuff.
Con mucho amor,
Isaiah & Cybele
on the blog
our work was featured in a gallery exhibit: this is how it went
A recap of the Letters to My Younger Self exhibition hosted by author and poet Massiel Alfonso on April 20, 2024, in Inwood, NYC.
new episode
honoring your roots with raices media
This episode is a masterclass for early entrepreneurs.
We have the pleasure of talking to Valerie Diaz and Gelly Guzman, the founders of Raices Media - two Dominican women based in Miami by way of Rhode Island. Their story– from early-life creatives to entrepreneurs in multiple joint ventures– is nothing short of inspiring.
Needless to say, their mission was a perfect match for the work we’re doing here at narrative, making this conversation that much more special.
stories that have our attention
Tensions Rise at College Protests
Pro-Palestinian protests are taking place at major American universities, prompting some officials to take extraordinary steps to confront the growing crisis.
At Columbia University, House Speaker Mike Johnson called on the school president to resign during a tense news conference during which the crowd repeatedly interrupted him and at times loudly booed him and other GOP lawmakers.
Meanwhile, more than 20 arrests were made on the University of Texas campus in Austin, according to authorities. Gov. Greg Abbott said that arrests of the pro-Palestinian protesters would continue "until the crowd disperses."
The Haiti I Know Is No More. But There Is Still Hope.
“I have a cousin in Haiti who’s an ophthalmologist. Each morning, she turns on the radio before leaving for her office. She’s not listening for the weather or traffic but for the safest route amid the gang violence that has gripped Haiti. What intersections are blocked? Where were the shootings overnight? Are the police still in control of major roads? Who was kidnapped yesterday? Even as the violence has soared, she still goes to work. She’s one of 12 million Haitians living precariously in a country that has tumbled into lawlessness…”
Supreme Court to Decide Whether Politicians Can Criminalize Homelessness
The Supreme Court on Monday will hear oral arguments in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, a case that could essentially determine whether homelessness can be criminalized. The case stems from the city of Grants Pass, a town of roughly 40,000 in southwest Oregon, which began enforcing ordinances in 2013 that made it illegal to sleep on public property using bedding — which could mean anyone using a tent, sleeping bag, or blanket to make it through the night.
The city was sued by a group of homeless residents and a federal court ruled in their favor, arguing that the laws against camping were unconstitutional based on the Eighth Amendment’s protection against “cruel and unusual punishment.” The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit sided with the lower court in a 2-1 decision. Grants Pass then appealed to the Supreme Court.
in other news...
Politics
House Speaker Johnson drowned out by booing crowds at Columbia University speech on Gaza protests
Arizona House votes to overturn 1864 abortion ban, paving way to leave 15-week limit in place
January 6 appears to have taught us nothing
Markets
Meta loses $200 billion in value as Zuckerberg focuses earnings call on all the ways company bleeds cash
US new home sales surged in March despite elevated mortgage rates
Can markets make a comeback? That depends on tech earnings
Tech
Biden signs bill to ban TikTok
Meta’s Metaverse is losing the company billions
Apple may be quiet on AI, but it’s also the biggest buyer of AI companies
Sports
Reggie Bush getting Heisman Trophy back after it was stripped from him 14 years ago
Hundreds of athletes urge the NCAA not to ban trans athletes from women’s sports
Pacers' star Tyrese Haliburton says rival fan directed racist slur at his brother during playoff game
pa' la cultura
cultural trivia
April is National Poetry Month!
Question: Who was the first Black poet to be published in the United States?
Langston Hughes
Phillis Wheatley
Maya Angelou
Gwendolyn B. Bennett
Scroll further down to see if you’ve got it.
song of the week
We’re paying close attention to the latest exceptional music output from artists who deserve more flowers. This week, you should listen to:
Intergalactic Janet - Ley Soul
currently reading…
In light of Poetry Month, Isaiah is currently reading “This is the Honey”, an anthology of Black poetry edited by Kwame Alexander. This is the Honey is an incredible collection of poems written by the genre's most talented contemporary Black poets. With poetry shedding light on culture, politics, sports, nature, religion, and mental health in some of the most creative stanzas and prose pages there is, This is the Honey is an anthology well worth the investment. Plus, Kwame is that dude. If there’s anyone to trust with a project as complex as selecting the country’s best poets, and perfectly sequencing their poems, it's him.
words of wisdom
Cultural Trivia Answer
The answer, ladies and gentlemen, is… *Drum roll please*
2. Phillis Wheatley
In 1773, Phillis Wheatley accomplished something that no other woman of her status had done. When her book of poetry, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, appeared, she became the first American slave, the first person of African descent, and only the third colonial American woman to have her work published.