Things I Like - May Round Up
I put the month in the title with the hope that this is going to become a regular thing that I do. Goals! That said, no promises.
(What a way to start, Beth. Really selling it.)
So I'm just going to jump right into it. On the first day of May, here are 4 things that made my April better.
1. Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
To say that I am a fan of Adichie would be similar to saying I'm a fan of the 1992 cartoon "Aladdin"- which is to say it's a bit of an understatement. Her "Americanah" is an incredible, continent-spanning story of love, loss, and identity. Her TED talk, "We Should All Feminists" redefined my idea of the term. And her latest, "Dear Ijeawlele," did not disappoint. When one of Adichie's friends wrote to her and asked, "How do you raise your daughter to be a feminist?" her answer, in the form of an essay of suggestions, describes a vision of feminism that celebrates the humanity of women. It's a movement that brings in men as equal partners in the creation of a just society, not casting them as opponents. Her style is warm, yet pointed. It's a tiny volume that will stick with you.
2. The Mothers by Brit Bennett
I will probably say this about so many books by the end of the year that I will lose all sense of credibility, but this may have been the best book I've read this year. (It also has arguably the best cover design). The story revolves around The Upper Room church- which serves as both a sanctuary and a source of pain throughout- and the people who enter its doors. This book tackles heavy topics with grace and an uncompromising adherence to telling the truth.
"We don't think of ourselves as 'prayer warriors.' A man must've come up with that term– men think anything difficult is war. But prayer is more delicate than battle, especially intercessory prayer. More than just a notion, taking up the burdens of someone else, often someone you don't even know. You close your eyes and listen to a request. Then you have to slip inside their body. You are Tracy Robinson, burning for whiskey. You are Cindy Harris's husband, searching your wife's phone. You are Earl Vernon, washing dirty knots from your strung-out daughter's hair.
If you don't become them, even for a second, a prayer is nothing but words." -The Mothers, pg. 38
3. Framing by John Green
John Green is perhaps best known as the author of the popular (but lets be real TRÉS depressing) YA book, "The Fault in Our Stars." But long before TFIOS, he and his brother, Hank, have been posting weekly videos where they muse on life, spirituality, science, politics, and everything in between. This video is a raw and poignant exposure of the side of mental health that we rarely see. Because we don't want to see it. We don't want to share it. In John's discussion of the way he edits the effects of his OCD out of so much of what he shares, we can all see a bit of ourselves. When we share on social media, how much of ourselves are we editing out?
4. Pass the Mic Podcast
I won't try too hard to describe this podcast because the whole concept of "passing the mic" is that instead of speaking for others, you pass them the mic and just listen. But the gist is that this podcast, from RAAN, is a platform for discussing topics that affect African American people in the church. The hosts, Jemar Tisby and Tyler Burns, touch on issues such as the use of the word "woke" and what it really means to be an ally. The discussion is grounded in a Biblical worldview and remains sensitive to the fears and frustrations of communities that have been marginalized.
