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first of all…

GOOD NEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWSSSSSSSS 😏

second of all, HAPPY PRIDE! i feel like a bad gay cause i literally have zero pride activities planned for myself this month. maybe just being out and gay is enough? but i do wish i had planned to go to world pride in DC this weekend. maybe i’ll just try to be extra gay and see if there’s some queer organizing against trump i can support. ideas/tips welcome!

third of all, there is lots of bad news. it’s pretty consistently overwhelming. but it’s thursday (well it was thursday when i wrote and planned to send this). and i’ve been fasting almost every thursday since dec 2023 to help myself attune (to gaza and the west bank and palestine and beyond). today, i’ll just share:

ok one more thing:

Trump Administration Highlights: President Bars People From 12 Countries From Entering U.S.

it’s bad and getting worse. i’m definitely putting my work in my places where i think i’m uniquely situated to align my skills with the needs of this moment and it’s just feeling like a lot. but so much so that i can’t even process it all without tipping into collapse mode so i just turn it down. is that good? probably not. but it is what it is. just tryna be honest!

that said, i just found out the father of a dear friend (in fact, this friend is the person who helps turn all my messy notes and emails into this newsletter!) is running for congress and has been at one of the forefronts of fighting the shit mentioned in that last article about trump. campaign website here and link to donate here.

on that same tip, there’s another offering of “we are not weak: lessons on how to stop a dictator” on june 11. there have been two offerings of this and the one maureen and i led last week had a small but mighty crew of folks in attendance. if you missed the first two, here’s another chance. feel free to spread the word.

RSVP here

ok. to shift some energy to a bit of a more positive/generative focus, here’s a couple of good things!

my friend, tara, was in town last week and was the center of this event: A Conversation with National Geographic Explorer in Residence Tara Roberts. it’s passed but i’m sharing because her work is awesome and i didn’t get this newsletter out in time to do good promo! buy her book!

also, the black response cambridge has been hosting showings of their film, where to do black men live. there’s two more screenings, one IRL and one online. i can’t make either but if you do, please feel free to give me the rundown!

a couple quick things:

looking for support with conflict in your org(s)? check out Conflict and communication support with Move Like Water!
a very long-running ag/urban ag newsletter popped up in my inbox and i just wanted to share the latest one because it’s such a good gathering of ag resources
- City Agriculture - May 12, 2025 from george mokray

ok there’s lots more things and i feel like i’m forgetting at least two important things but for now i just gotta get this out or else it’ll be another week.

on to the things!

(!!) pick of the pack

some things i’ve written since the last newsletter:

Jun 7, 2025 | rejecting apologies
- first blog post in 5 months! i think i finished my book blurb and that’s released the blogging block i had/created for myself!

there is nothing new under the sun. also, full transparency, many of these quotes come from james clear’s 3-2-1 newsletter (which i love).

Not everything blooms in spring. Your season might be autumn.
Keep going. — James Clear

We assume that the more arguments we give, the better our case. In reality, our weakest arguments dilute the strongest. Generally, you’ll only be as convincing as your worst point, so instead of making as many arguments as you can, make only the best. — Gurwinder Bhogal

Fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm fearsome, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore. They leave that wisdom to those to whom it appeals. When the storm comes — when night falls — what’s worse: the danger or the fear of danger? Give me reality, the danger itself. — Vincent van Gogh

The Paradox of Freedom: The way to expand your freedom is to narrow your focus.
Stay focused on saving to achieve financial freedom.
Stay focused on training to achieve physical freedom.
Stay focused on learning to achieve intellectual freedom.
The disciplined become the free. — James Clear

The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence. — Jiddu Krishnamurti

The sword glitters not because the swordsman set out to make it glitter but because he is fighting for his life and therefore moving it very quickly. — C. S. Lewis