Our thoughts and prayers are with those in Haiti, and those with family or friends there. Remember when giving to relief efforts that only nonprofits who already have operations in Haiti are situated to give immediate assistance. Aid Watch brings an explanation of why this is the case and suggestions for how to respond, and the U.S. State department is offering a super-easy way to donate: “text ‘HAITI’ to ‘90999’ and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts, charged to your cell phone bill.” Via Ta-Nahisi Coates, Haitian American Evan Narcisse writes about what Haiti means to him, and about its role as the first black republic and fusion of art forms that makes it an amazing place.
Closer to home, npr.org shares a story of young black men being disproportionately unable to find jobs. The statistics, the personal stories of discrimination, and the explanation of the vicious cycle of black unemployment are heartbreaking, but very much worth the read. Gender norms also play a role in discrimination: in Dallas, a four year old boy was suspended from prekindergarten for wearing his hair long.
PBS Kids is teaching kids to be aware of and avoid discrimination with their It’s Not Fair! website. My favorite part is Inequity, a game where two players—one representing the Pointyheads, the other representing the Squareheads—answer questions about fairness in America . . . but when the judges are Pointyheads or Squareheads, the game, well, It’s Not Fair!
And lastly, Feministing presents this 1981 Lego ad:
and reminds us why it’s so great, and why many of us wish Lego’s advertising for girls still looked like it.
