Baratunde Thurston: Subscribe to my new podcast
Join "The Correspondent," and help make news better
I’m not saying, "Trust The Correspondent. They’ve figured it all out." I’m saying, "Join The Correspondent, and help us figure it all out.”
Join a movement about #unbreaking news.
Hello humans (and undeclared bots). I’m very excited to share the crowdfunding campaign of a new journalism outlet coming to the English language. It’s called The Correspondent, and you should check it out and consider joining. The goal is $2.5 million to launch, and they've just crossed the $1 million mark.
My friend, activist/journalist/artist Molly Crabapple first introduced me to them this summer. I love many things about their approach, but highest on the list are the ad-free/pay-what-you-want membership model, the focus on deeper stories rather than sensational recent events, and the collaboration with members to change how stories get told. I was so stoked I joined as a part-time campaign strategist to help them raise the funds that will launch the project in full. At a minimum, check out the homepage, and read the 10 principles.
Meanwhile, Some Things You May Have Missed
I was featured in an interview series on feminist men run by Quartz, and I get pretty vulnerable and pontificatory (new word?) about masculinity, #MeToo, and race
For the first time ever, I did a public event with my sister, Belinda. We fielded questions about duality, journalism, health and Trevor Noah's dimples.
On my Instagram, I’ve been experimenting with ways to tell a different story about America and inspire more civic actions. See the last few posts which are way more interesting than any food pics I’ve ever posted.
My podcast, Spit, with iHeartMedia and 23andMe is getting deeper and more powerful. We’re still talking with musicians and scientists about DNA, but we’ve gone into topics including suicide, addiction, breast cancer, and how we’re all related. Listen online, or subscribe in iTunes/Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts.
In the near future I'll be doing events in LA (tomorrow), New Orleans (next week), New York (Dec 4 and 10th), and some work in Mumbia India mid-December. Holla if you're around any of these places.
This Looks Like Mars, But It's Not, But We Landed On Mars Which Is Hella Cool
Here are some things I think you should know, mostly not having to do with me:
See the movie Blindspotting by Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal. It's that good. It addresses race, gentriication, class, the "New" Oakland, friendship and more. So. Good.
Read this excellent piece by Sylvia Obell on why hip hop has evaded a #MeToo reckoning (hint: because society doesn't value black women like we should).
Buy the book Decolonizing Wealth, by Edgar Villanueva. He's a Native American and a philanthropist who offers a critique and a redemptive path for how we can use money to heal, not just exploit.
Spend more time with people you love.