EEDA Newsletter Vol 5, Res 20: Hurricane Relief, Black Disabled Woman Syllabus, & Opting Out of AI
This is a public issue of Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice. Feel free to share it!
Hi friends. At 5:23 pm today, it was 102°F where we are in Oakland, CA. Our herb garden, though watered, is incredibly wilted. And so am I. The only things getting me through writing today’s newsletter are multiple fans and this Spotify playlist.
We went to the Northern California Renaissance Faire last weekend. It was hot and dusty as usual. We sang sea shanties and ate meat. I was minding my own business and got hit on by someone who couldn’t be over 23 years old, so, you know, typical renfaire. My actual favorite part was that I seem to be following in one of my mother’s better footsteps. Nicole and I went to get some chocolate-covered fruit at 10:45 am because we are who we are. We walked up to the booth and chatted with the person and I finally said, “I know you. I don’t know why, but I know you.” They said, “Oh, maybe you saw me on Instagram from the maker of this headpiece I’m wearing,” and I took off my huge sunglasses and I said, “No, I know your voice.” And we stared at each other and they said, “Wait. I know you too but I don’t know how!” I told them my name was Patricia and they told me their name and gave us the fruit and it wasn’t until we were leaving hours later, I walked back up to the booth on my way out and said, “You know me as Suzi, not Patricia.” And they hugged me and started crying. They are my oldest godchild’s second cousin who I haven’t seen in probably 20-ish years and they may have been a teen when I last saw them.
I say that I’m following in my mother’s footsteps because we were almost two hours away from home and an unlikely place for me to know someone, but my mother could literally be in another state and she would almost always run into someone she knew somehow. She knew the most random people from the most random places and I guess I do too.
This week's EEDA Pod episode is titled, “The Impossibility of Being Perfectly Ethical” and we chat about how it is impossible to be fully ethical consumers under capitalism, colonialism, patriarchy, and white supremacy. These systems are actually dependent on unethical practices. Folks on the left can absolutely tie ourselves in knots trying to make every single choice be “the right one.” We also talk about the weird (and gross) moralizing that sometimes accompanies the privilege of being able to afford the seemingly “most ethical” options.
You can find our show, Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts. You can also support the show on Patreon.
It’s resource week so let’s get to it!
Resource 1: Appalachian Hurricane Helene Relief Resources via Appalachians 4 Appalachia
A multi-tabbed document for folks in the affected areas. It includes a link to a community assistance Google Doc where people can post if they need help AND people can post if they have assistance to offer. If you are, like me, not in the affected area, please still share this resource.
You can also donate at bit.ly/appheleneresponsefund. This is “a new fund to aggregate financial contributions to support flood response and recovery efforts in the region. In the coming days and weeks [we] will continue to share information about other avenues to support flood victims via mutual aid networks, etc. who are moving money to the ground. The Appalachian Helene Response Fund will be a collaborative effort organized by AFN at the specific request of funders and organizations in the area, many of whom are still without power or reliable communication. Individuals may contribute to the fund immediately.” That quote is from this Instagram post, which has more information.
Bonus resource list via my colleagues at Book Riot hit my inbox after this newsletter was written so I’m slipping that in here: https://bookriot.com/resources-for-hurricane-helene-relief/
Resource 2: Social media platforms are using what you create for artificial intelligence. Here’s how to opt out via CNN
The title of the article says it all. Go through and do all your opt-outs.
Resource 3: Black Disabled Woman Syllabus via Ramp Your Voice
An impressive reading list for people who are interested in learning about the Black disabled woman experience. There are a few audio, visual, and music recommendations as well. I’m definitely bookmarking this to work my way through.
Recent & Current Reads
Inclusion of a book in this section is not necessarily a recommendation and these books won’t necessarily be added to my Bookshop. Links are affiliate links.
Recently Read:
Want: Sexual Fantasies by Anonymous edited by Gillian Anderson
Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror edited by Jordan Peele & John Joseph Adams (yes, I finally finished it!)
The Magic of Thinking Big: The True Secret of Success by David J. Schwartz
Currently Reading:
How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days by Kari Leibowitz (out 10/22)
Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements edited by Adrienne Maree Brown and Walidah Imarisha
Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown
That’s it for this week! You can shop many books I’ve mentioned in this newsletter at my affiliate shop, The Infophile’s Bookshop, and support independent bookstores. In fact, any Bookshop, Amazon, or Etsy links in this newsletter are affiliate links so if you shop through those, it helps support my work. Or you can leave me a tip on Ko-fi, Paypal, or Venmo.
If you want to send me some snail mail, you can find me at P.O. Box 21481, Oakland, CA 94620-1481.
You can find our podcast, Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts.