{"id":716,"date":"2018-12-21T12:29:08","date_gmt":"2018-12-21T19:29:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aligncenter.org\/?p=716"},"modified":"2019-12-26T21:35:46","modified_gmt":"2019-12-27T04:35:46","slug":"newsletter-41","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aligncenter.org\/newsletter-41\/","title":{"rendered":"Align Center Newsletter #41"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"What it’s like to have a trust fund, solutions to repair a racial divide in a North American Asian community, a photographer goes missing in China, and the financial reality of a musician in 2018 are some of the best reads from the past month. The podcast and book recommendations feature Anand Girardharas, challenging the “win-win” and “let’s make an app to fix the world” misguided philanthropic visions of the new corporate. Finally, my gift to you is a free vegan cookbook from a popular vegan blogger, and an update on the status of this newsletter.<\/p>\n

\u25e6 selected words<\/h1>\n

Be The Change You Want to See<\/a><\/h2>\n

Richmond, BC, home of the Vancouver International Airport, is a city of immigrants, and some are struggling with the growing cultural divides this presents. The majority of residents in this city are of Asian heritage, with the most recent census finding 54% are of Chinese origin, up from 34% in 1996 and 40% in 2001. This shift has prompted citizens to voice their concerns over changes their unhappy with in their community, amplified recently in an article in the National Post, a piece that leaves the reader with a feeling of helplessness rather than offering solutions. Instead of engaging in a race-fueled shouting match, this opinion piece offers suggestions on how citizens can shape their community, advice that could apply to cities around the world.
\nRichmond News (7min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

My Parents Give Me $28,000 a Year<\/a><\/h2>\n

71% of American students graduate with student loan debt. A four-year English program at Yale including room and board costs $180,000US. While there’s a growing need for diversity in the arts, how can one consciously advise a student from a low-income family to pursue the liberal arts? A writer from the Midwest gives a candid look into his financial setup, detailing how his strategically priced regular trust fund payouts affect his decisions and purchases.
\nVox (12min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

A Photographer Goes Missing In China<\/a><\/h2>\n

While leading a weeklong workshop in Western China, Internationally acclaimed photographer Lu Guang went missing. Guang, living in New York with his wife and son, was last seen being detained by Chinese government security services known to be in the area for a self-described anti-terrorism campaign targeting the Uighur ethnic group. His moving documentary-style work focuses on AIDS, environmental destruction, pollution and poverty in China, using photography as a “small voice” to help change the world.
\nThe New York Times (3min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The Financial Reality of a Musician in 2018<\/a><\/h2>\n

Ever wonder what having a hit song (in Canada) translates to in the pocket book? Singer-songwriter Danny Michel’s Facebook post hit a nerve as shares the data behind his earnings from one song that’s ranked in CBC Radio’s Top 20 for ten weeks. A rare look inside the music industry and the hustle it takes to make a living in this age of streaming music.
\nDanny Michel’s Public Facebook Post (5min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Transforming Abandoned Big-Box Stores to Social Housing<\/a><\/h2>\n

The dramatic shift in retail doesn’t end with Amazon’s dominance and the closing of brick and mortar shops. When big-box stores close down, massive buildings in key locations become unused, affecting surrounding communities with their derelict remains. However, a research and development studio in Los Angeles sees possibility amidst the ruins. Their answer is “Re-Habit”, a project converting abandoned stores into community centers with multi-use space for housing, job training and public gardens, all centered around a community-supported thrift boutique.
\nWeb Urbanist (2min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 listen in<\/h1>\n

Anand Girardharas – On Being<\/a><\/h2>\n

“The winners of our age must be challenged to do more good, but never, ever tell them to do less harm.” An insufficient one line summary of a powerful, scathing speech journalist Anand Girardharas unexpectedly delivered to an audience at the Aspen Conference, a TED-style gathering of “thought leaders and global elites”,(who, to their credit, published the talk on their YouTube channel<\/a>). Accusing the attendees of perpetuating the same problems they were trying to solve, Anand’s premise is when the market is our only language, “win-win” solutions disguised as philanthropy are a symptom of extreme capitalism that only works to give back, but only if it serves them. When wealth fills the void of community responsibility and the market is our only language, are corporations changing the world, or only consolidating their own power? Listen in to this engaging conversation as Krista Tippett interviews Girardharas after the release of his newest book, Winner Takes All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World.
\nOn Being with Krista Tippett (51min podcast)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 eat well<\/h1>\n

Eat More Plants! – A Free Cookbook from Zen Habits<\/a><\/h2>\n

100% free, no email ask, no upsell. 101 pages containing 20 simple plant-based dinners prepared in less than half an hour from respected writer, simplicity blogger, vegan and father, Leo Babauta. Check out his blog, Zen Habits, with fantastic essays written long before minimalism came into the public eye.
\nLeo Babauta of Zen Habits (101 page PDF)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 read slow<\/h1>\n

Wanderlust’s Other, Exclusive Festival<\/a><\/h2>\n

This past October, 2,000 spiritual seekers shelled out $995US for a ticket to Wellspring, a festival of the “world\u2019s leading innovators, teachers and socially-conscious companies”, a culmination of the hundreds of music-and-yoga festivals the Brooklyn-based company has held worldwide under their Wanderlust banner. Protected from the desert in the Palm Springs Convention Center, festival-goers were offered over 200 workshops advertising transformational experiences to go with an overwhelming amount of elixirs, superfoods and other packaged wellness products, often sold within earshot of speakers speaking about consumerism and looking within. The centerpiece was Russell Brand, the British actor-comedian turned voice of reason, having lived experience of addictions while using his fame to eloquently slam the establishment at every chance. His podcast has resonated with a new generation of connected, new age devotees, attracted by his honest, self-aware, truth-telling style that holds little back, because he has little to lose. Raising questions on the commodification of connection and the monetization of wellness, a reporter from The Atlantic takes a critical eye on a growing movement.
\nThe Atlantic (18min read)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 current read<\/h1>\n

Winner Takes All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World<\/a><\/h2>\n

It’s rare that a speaker will step onto one of the biggest stages and call out some of the most beloved conference talk circuit stars. Brene Brown, Simon Sinek and Amy Cuddy are spared no sympathy by journalist Anand Girardharas, criticizing their roles while condemning extreme capitalism and exposing the intentions of corporate philanthropy. Krista Tippett’s interview (recommended in this issue’s Listen In) led me to this book released this past August, an impressive book that takes on a “MarketWorld” that is eager to give back, but only when they’re not asked to take less. Girardharas argues we are at a time ripe for transformational reform, not incremental change. This book might be that catalyst for a larger, long-needed social movement.
\nWinner Takes All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Girardharas (288p book)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u25e6 dig this<\/h1>\n

What I’m digging lately:<\/p>\n