The New Normal

Welcome to the week.

Another week, another news cycle that made me want to build a blanket fort and never come out—here's what you need to know anyway.

This Week

• China's EV charging breakthrough

• Diabetes funding slashed

• Farm relief promises broken

• AI chatbots replacing search

And more,

Have a great week,

— Willow

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🙋‍♀️ Vote!

Last week, we asked: What helps you maintain hope during challenging times?

You said:

🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️ Small personal wins (22%)

“The victor in any battle, be it for hearts or mind, is he who holds their head about them when all others are losing theirs!!! I believe it was a Churchill quip?”

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ Community action (18%)

“We have a grassroots but getting more and more organized by the day group of women who understand the assignment.”

 🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Historical perspective (8%)

“I am old enough to have lived thru ups and downs and recessions and was born during the GREAT DEPRESSION. Patience is a virtue and whatever snarls the stock market and commerce will eventually work itself out.”

 🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Creative expression (5%)

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Spiritual/mindfulness practices (25%)

“Knowing self talk and gratitude for life can change my outlook on everyday to being alive is a blessing🙌”

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ Seeing others' activism (14%)

“Knowing I'm not alone, and belong to a community trying to take action wherever possible.”

 🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Gallows humor (8%)

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Something else (please share!) (0%)

New Shit Giver Catherine is here because “I'm a parent and the world is scary and hard. I teach my kids that the world has problems, but that we have the power to make it a better place, especially in community with others. I work in philanthropy around kids and family policy. I'm thinking a lot about climate and environmental justice, food safety and access, disaster recovery, access to opportunity and education. I think a lot about the web of community surrounding our kids and strengthening that web. I think about health and access to health care. These days, I'm thinking a lot about where families are getting their information and who they trust. All this and the role of government - if we dismantle the federal government, then who is left to provide care, education, assistance to those who need it (and who will fund it).

It's a lot to carry around in my brain and heart, so I subscribed to have yet another source of information and hopefully some steps to take, because a plan and some action can help the world feel slightly more manageable.“

It is a lot. We’ll do our best to help you take action, thank you for being here.

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