Photo from @Jennifer_Brett’s Twitter thread on Floyd Martin.
By Tayvie Van Eeuwen
@tayvieeee
Don’t get us wrong, we love the rain, dark clothes, and moody music, but sometimes we all need a bit of glitter, rainbows, and puppies. Fill up your heart and soul with these little bits of sunshine.
Local
vancouver youth create change for period poverty
Twenty-seven per cent of Metro Vancouver’s homeless population is composed of women, adding up to more than 400 individuals living on the streets or in shelters. This number equates to hundreds of menstruating folx, all in need of proper period resources.
In the wake of this issue, two young women, Ella Steynes and Milica Dacković, from Prince of Wales Secondary School in Vancouver, are fighting the stigma, shame, and lack of resources surrounding periods.
Their initiative, Pins for Periods, is a non-profit organization that sells pins in exchange for $10: enough to supply one box of product to a youth in need.
“We truly hope to educate people and the public around the hardship of menstruating on the street and especially the inclusion of queer people to the forefront of the conversation,” explains the girls.
Their funds raised by the sale of pins are being directly given to Covenant House, a safe space in Vancouver which provides care to street youth who have escaped physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse.
Covenant House makes a conscious effort in their outreach to support Queer youth, a large reason why Pins for Periods sends their funds here. Steynes and Dacković wish to support organizations that are creating space for any individuals facing shame or difficulty in their search for period accessibility.
If you would like to get involved or find out more, read out feature on Pins for Periods here.
Vancouver sets ban on straws, styrofoam, and other single-use items for 2020
Resistance in Vancouver has sparked the ban of single-use items, including plastic straws and styrofoam. Last May, the city voted to eliminate wasteful food industry items. While the ban was originally supposed to go in this year, the ban will most likely be installed next spring.
The postponement is not to be overly criticized though. Agreeably, the CEO of the B.C. Restaurant and Food Association says the delay is necessary to properly install new conscious methods.
This cultural shift is overdue and part of Vancouver’s 2040 Zero Waste strategy. The diversion of waste is something both individuals and businesses should get on board with.
To save the future of our beautiful home, Earth, every effort matters.
Worldwide
Deaf Man adopts Deaf puppy and teaches him sign language
Before I start, I just have to say how perfect this is. The universe did good bringing this pair together!
Last month, Nick Abbott, from Maine, USA, adopted a sweet young black lab mix, named Emerson. Prior to being rescued from the streets, Emerson had contracted Parvo, a highly contagious viral illness, and lost his hearing and parts of his sight. The rescue facility worried that potential adopters would be uninterested due to the lab being deaf.
However, when Abbott found out about the pup, he found Emerson’s disability to be the most attractive part about the pooch! The organization later remarked that Abbott and Emerson were meant to be.
“When Nick and his Mom walked into the house to meet Emerson, Emerson made a direct line for Nick and sat at his feet. That’s all it took,” the rep said on Facebook. “I was sold that this was fate, and these 2 belonged to each other.”
Since his adoption, Emerson has been working hard with his owner to learn sign language to communicate. Together, the pair is learning how to navigate the world . Follow along on @nickandemerson for updates, new tricks, and adventures!
Taiwan becomes first in asia to legalize same-sex marriage
On May 17, tens of thousands of citizens gathered outside Taiwan’s parliament in celebration of a historic decision– the legalization of same-sex marriage. The island’s government has now become the first in Asia to create marriage equality.
With other areas of the continent cracking down on homosexuality, activists hope that this will help to change Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, among others.
While conservative and religious groups in Taiwan stirred opposition and proposed two rival bills, the bill that passed happily includes the word marriage and grants equal rights to same-sex couples. A huge win for LGBTQ communities in the island nation.
However, this is only the beginning, as human-rights groups have noticed the bill does not provide equal adoption rights or recognize marriage for foreigners from countries with restrictive laws. For now, the LGBTQ community is proud that marriage has started the conversation.
The day the law came into effect, there was said to be approximately 200 same-sex couples engaging in a mass marriage registration!
Billionaire pledges to pay off Morehouse graduates’ student loans
Last weekend, tech billionaire Robert Smith made the dreams of 396 graduates come true. As an approximately $40 million gift to the 2019 graduating class of Morehouse College, he pledged to pay off each student’s debt.
Morehouse College, a private, all-male, historically black college in Atlanta, has a history of greatness, including Martin Luther King in its alumni. Now, this generation of African-American grads will be able to pursue their dreams without economic barriers.
Investments made into students, especially POC and low-income households, can change the course of their entire community’s wellbeing. Generationally, one child’s success can alter family cycles of poverty and educational blockages.
“Imagine being able to put your efforts, your worries, your dreams into something completely different than how to pay back your student loans,” says Marybeth Gasman, a researcher in historically black colleges and universities.
“It’s going to lower stress levels, it’s going to lead to more creativity, more imagination. Because when you don’t have stress, you can be your best.”
Arthur goes viral for season 22 premiere’s featuring a gay marriage
“Art reflects life. Life reflects art. And I think that kids need to see what’s happening in the world,” comments Marc Brown, Arthur’s creator, to CBC.
This month Brown was stunned at the abundance of emails, tweets, and replies he was receiving in reaction to Arthur’s televised gay marriage. The episode, entitled “Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone,” has become a historic day in children’s television.
Arthur has always been regarded as an innovative and relatable children’s TV show. With episodes featuring various family structures, illnesses, and real-life emotional journeys, the program has created space for viewers to see reflections of themselves.
“With Arthur, we have an opportunity to deal with all kinds of characters. We go into their lives and we want to see how they’re connected with their families,” says Brown with CBC.
Representation at its finest, people!
The magic Kingdom goes green with the magic of solar energy
Celebration time! With a constant stream of equally frustrating and saddening environmental news, the fate of our world can feel dark. But one of the world’s largest companies has pledged to reduce their emissions by 50 per cent in the next year and they’re doing it in a pretty magical way.
Disney has recently announced its brand-new 270-acre solar farm located outside of Florida’s Animal Kingdom. The farm will soon generate enough renewable energy to fuel two out of four major theme parks.
The power collected will reduce their annual greenhouse gas emissions by 52,000 metric tons, equivalent to the removal of 9,300 cars a year.
Internationally, Disney is contributing similar efforts in their Tokyo, Shanghai, and Paris theme parks with the use of solar and geothermal energy. In the coming years, you will even be able to sail the sea on three new-clean burning cruise ships.
With millions of people attending Disney parks everyday, Walt Disney’s dedication to diverting waste, water consumption, and emission use is commendable. Check out their website here to see all the ways in which they are contributing to conservation efforts!
Kansas teen graduates from high school and harvard in the same year
Imagine being this hardworking, intelligent, and talented! Celebrating Braxton Moral’s success reminds me of how bright the future is with youth like this.
11 days after graduating from Ulysses High School, Moral is set to graduate from Harvard Extension School. Since the age of 11, he has been taking classes through Harvard in smaller, attainable portions. This program allows students without prerequisites to take classes with proof of ability and knowledge.
While completing high school, Moral worked for six years on both online and in-school Harvard classes. At the beginning of June, he will receive a diploma for his bachelor of liberal arts degree.
“Intellectually, he is extraordinary, but more than that, it is his discipline and endeavour which has enabled him to begin adult life with such startling success,” said Kevin McGrath, an associate professor at Harvard, on Good Morning America.
Next up Moral plans to attend Columbia University for law. We wish him the best of luck! But somehow we doubt he will need it.
Beloved mailman receives international Mail upon retirement
Every day for 35 years Floyd Martin has woken up at 5AM to deliver mail to the people of Marietta territory. As a UPS letter carrier, he has developed heartfelt and authentic connections with the people of his community through his daily drop-offs.
His dedication to delivering mail did not stop, even on his last day. This year Martin was gifted a special retirement day with specially decorated mailboxes and a huge block party. Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate his retirement and millions around the world have now heard his story.
“Continue to take care of each other,” he said to the crowd, “and smile when you think of me.”
The members of his community stopped by his truck that day to deliver him “mail”– gifts and tokens of their appreciation. Currently, there is a thread on Twitter with pictures from his last delivery session, which has 100 per cent melted my heart. Love is so real!
Together, his neighbourhood community has created a GoFundMe page to support Martin’s dream of visiting Hawaii. At the end of the campaign, more than $32,000 had been raised!
As for Martin, he was overwhelmed with gratitude. “I’ll be back,” he said. “Y’all are my life.”
For the people of Marietta, they say they will miss Martin dearly. One neighbour, Doreen Hipps, 87, has been on his route for 35 years. Although dementia has now set in, stated her granddaughter Amanda Seals, she still knows Martin.
In the opposite age demographic, little Mae Bullington dressed up as Martin for her school’s career day. Her mail delivery outfit touched the hearts of many, but especially the communities own mailman.
While Martin had been given the opportunity for easier post office jobs in the past, he said he never took them.
“I could have left them a long time ago but I wouldn’t, because I love them,” confessed Martin. After the event, he even said this was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him.
Brb, going to cry because this whole story is too much for my fragile heart. See the Twitter thread here for pictures of Floyd Martin and his lovely people.
A self-declared witch, Tayvie spends her time with all things magic. She loves a good sunset, iced coffee, and every known essential oil. Catch her chilling with her black-cat sidekick, Shadow, and hiding by the ocean. Look for her bold eyebrows and vintage style, and you’re bound to find her.
