#126: Little America 🇺🇸

Welcome to The Highlighter #126! I am very happy that you’re here. There’s a ton in today’s issue: immigration, adulting, preschool, segregation, identity, and microaggressions. Because you deserve the best, this week you get a photo essay, two articles, a cartoonxplainer, two podcast episodes, one pet photo, and an announcement of an exclusive new event. Please enjoy!


Little America
Little Americaepicmagazine.com

Let’s begin this issue with joy and light. Epic Magazine presents a deeply personal photo essay examining the rich and complex stories of immigrants across America. These accounts will counterbalance the vitriol currently spewing from our country’s leaders. Teachers, consider using these in your classrooms. My favorite: Reyna Pacheco. Who is yours? Share your thoughts at The Highlighter Forum⏳⏳

Queer Time: Alternative to “Adulting”
Queer Time: Alternative to “Adulting”daily.jstor.org

The Olds claim that Millennials should grow up (#124). But many people in their 20s and 30s think adulting is passé. After all, who cares about graduating from college, getting a job, getting married, and having a kid? This article by Sara Joffe explores how queer people have questioned traditional rites of passage and have forged an alternative life timeline. In particular, Ms. Joffe’s discussion of queer literature suggests a conception of “queer time” as nonlinear and expansive. ⏳

Mimi, who belongs to loyal subscriber Greg, fully understands her grace and charm.

Preschool Is Important. So Why Are Preschool Teachers Paid the Least?
Preschool Is Important. So Why Are Preschool Teachers Paid the Least?www.nytimes.com

If you’re concerned about equity in education, this excellent article on preschool will leave you batty. We know that a child’s first five years are crucial — 80 percent of neural connections form by age 3 — but preschool teachers on average make $10 an hour. Head Start serves only one-third of eligible children, and the best preschools cost $45,000 a year. Welcome to America. (Preschool parents: You already understand this pain.) ⏳⏳

The Long-Lasting Negative Effects of Living in a Poor Neighborhood
The Long-Lasting Negative Effects of Living in a Poor Neighborhoodwww.vox.com

Alvin Chang (#125) is back with another cartoonxplainer about race and poverty — this time focusing on the long-term effects of where we live. If you don’t have time to read The Color of Law (#124), this combination of cartoons, graphs, and expert testimony offers a compelling case against segregation. If you like Mr. Chang, he’ll be on The Highlighter Podcast this weekend! Subscribe so you don’t miss a thing. ⏳

Huge thanks to loyal subscriber Jessica, who hosted the inaugural Choc Talk on Monday. An intimate group read and highlighted articles, sipped hot chocolate and ate cookies, and participated in deep conversation. It was a big success. If you’re interested in hosting or attending this exclusive event, please let me know! The next one’s in March.

Anne-otations: The Nancy Podcast, “Return to Ring of Keys”
Anne-otations: The Nancy Podcast, “Return to Ring of Keys”www.wnycstudios.org

From Anne: As a teenager, I had no shortage of women who I could connect and identify with. Jennifer Harington was beautiful without the pound of makeup Southern women often wore. Andrea Sterk was a smart professor of history who believed in God. As a queer teen, Sarah Lu only had Maura, a woman at the general store her family went to once a year on vacation. Join Sarah and Maura as they meet again for the first time as adults. As a teen, did you feel different? Do you remember the adult whose example gave glimpses of the adult you hoped to become? Join us at The Highlighter Forum to share your story. ⏳ 

Podcast #25: Teacher Anne Nyffeler
Podcast #25: Teacher Anne Nyffelerwww.highlighter.cc

Lucky you: You get a double dose of Anne Nyffeler this week! Anne came on the show to launch her new feature, Anne-otations, and to discuss last week’s selection, You Had Me At Black. We also talked about microaggressions in the classroom and what it means to be a white teacher who is “still learning,” but maybe not fast enough. Listen here. Better yet, subscribe here! ⏳⏳

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