#5SmartReads - January 21, 2022

Hitha on not drinking, HelloFresh, and how local justice is not adequately served

A gentle reminder that you can join the conversation of the day’s reads by clicking the title above and add your thoughts in the comments! My goal for #5SmartReads has always been to start conversations and share our thoughts and perspectives. I hope to see you there!

---

Police in this tiny Alabama town suck drivers into legal ‘black hole’ (AL.com)

First and foremost - this is my request that you support your local newspaper by subscribing to it, because they are publishing really critical reporting that doesn’t get the attention it requires.

And this is a story that we all should be aware of.

“Months of research and dozens of interviews by AL.com found that Brookside’s finances are rocket-fueled by tickets and aggressive policing. In a two-year period between 2018 and 2020 Brookside revenues from fines and forfeitures soared more than 640 percent and now make up half the city’s total income.

And the police chief has called for more.”

What happens when policing is a revenue generator for a small town? Brookside’s reality is what happens, and why good governance and oversight is absolutely necessary.

I hope the citizens of Brookside do get the justice they’ve routinely been denied, and the town can be safe without bankrupting its residents.

---

Why Do Americans Love ‘The Great British Baking Show?’ (ZORA)

Because it’s utterly delightful, that’s why. Watching the show makes me feel like I’ve been wrapped in a blanket, had a cup of tea handed to me, and I’m being hugged and loved.

GBBS shows the best of humanity, and it’s what we all need a reminder of these days.

It’s the un-Americanness - no backstory on the contestants, no backstabbing or drama, no glam! - that I love so much about the show. It’s the reality show that feels the most real, and makes you feel great in the process.

---

HelloFresh Workers Voted Against Unionizing Despite High Injury Rates, Low Wages, And A COVID Outbreak (BuzzFeed News)

Unionizing at larger companies haven’t been as successful as I would think in this day and age, and HelloFresh is the latest example of that.

This reporting from BuzzFeed explains why.

The prospect of union dues (which would cut into their $18/hour wage in northern California - not a living wage for the region) was a significant factor. The fear of losing their jobs is a major qualitative factor that we’ve seen cited in other unionizing attempts in other companies, like Amazon.

I hope HelloFresh takes their employees’ concerns seriously and makes changes (like other companies have done). And I wish for a day employees don’t need to fear losing their livelihood in order to advocate for better working conditions.

---

I’m Tired of Explaining Why I Don’t Drink (The Cut)

Can we please normalize not drinking alcohol the way drinking it is?

I admit that I’ve been guilty of this in the past, and I feel a little shitty about it. I can’t help but observe how pervasive alcohol is in the shows I watch, the books I read, and even in scrolling through my old feed or on Instagram.

Like a lot of people, I’ve been thinking a lot about my relationship with alcohol and making some changes. And the biggest one is to normalize not drinking as my norm, and offer water the way I offer wine when I’m hosting.

Sarah Wood’s essay brings the nuance in this issue to light, and beautifully. Definitely give it a read.

---

As disabled women, our lives have always been erased. But in a pandemic, they’re urgently at stake. (The Lily)

Unless all of us are safe, none of us are safe. And I think a lot about women with disabilities when I think about this, as it pertains to the pandemic.

I’m still aghast at the CDC’s callous comments about who is vulnerable to severe Omicron infections, and the seeming erasure of these groups in the messaging and updated CDC guidance.

This is not a new thing. It’s always been this way.

“It is an attitude so ingrained in society that at the height of lockdowns, protests were being held across the United States against restrictions put in place for our safety. These protests were an act of rebellion for many, the sentiment being that the country should reopen at all costs. A protester in Tennessee held a sign that read “sacrifice the weak, re-open TN.” The disregard for disabled people’s well-being — medically and structurally — is constant and unrelenting.”