Covid-19
(Mike Lang, Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
Americans have endured economic crises before, but none quite like this one. To capture the depths of the suffering, The New York Times teamed up with local news organizations across the country to document the lives of a dozen people who found themselves out of work due to the pandemic. Read all the profiles, or read just a couple — they’ll stay with you. (New York Times, ~53 min.)
At the top of her field, a Covid-19 researcher fights back against a different kind of virus: sexism and power imbalances in science. (STAT, ~11 min.)
A room, a bar, and a classroom: How the coronavirus is spread through the air. The best, simplest explainer I’ve come across. (El País, ~9 min.)
The best of the rest
(Courtesy Soraya Simi)
The past four years have birthed a progressive movement so extraordinary it just might survive the forces that threaten its extinction. The brilliant Rebecca Traister puts all those pink pussy hats in perspective. (The Cut, ~34 min.)
Diversity and inclusion programs for elites are tokens. To reduce racial inequality, raise the minimum wage. (New York Times Opinion, ~5 min.)
The vicious cycle of never-ending laundry: We’ve tried and tried to make washing our clothes less painful, but it never seems to get better. The truest story of all the true stories. (The Goods, ~15 min.)
America is facing one of the deepest divides in our history — and, no matter who wins the election, a difficult path forward. Come for the thoughtfulness, stay for the twist. (Washington Post Magazine, ~25 min.)
Meet Pinar Toprak, the first woman to score a movie that grossed $1 billion. I love a good profile about someone I don’t know in a profession I’m wholly unfamiliar with. (Alta Journal, ~11 min.)
Data is the lifeblood of a functioning government — but over the past four years, the Trump administration has destroyed, disappeared, or distorted vast swathes of the information the state needs to protect the vulnerable, safeguard our health and alert us to emerging crises. Jeezuz. Just when I thought I’d heard everything. (HuffPost Highline, ~52 min.)
Can you tell the fridge of a Biden voter from the fridge of a Trump voter? Equally horrifying and fascinating. (Discourse Blog, ~4 min.)
AOC’s next four years: The history-making congresswoman addresses her biggest critics, the challenges that loom no matter who wins, and what she’s taking on next. I’m a fan. I know, you’re shocked. (Vanity Fair, ~22 min.)
How the travel influencer industry grew cozy with unsavory governments and authoritarian regimes. “Look what you did, you little jerks.” (Rest of World, ~13 min.)
Married with two kids, and seeking an abortion in West Virginia. I think I held my breath through this one. (Vogue, ~7 min.)
The story behind the Obama Administration’s most enduring — and most contested — legacy: reforming American health care. This excerpt from Obama’s upcoming book was a perfect pre-Election Day distraction. (New Yorker, ~59 min.)
How a 26-year-old Biden supporter became an accidental MAGA icon. America in a nutshell. (Rolling Stone, ~5 min.)
If you read one thing this week
(Chrissy Teigen, Instagram)
Chrissy Teigen on losing her son, Jack, after just 20 weeks of pregnancy. Wow. (Medium, ~9 min.)
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Thanks for reading.
Kirsten