The news is bad. I don’t mean any news in particular, though you can insert the latest crisis you’re most concerned about here (the extension of Trump’s racist travel ban, which has already affected more than 135 million people, including many families split between continents? The gutting of the Clean Water Act? The refusal of almost every Republican senator to even pretend to carry out their constitutional duty in investigating a potential abuse of power by the president?). As musician and artist Laurie Anderson recently put it, “I wake up every morning full of dread and disbelief.”
Anderson’s survival strategy is reading, which I heartily endorse. But there’s also solace to be found in one another. On a local level, neighbor to neighbor, we have the opportunity every day to create the kind of community we want to see. This week, we bring you a handful of stories of residents who are making our city a little kinder, from supporting new moms to paying a stranger’s grocery bill. We hope they will not only make you smile, but also inspire your own acts of kindness.
Working to affect positive structural change, both locally, and nationally, is as important as ever. But let’s make sure to take care of each other along the way.