Article Club

Welcome to July! I’m excited to announce that this month’s article is “Private Schools Are Indefensible,” by Caitlin Flanagan. You’re going to appreciate this article, no matter where you fall on the public vs. private school spectrum. In fact, I especially invite independent school teachers and parents to the discussion.

Here’s my blurb of the piece, which I featured in Issue #285 of The Highlighter:

Caitlin Flanagan taught at a fancy private school. She even sent her kids to one. But enough is enough. In this tart, snarky takedown of elite private schools like Dalton and Sidwell Friends, Ms. Flanagan takes no prisoners and bars no holds. It’s one thing to hoard resources, breed entitlement, and exacerbate inequality. But to do all that and then to spout progressive values and pretend you’re engines of social change? No way, no how. Ms. Flanagan is having none of that. (30 min)

Nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in commentary, Ms. Flanagan is a writer and social critic who challenges the social narratives of the powerful and the prominent. Born and raised in Berkeley, she now lives in Los Angeles. The author of To Hell With All That, Ms. Flanagan is a contributor to The Atlantic and former staff writer at The New Yorker. She has also appeared on The Colbert Robert and Real Time with Bill Maher.

I hope you’ll join me and fellow Article Clubbers in discussing this article on Sunday, July 25, 2:00 - 3:15 pm PT! This event will be on Zoom, be open to the public, and be limited to 30 participants.

Are you IN? I hope so. If so, here’s what to do this week:

* Sign up for the discussion.

* Leave a comment here. Say hi and share what drew you to this month’s discussion.

* Start reading! Highly encouraged: Let’s annotate this copy of the article together.

Coming up this month at Article Club

* This week: We’ll sign up for the discussion and start reading the article.

* Next week: We’ll annotate the article with fellow Article Clubbers.

* The week of July 19: We’ll share our first impressions about the article.

* Sunday, July 25: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers.

Are you new to Article Club? If so, welcome! We look forward to meeting you and having your voice in the conversation. Feel free to reach out with questions: [email protected].

Article Club is a community of thoughtful people who read, annotate, and discuss one great article every month on race, education, or culture. Everyone is welcome. The author participates, too. Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

Our 17th Article Club discussion is in the books! We read and annotated Amirah Mercer’s “A Homecoming” and participated in three deep, thoughtful conversations.

Thank you to Summer, Sarai, Shelley, Lorie, Bonnie, Elise, Jennifer, Kati, Lauri, Tamyra, Mahogney, and Amirah for joining the discussion. I’m very grateful. Also, I deeply appreciate Amirah for participating in the conversation and for sharing your brilliant piece with us.

But, Article Clubbers, the magic doesn’t end there!

Earlier this week, Article Clubber Sarai and I got the chance to talk with Ms. Mercer. It was a deep, thoughtful conversation. We talked about a range of topics, including how her vegan journey has led to empowerment and liberation.

I hope you will take a listen.

Most of all, I want to appreciate Ms. Mercer for generously sharing her time with us.

After listening to the interview, please share your thoughts in the comments. What resonated with you? What surprised you?

Note: Sorry about the sound quality at the beginning. (I’m in between computers.)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

Welcome to June! I’m excited to announce that this month’s article is “A Homecoming: How I Found Empowerment in the History of Black Veganism,” by Amirah Mercer. Even if you’re not a vegan, you’ll love this piece.

Here’s a quote from the article, which I featured in Issue #277 of The Highlighter:

“Plant-based eating has a long, radical history in Black American culture, preserved by institutions and individuals who have understood the power of food and nutrition in the fight against oppression. In an ideal world, our food would simply be a source of nutrition and fuel for the body, not a political statement. But four years into my plant-based eating journey, I now happily embrace the label of ‘vegan’ because I understand its legacy within Black culture. I also understand that, as a Black woman, any personal choice I make to celebrate my identity is inevitably political, and for that reason, plant-based eating is probably one of the Blackest things I could do. As a Black woman in America, my veganism is, in fact, a homecoming.”

Based in New York, Ms. Mercer is a writer, editor, and healer. Centering the beauty and depth of Black American culture, Ms. Mercer writes on a variety of topics, including spirituality, fashion, Black culture, creativity, wellness, self-empowerment, femininity, popular culture, film, and Black womanhood. She is the author of Other Suns, a wellness guide for Black women. Her work has appeared in Eater, Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Vice.

I hope you’ll join me and fellow Article Clubbers in discussing this article! We will have two conversations on Sunday, June 27.

* Online via Zoom, 2:00 - 3:15 pm PT. Ms. Mercer will be joining us!

* In person in Oakland, 3:30 - 5:30 pm PT. Limited to 6 people. Snacks provided.

Are you IN? I hope so. If so, here’s what to do this week:

* Sign up for the discussion.

* Leave a comment. Say hi and share what drew you to this month’s discussion.

* Start reading! Highly encouraged: Let’s annotate this copy of the article together.

Coming up this month at Article Club

* This week: We’ll read the article and sign up for the discussion.

* Next week: We’ll annotate the article.

* Sunday 6/20: We’ll share our first impressions about the article.

* Sunday 6/27: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers.

Are you new to Article Club? If so, welcome! We look forward to meeting you and having your voice in the conversation. Feel free to reach out with questions: [email protected].

Article Club is a community of thoughtful people who read, annotate, and discuss one great article every month on race, education, or culture. Everyone is welcome. The author participates, too. Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

Hi there, Article Clubbers! This month, we’re reading, annotating, and discussing “The Crow Whisperer,” by Lauren Markham.

A couple weeks ago, Article Clubber Sarai and I got the chance to talk with Ms. Markham and ask her some of our questions. It was a fun conversation filled with joy. We talked about a range of topics, including animal-human communication, the importance of changing registers in writing, the choices she made in the piece, and (of course) Carl the Crow and Gerald the Turkey.

I hope you will take a listen.

Most of all, I want to appreciate Ms. Markham for generously sharing her time and thoughtfulness with us.

After listening to the interview, please share your thoughts in the comments. What resonated with you? What surprised you?

Article Club is a thoughtful reading community and an experiment in community reading. Every month, we read, annotate, and discuss one great article, and the author participates, too! If you’re interested, sign up and check us out. Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

This week we’re reading, listening to, and annotating “The Crow Whisperer,” by Lauren Markham — getting ready for our discussion on Sunday, May 23 at 2 pm PT.

Still want in on the discussion? Great! You can sign up here until May 18.

Coming up on Monday, we’ll get to listen to Ms. Markham talk about her article. This is thanks to her generosity and Article Clubber Sarai’s interviewing skills.

As a bonus, today I have the distinct pleasure of introducing you to Article Clubber Molly, an outstanding reader, high school counselor, and mom. We go way back as friends and colleagues, and I’m extremely grateful that she’s part of our reading community.

In our conversation, Molly talks about her kids, the pandemic, her job, and her first impressions of the article. She also shares why she keeps coming back to Article Club. Please take a listen and say hi to Molly in the comments!

Coming up this month at Article Club

* Monday 5/17: We’ll listen to Ms. Markham’s thoughts on her piece.

* Sunday 5/23: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers.

Questions? Share them in the comments or email me at [email protected].

Article Club is an experiment in community reading in its second year. We read, annotate, and discuss one outstanding article or book chapter a month. We invite the author to join our conversation, too. If you’re interested, sign up and check us out! Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

Hey Article Clubbers! Hope your May is going well.

This month, we’re discussing “The Crow Whisperer,” by Lauren Markham. It’s a delightful article about crows, crow whisperers, the intelligence of animals, and our connection with the natural world.

This week is all about going deeper. Here are some things you can try:

* Annotate the article. It’s a shared Google Doc, so feel free to highlight, share your thoughts, and respond to members of our reading community.

* Listen to the article (above). Article Clubber Jennifer has once again recorded an audio version for our listening pleasure. Thank you!

* Share your first impressions of the article by leaving a comment below.

Just hearing about Article Club? If so, welcome! Also, it’s not too late to sign up for this month’s discussion. We’re meeting on Sunday, May 23, 2:00 - 3:15 pm PT, via Zoom. Sign up here! We look forward to seeing you there.

Coming up this month at Article Club

* Monday 5/17: We’ll listen to Ms. Markham’s thoughts on her piece.

* Sunday 5/23: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers.

Questions? Share them in the comments or email me at [email protected].

Article Club is an experiment in community reading in its second year. We read, annotate, and discuss one outstanding article or book chapter a month. We invite the author to join our conversation, too. If you’re interested, sign up and check us out! Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

Welcome to May! I’m excited to announce that this month’s article is “The Crow Whisperer,” by Lauren Markham. Even if you don’t like crows, and even if you don’t much believe in animal whisperers, you’ll love this piece.

Here’s my original blurb from Issue #285 of The Highlighter:

After crows attacked their dog, harassed their baby, and followed them around their neighborhood in Oakland, Dani Fisher and Adam Florin knew they had to call the local crow whisperer in order to avoid a murder. In this delightful piece, Lauren Markham follows Yvette Buigues as she mediates conflicts between humans and animals and performs energy healing on people’s pets, like Ernie the bull terrier and Bodie the cat. “Animals store pain and memories just like we do,” she says. (22 min)

Based in the East Bay, Ms. Markham is one of my favorite writers. She focuses on issues related to youth, migration, and the environment. Her article, “Our School,” was one of my favorites of 2017. She also joined the podcast to discuss her outstanding piece, “The Girl Gangs of El Salvador.” Ms. Markham is the author of the acclaimed book, The Far Away Brothers, about twins who escape from El Salvador and build new lives in California. She gets bonus points because she’s an educator, too.

I hope you’ll join me and fellow Article Clubbers in discussing this article! Our discussion will be on Sunday, May 23, 2:00 - 3:15 pm PT, via Zoom.

Are you IN? I hope so. If so, here’s what to do this week:

* Sign up for the discussion.

* Leave a comment. Say hi and share what drew you to this month’s discussion.

* Start reading! Highly encouraged: Let’s annotate this copy of the article together.

Coming up this month at Article Club

* Monday 5/10: We’ll share our first impressions of the article.

* Monday 5/17: We’ll listen to Ms. Markham’s thoughts on the article.

* Sunday 5/23: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers.

Are you new to Article Club? If so, welcome! We look forward to meeting you and having your voice in the conversation. Feel free to reach out with questions: [email protected].

Article Club is a community of thoughtful people who read, annotate, and discuss one great article every month on race, education, or culture. Everyone is welcome. The author participates, too. Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

Hi Article Clubbers! I look forward to discussing Bill Buford’s “Baking Bread in Lyon” with you this weekend. We’ll meet on Sunday 2-3 pm PT via Zoom. Mr. Buford will be joining us! There’s still time to sign up if you’re interested.

To get ready for the discussion, I encourage you to…

* Annotate the article with fellow Article Clubbers.

* Come with a topic you’d like to explore, a question you’d like to ask Mr. Buford, or a favorite quotation from the article you’d like to share.

* Remember that Article Club is all about connection and community, not about appearing smart. (We’re already smart!)

After a brief introduction, we’ll get into small groups to discuss the article. Then at the end of the hour, we’ll come back together to raffle off a copy of Dirt.

Bonus: Meet Lisa!

The best thing about Article Club is the quality of its members. You are kind, thoughtful people who should all be friends. To make that happen even faster than normal, I’ll be inviting each of you to record a quick interview with me so that the Article Club community (and the entire world!) may benefit.

This month, I got to chat with Lisa, a wonderful teacher, chef, baker, food-lover, performer, writer, reader, singer, and mom. When she heard that we’d be discussing “Baking Bread in Lyon,” Lisa was on it.

I hope you listen to the interview — because Lisa is great and will inspire you. Then this weekend when you see her on Zoom, please say hi!

Article Club is a community of thoughtful people who read, annotate, and discuss one outstanding article every month. We invite the author to join our conversation, too. If you’re interested, sign up and check us out! Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

Hey Article Clubbers! Hope your April is going well.

This month, we’re discussing “Baking Bread in Lyon,” by Bill Buford. It’s the story of following through on a dream: living in France and becoming a French-trained chef. (It’s about a bunch more, too, and very well-written, and a tear-jerker.)

This week is all about going deeper. Here are some things you can try:

* Annotate the article. It’s a shared Google Doc, so feel free to highlight, share your thoughts, and respond to members of our reading community.

* Listen to the article. On The New Yorker page, there’s an Audm audio player right underneath the title image.

* Share your first impressions of the article by leaving a comment below.

Just hearing about Article Club? If so, welcome! Also, it’s not too late to sign up for this month’s discussion. We’re meeting on Sunday, April 25, 2:00 - 3:00 pm PT, via Zoom. Sign up here! We look forward to seeing you there.

Coming up this month at Article Club

* Monday 4/19: We’ll share topics and questions we’d like to explore.

* Sunday 4/25: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers.

Questions? Share them in the comments or email me at [email protected].

Article Club is an experiment in community reading in its second year. We read, annotate, and discuss one outstanding article or book chapter a month. We invite the author to join our conversation, too. If you’re interested, sign up and check us out! Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

Hi there, Article Clubbers! This month, we read, annotated, and discussed “A Lonely Occupation,” by Francesca Mari.

Our conversation last Sunday was perhaps our deepest yet, thanks to everyone’s thoughtful contributions and Elise’s expert facilitation.

A couple weeks ago, Article Clubber and facilitator Sarai and I got the chance to talk with Ms. Mari and ask her some of our questions. It was a thought-provoking conversation, except when I went to edit it, I discovered major audio problems, making the recording extremely challenging to resuscitate.

But I am persistent! And after many attempts and many hours, I was able to salvage the interview and make it listenable for you all.

I hope you will take a listen. Most of all, I want to appreciate Ms. Mari for generously sharing her time and thoughtfulness with us.

After listening to the interview, please share your thoughts in the comments. What resonated with you? What surprised you?

Article Club is an experiment in community reading in its second year. Every month, we read, annotate, and discuss one great article, and the author participates, too! If you’re interested, sign up and check us out. Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com