The Citified Round-up
The Citified Round-up
A snapshot of what caught my interest this month
Demonstrating once again that when we create cities based on a gender-inclusive framework, those cities tend to work well for everyone, Sharee Hochman outlines how “Feminist cities are also deaf-friendly cities”.
While some claim that COVID will eventually be comparable to the flu, this Atlantic article makes a different comparison, claiming that it’s far more similar to smoking. And that many COVID deaths, “like many smoking-related deaths, could be prevented with a single intervention.”
I feel fortunate to be able to ride my bicycle as my main form of transportation. So, I enjoyed reading this New Yorker article that explores the evolution of the bicycle. As someone who happily chooses the freedom a bicycle offers over driving a vehicle, I found this paragraph particularly relatable:
“There are some who claim the automobile will replace the bicycle, but this is rank nonsense,” a Maine magazine reported in 1899. “Those who have become attached to their bicycles—there are several millions of bicycle riders—will not easily give up the pleasure of skimming along the country like a bird . . . for the more doubtful delight of riding in the cumbersome, ill-smelling automobile.”
I recently wrote about the problems with media reporting on crashes impacting vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists. My research into the topic lead me to this Washing Post article that outlines the many issues with media relying solely on police accounts of road collisions.
From the article: “While there is value in reporting the police account, what’s irresponsible, Reeves said, ‘is always printing the knee-jerk response of the cops,’ without input from ‘the person on the street.’ ‘The basic [journalistic] principle should be, treat the police like any other source, with the same degree of skepticism as you treat any other source,’ said Susan Chira, the editor in chief of the Marshall Project”
The key takeaway for me and a strong reminder to local journalists is that, “ ‘Police said’ is not a shorthand for truth,” she added. “You don’t give up your obligation to verify and corroborate” just because the source wears a badge and a gun.”
If, like me, you are not familiar with the life (and death) of Joetha Collier, take some time to read this Atlantic article that shares some of her story. The article notes that, “Her killing, and the subsequent court proceedings, did briefly galvanize civil-rights activists during the 1970s, but her story has since faded from the public imagination.”
It continues, “She was a young, dark-skinned Black woman, living in a world where people like her were and are seen as less worthy of care and attention. Remembering her story means truly confronting ugly truths about American history and popular memory.”
I’m perhaps late to the game with credit unions, but having finally made the switch to a local credit union in 2020, I am a huge fan of the model. So, I was happy to read that “A New Credit Union For Black Canadians Gets Closer To Reality”. From the article: “What we're doing is we're filling a gap in the community; our community is underserved and unbanked. There are a lot of systemic barriers in the financial institution in regards to the Black community,” says Christopher.”
Music I’m listening to this month:
Talkin’ About a Revolution by Tracy Chapman
Little Star by iskwē
Wildflowers by I, the Mountain
So, what caught your interest this month? Feel free to comment!