The week of August 8, 2020 was zombie cicadas, taking our love medicine; enjoying some medieval wine windows; and putting down all humbleness — at least about our bodies. Love yourself!

Therapy Llama ‘Caesar The No Drama Llama’ Calms Tensions At Protests

Caesar is a retired 6-year-old Argentine grand champion show llama who now offers hugs and support as a therapy llama and “llamactivist.” Caesar is a magical creature and we love him.

via Washington Post

Is This The Beginning Of The End Of American Racism?

“Trump held up a mirror to American society, and it has reflected back a grotesque image that many people had until now refused to see: an image not just of the racism still coursing through the country, but also of the reflex to deny that reality.”

via The Atlantic

TikTok And The Evolution Of Digital Blackface

From appropriating AAVE and stealing dances to outrageous and outright racism, TikTok has a complicated relationship with Black culture. When Black creators are censored and non-Black creators will do anything for virality, a new era of digital blackface thrives.

via Wired

RIP Hee-sook Lee, Who Built An Empire With BCD Tofu House

BCD Tofu House opened in 1996 in Koreatown with all the BDE it needed in its soondubu jjigae. Lee was a “diplomat” for Korean food and embodiment of the American Dream for many, whose legacy goes far beyond tofu.

via LA Times

From Megan Thee Stallion To Breonna Taylor, Black Women’s Trauma Deserves Better Than Memes

Breonna Taylor’s name became a meme, each gotcha caption making her name a punchline under the guise of activism. When Megan Thee Stallion was shot, the internet made jokes about her trauma. Both women are human beings, not online trends.

via Vanity Fair

The Groundbreaking Female Artist Who Shaped Manga History

Kuniko Tsurita was a pioneer of subversive manga, creating dark and dreamlike works that challenged gender and genre norms and pushed comics as a mash-up medium of literature and visual art. Now her anthology will be shared in English for the first time.

via The Atlantic

Is The Postal Service Being Manipulated To Help Trump Get Re-elected?

A pandemic with an election on the horizon; inflammatory claims of voter fraud on Twitter; and a Trump donor Postmaster General, the U.S. Postal Service has never been more compromised and more important.

via New Yorker

Americans Grossly Underestimate The Racial Wealth Gap Between Black And White Families

Many Americans believe that for every $100 held by a white family, a Black family has $90. In reality, a Black family has $10. A wake-up call for 97% of Americans.

via Business Insider

‘We Are Your Family Now’: What It’s Like To Lose A Loved One To QAnon

QAnon is where conspiracy meets cult, where ideas and minds get so warped, twisted, and isolated that anyone or anything outside the bubble of indoctrination is the enemy. Here’s what it’s like to be their children, partners, friends, and family.

via Mel Magazine

The War On Frats

Greek life is facing a long-warranted reckoning, even at unlikely colleges like Vanderbilt, where more than 35% of undergraduates are in a fraternity or sorority. 

via NY Times

Protest Leader Cori Bush Ousts 20-year US Rep. Clay In Missouri

Cori Bush, an incredible activist who led protests in Ferguson, has officially ended a half-century political dynasty by defeating longtime Rep. William Lacy Clay Tuesday in Missouri’s Democratic primary.

via AP News