March is the most underrated month. In it, winter makes room for spring in a million miraculous ways. These changes are imperceptible unless you slow down and pay attention. I have noticed the way that decomposing leaves, still clinging to tree branches, relinquish and make room for the buds rioting to emerge. In my yard, daffodils have bloomed in between sprigs of rosemary.
During the first week of March, I went outside, lounged on a blanket, and read John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars. I read in the dimming sunlight, savoring the cool scent of the wilding mint that covered the ground.
But last weekend I realized the wild mint had slowly taken over my front yard. It was the first day of spring, and I spent my Sunday viciously pulling out the invasive mint roots to make room for new growth.
There are many things in the U.S. that grow like mint. When mint is not contained and trimmed back, it becomes clear that it’s a weed. No matter how fragrant and useful mint can be, if it takes up too much space, it can no longer benefit us.
Social justice work can feel a lot like weeding: tearing at the roots of oppression to bring sunlight into unjust spaces. In “Searching for ‘Appropriate’ Holocaust Stories Is a Mistake,” Katie Smart talks about school boards that allow antisemitism to fester by banning books that depict the realities of the Holocaust.
Sarah Einselen interrogates the weeds of racism and xenophobia that hinder Christian communities from welcoming refugees in “Will U.S. Support for Ukrainian Refugees Last?” May we remain discomforted by the weeds.
1. Why People of Faith Should Support Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson
I am compelled by my Jewish faith to work toward a more just world; the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson would help actualize that goal. By Jody Rabhan via sojo.net.
2. How Louisville Photographers Are Keeping Breonna Taylor in Focus
Six decades of protest portraits show why we need abolition to end police violence. By Anna Blake via Scalawag.
3. Will U.S. Support for Ukrainian Refugees Last?
Faith advocates say racism and xenophobia often play a part in shifting public opinions on accepting refugees. By Sarah Einselen via sojo.net.
4. The State of Faith
Yes, organized religion is on the decline. But new research shows faith still plays a powerful, unifying role in American life. By Kelsey Dallas via Deseret News.
5. Searching for ‘Appropriate’ Holocaust Stories Is a Mistake
School boards seeking to sanitize the horrors of the Holocaust allow antisemitism to fester in their communities and education. By Katie Smart via sojo.net.
6. Superhero La Borinqueña's Next Mission: A Solar-Powered Grid for Puerto Rico
A new graphic novel in the universe of La Borinqueña features Rosario Dawson and will support solar projects on the island. By Angely Mercado via Gizmodo.
7. When God Feels Distant, ‘Attached to God’ Offers Helpful Guide
With relatable examples and tools for reflection, Krispin Mayfield uses attachment theory to help readers renegotiate their relationship with God. By Indhira Udofia via sojo.net.
8. Investigating Sexual Harassment in an Evangelical Newsroom
“If we believe sunlight is good, then it should be good for us, too.” By Molly Olmstead via Slate.
9. How Madeleine Albright Used Jewelry As A Diplomatic Tool
There were balloons, butterflies and flowers to signify optimism and, when diplomatic talks were going slowly, crabs and turtles to indicate frustration. Via NPR's Morning Edition in 2009.
10. The Pied Piper of Psychedelic Toads
Octavio Rettig, an underground practitioner of 5-MeO-DMT, a hallucinogenic substance derived from Sonoran Desert toads, claims that he has revived a lost Mesoamerican ritual. By Kimon de Greef via The New Yorker.
Olivia Bardo is a writer, artist, and baker from northern New Jersey and is a former editorial assistant for sojo.net.
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