Be My Valentine?
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LISTENING: to my stomach grumble
FEELING: surprisingly optimistic???
SEEING: the snow melt outside my window
I love Valentine's Day. Even before I got booed up, I appreciated having an excuse to send flowers to my mom's job or write my best friend a love letter. Red and pink are some of my favorite colors to wear, so you'll see me in them all month.
I'm shameless, y'all. I love love. You'll find me writing Valentine's Day climate stories like this one for Atmos in 2022 when I can. Love is definitely a theme in my writing year-round. It's what powers my work. Love keeps me going. If more folks operated out of love, the world would be a better place!
Atmos
I know it might feel disconnected or even tone-deaf to talk about love as Donald Trump's reckless actions cause inflation to increase and nonviolent immigrants to head to Guantanamo Bay. I know that we're suffering. I know it's hard to hold onto love. But we need love. We need poetry and romance. We need the embrace of our lovers and our mothers. We need kisses and smooches. We need to keep the fire in our hearts lit. We can't let hate smother it.
This year, I hope you all will be my Valentines. Even those whose names and faces I don't know. I'm sending you love and warmth and strength and solidarity. And while I hope that this completely open newsletter is gift enough, I have some good news if it's not. I want to send a lucky few of you a real gift: one of my collages!
I'm conducting the first-ever reader survey of Possibilities. It shouldn't take more than five to 10 minutes to complete here. Five random subscribers will be selected to receive either a collage of their choice in the mail or a free annual newsletter subscription. I'm hoping to close the survey by March 14.
This survey data is critical because, starting in March, I'll be launching a Classifieds section where individuals and companies can purchase a short ad I'll include in the newsletter of their choice. This model is inspired by my favorite newsletter of all time: The AF WKLY Newsletter.
In this current political climate, we all need to support Black, Indigenous, and other people of color who are dedicating themselves to centering diversity and intersectionality. My climate coverage has always been about race, equity, class, gender, and queerness. These differences set us apart, but they also make us better as a society.
I got into environmental and climate coverage not because I love nature or wildlife but because of the disparate ways people of color are harmed by pollution and climate disasters. The small act of completing this survey helps support the longevity of my work and Possibilities. I'd love to regularly open more editions to everyone. First, I need more revenue.
If enough ads get bought, I could start hiring writers to contribute. It's Black History Month, and I'd love nothing more than to pay a Black journalist to write an edition. If this all works out, then by this time next year, this newsletter could do just that.
Let's make it happen, together. Take the reader survey here. 🌀
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You can always adjust your subscription here. The newsletter has several tiers, so if you're able to give more or need to give less, please adjust it as you see fit.
I'm also giving paid subscribers a first look into my children's book. I wrote about this last year, but here is the landing page where I'm keeping track of all the editions where you can find what I've shared so far. Send agents my way!
< Your short ad could go here. >
< And yet another one here. >
< For instance: Take 20 minutes out of your day and take this mental health survey if you're an environmental and climate journalist. >
< You get the gist yet? >
< I'll make room for five ads. 200 characters or less. >
Got a book or product you want to sell? Maybe an app you want to publicize? Or an event? Buy an ad here for $100. Get it half off if you buy an ad for the first official Classifieds on March 7, 2025.
Rest in Power
While we can't say for certain that climate change led to these specific weather events (we need attribution studies for that), we do know that the Earth's rising temperatures are already creating more disasters like these.
In South America, deadly rains last week killed people in Bolivia and Brazil. At least 23 people are gone in Bolivia with at least nine in Brazil.
Severe flooding in Santa Rosa, California, last week led to at least two deaths.
Tornadoes terrorized eastern Tennessee last week, leaving at least two people dead: a mother and daughter.
Currently Reading
Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah urges the media to call attacks on DEI what they are: racist efforts to bring back segregation.
Please read all that Angely Mercado writes. Her latest for Teen Vogue underscores the mental health harms of consumption.
I didn't watch the Super Bowl, but I did watch Kendrick Lamar's performance. My longtime source Mustafa Santiago Ali connects the performance back to climate justice for Word In Black: "In the face of baseless accusations and scapegoating, Kendrick’s message is clear: do not be swayed by the easy lies, the convenient narratives that seek to blame diversity, equity and inclusion for societal issues."
Matt Pearce reminds us why journalists are so important in this political moment.
I believe in the idea of better late than never. Glad the New York Times finally spoke out in support of trans rights in this editorial despite its heinous record of trans coverage.
In NAHJ's Palabra, Tina Vasquez writes about the mental health toll journalists face. (Even more reason to share or take this survey!)
As someone who dreams of writing children's books, I so enjoyed this essay by Katherine Rundell in the London Review of Books.
Poetry
who decides who is worthy of love?
clearly, the newborn with rosy cheeks
deserves every tickle and kiss on their feet
but what about the homeless man who sleeps on the train?
is he not also worthy of love?
does he not deserve to ease his pain?
who decides what is worthy of love?
people walk glued to their phones
a type of technological devotion
that keeps our heads focused on our toes
but what about non-human creatures
like the pigeons that roost on our windowsills
do we owe these pests love?
who decides who or what is worthy?
we hand love out freely
to some people
and some things
yet for others, we behave as though we've run out
but love is limitless
love is never-ending
are we not all deserving of its presence?
a smile, a hug, an embrace
I decided today that my love is for all
even those who have no face
-ylf-
I'm spending Valentine's Day doing yoga before going out to eat sushi and drink very strong cocktails. Hope you all do something just as fun, even if it's just for you. Love can be inward, too. xx
- Yessenia
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