I forgot to share this exciting news when it happened a few weeks ago, but whoaaaa, this is awesome. When I came home from my big trip to Peru last month, I wrote about how some of my conversations there about the upcoming Trump presidency inspired me to make charitable donations back home. I published that post on #GivingTuesday, a designated day of global giving, in the hopes that it would inspire others to do the same.
Later that day, I got an email from a writer for the Washington Post's Inspired Life section, dedicated to weeding out & raising up positive stories - stories about compassion, caring, giving, & all the good things in the world that we sometimes forget to look for now that we're despairing about a fascist future. The reporter, Colby, found my blog post (no idea how!) & wanted to know if she could interview me about the giving practices.
The result of that conversation was an article titled "‘It’s unprecedented in our history’: Trump’s election inspired millions in nonprofit donations," & it's since been shared on social media by Planned Parenthood, CAIR National, The Trevor Project, & even my favorite author, Celeste Ng. The piece begins:
When Kate Bigam left for a vacation in Peru days after the election, she knew there’d be no avoiding questions about Donald Trump. So she decided that for every Peruvian who asked her about the new U.S. president-elect, she would learn a bit about that person and then donate to organizations inspired by those conversations.
Like many Americans, Bigam, a 32-year-old from Cleveland, felt compelled to do something tangible in response to an election that she feared left many groups and many issues vulnerable. On her personal blog this Giving Tuesday, Bigam shared the eight groups she’ll be contributing to and why. She’ll be donating to the National Alliance on Mental Health after meeting a psychiatrist. She’ll be donating to the Immigrant Legal Resource Society on behalf of a Latino immigrant living in California. She’ll give to EarthJustice for the tour guide who took her up Machu Picchu.Read the whole thing online from The Washington Post - & then go forth & donate! I'd still love to hear what nonprofits are getting your hard-earned dollars this year & in the year to come.
P.S.: On a related note, this afternoon, I won the "Get to Know Yours Coworkers" quiz that my boss hosts every year as a part of our departmental Hanukkah party. Instead of a prize, the winning employee asks the rest of our team to donate to a nonprofit of his or her choice. It was my honor to play today for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cleveland, which I've just gotten involved with. Stay tuned for more about my experiences with my new "little sister," N, a 14-year-old from Cleveland Heights. So excited to get to know her!
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