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lin manuel miranda

Image by Gate Skidmore/Wikemedia Commons.

Lin-Manuel Miranda at the San Diego Comic Con, 2019.

Lin-Manuel Miranda is a ray of light in a world that can sometimes (OK, often) feel like it's shrouded in darkness.

The award-winning multi-hyphenate — He sings! He acts! He writes! He directs! He inspires you to do better while reminding you that you're good enough! — is always there to wish you a good morning and a good night.


Miranda uses his tweets to share inspiration, kindness, and encouragement to the masses.

If you haven't heard of the person, let me introduce you to some good vibes and positive mojo.

It's nice to wake up to a message designed to help you feel better. He encourages us to put aside those unproductive thoughts and get into a good day.

Having a restless night? Miranda will inspire you to dream big as you sleep — and then turn those dreams into reality upon waking.

He always wants you to be yourself.

And to be kind to yourself.

He helps us remember to recognize that anxiety, sadness, and difficult feelings are normal and valid.

He reminds us to work hard, never give up, and recognize how far we've come.

He knows the value of taking a break to enjoy life ...

... investing time in others ...

... and supporting causes that matter.

He recognizes that life can be fleeting ...

... and that the world is full of possibilities!

Remember that no matter how it feels, you're never ever alone.

You are loved. You matter.

You know what? Sometime you just need to hear that.

And if you need to hear it on a daily basis (probably! I do!), you're going to want to follow Lin-Manuel Miranda on Twitter. It'll make your morning, post-lunch slump, and night.

This article originally appeared on 06.08.18

If you've been living anywhere but under a rock with no TV or internet access for the past several years (if that's you: hello! Welcome to the internet!), then you know that "Hamilton," a diversely-cast musical about the founding fathers and all the dueling they did, is a pop culture sensation the likes of which you only experience once or twice a generation.

And that means everyone wants to see it. But until they turn this thing into a movie — soon, right? — tickets are hard to come by and expensive when they're available. If you want to be in the room where it happens, you're either going to have to shell out a lot of dough or win the lottery. Literally. The show offers a limited number of $10 tickets through a daily raffle.


Of course, some people can spend years trying to get show tickets. That was the case for Thomas Corby, a beloved history teacher at New Egypt High School in New Jersey. He'd been trying to get tickets to the show for years with no luck. Then his students stepped in.

As a way to say thank you to Mr. Corby for the impact he's had on them, his students pooled their money together to buy him tickets for the show. I'd call his reaction priceless, but it's actually probably 100% commensurate with how much these tickets cost.

I saw "Hamilton" a few years ago and when I was purchasing my program, the cashier asked me which part I "cried most during," instead of saying "hello." That's just the way this show affects people. Not expecting to answer such a loaded question after a three-hour musical spectacle, I muttered something and scuttled away before I could be interrogated further. Mr. Corby? I'm guessing he's going to have about an hour's worth of material to get through at the merch stand.

Even the show's creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda got a little choked up over it:


While the story is wonderful just because we all love seeing people be kind to each other, it's also an important reminder — even though it's summer — that good teachers can transform the worlds of the kids they're working with. And therefore it's important we protect them, their rights, and their ability to earn a living wage at all costs. OTHERWISE WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GET SUCH ADORABLE VIDEOS? (And also access to all the knowledge and wisdom they possess.)

If the news lately is getting you down, you're not alone.

From the Supreme Court to the refugee crisis to climate change, a lot of really big things are happening right now. These topics feel as though they're out of our control, making it easy for despair and apathy to settle in.


By now, we all know the drill: Vote, support organizations that share our values, and cultivate meaningful human relationships. Still, cynicism cuts through it all — or at least it can, if you let it.

But across social media, people are sharing powerful messages of hope and inspiration.

With the aforementioned assortment of anxieties affecting the world, let's take a look at some of these motivational messages.

1. Progress is a marathon, not a sprint.

Civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis (D-Georgia) called on people not to lose themselves in a "sea of despair" following disheartening news about the Supreme Court. If anyone would know about doing the right thing and overcoming challenges, it'd be Lewis.

2. It's OK to be scared, but remember that history is made up of scared people who changed the world anyway.

Writer John Paul Brammer offered an important reminder about fear and channeling it into progress.

3. Keep your eyes forward.

Hindsight is 20/20, and "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda relayed an important message about looking to the past for inspiration about your own progress, not to stay within it.

4. Take a deep breath and know that others stand with you.

Newscaster Dan Rather shared some poignant thoughts on his Facebook page, calling on people to "turn to your left and right and see the long lines of fellow citizens" who share your drive to create change.

The Supreme Court! It is the scene of what is in essence a coup led by Mitch McConnell, who flaunted democratic norms to...

Posted by Dan Rather on Wednesday, June 27, 2018

#steady #courageFor decades, Republicans have been able to have it all ways. Promise a radical reactionary rethink of...

Posted by Dan Rather on Wednesday, June 27, 2018

5. It takes patience and impatience to create change in the world.

Let America Vote founder Jason Kander shared some words of wisdom from his time as Missouri's Secretary of State, touching on the importance of being impatient enough to resist complacency while still remaining patient enough to see your goals through to the end.

6. Hope is a choice we make — and so is despair.

Writers Ashley C. Ford and Steve Marmel simply reject the ideas of despair and hopelessness. You can, too.

7. Never stop fighting, even when the outcome looks certain.

Commentator and podcast host Erin Gloria Ryan offered a word of caution to people claiming the Supreme Court's landmark Roe v. Wade case is in imminent danger, sharing a bit of history from 1992.

It's entirely possible that a more conservative court will move to overturn the ruling, but we shouldn't give up hope just yet.

8. If you lose hope, you lose. That's what your adversaries want.

Writer Alex Steffen reminds people that giving up on hope is the first step towards giving up altogether. "Embrace defiant optimism," he wrote.

9. Don't dismiss the whole as the result of a few. Small acts of good add up over time.

Author Celeste Ng asked her Twitter followers to promote inclusivity whenever possible. You may not win everyone over, but you'll surely find success with some.

10. The world sometimes takes two steps forward and one step back. If we stay focused, we can step forward once again.

Brittany Packnett believes people should look to the past — just not our own. "I come from people not meant to survive," she wrote.

As individuals, we might not be able to change much.

But as a unified force, we can make all the difference in the world.

"Hamilton's" Lin-Manuel Miranda is very excited about opening night of his musical in Los Angeles.

There's a reason, however, why this opening night — even more than the ones in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco — truly is "the big magillah," he said.

The Broadway star on Aug. 16 is raffling off a totally VIP experience for lucky fans who've expressed support for immigrants and refugees online.


As Miranda explained in the video above, you can win two tickets to the L.A. opening of "Hamilton" — as well as airfare, hotel stay, and access to a star-studded after-party — if you:

  • Donate $10 toward the Immigrants: We Get the Job Done Coalition, a group created by the Hispanic Federation that helps unify efforts from various organizations fighting for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in the U.S.
  • Create a video of yourself singing a song (or part of a song) from "Hamilton." In the video, challenge at least one friend to do the same.
  • Post the video online using the #Ham4All hashtag.

In the hours following Miranda's ask, the internet began to flood with fans pining for their shot to win. Among them were quite a few big names, too.

Eva Longoria blasted out the lyrics to "Alexander Hamilton."

Ben Stiller and his daughter, Ella, went all in on "Non-Stop."

Shonda Rhimes basically proved she should be in the actual cast of "Hamilton," honestly.

Kelly Clarkson gave us a taste of "It's Quiet Uptown" (and left us wanting more!).

NBA champ Stephen Curry and his wife, Ayesha Curry, brought their rap A-game.

The Harlem Globetrotters made clear they're also not "throwing away their shot."  

Matt McGorry's King of England was downright breathtaking.

As was Justin Baldoni's.

Gina Rodriguez used some backup vocals for an assist, and it came out beautifully.

And Sara Ramirez flaunted a nice set of pipes you don't normally hear on "Grey's Anatomy."

Celeb videos and Broadway tickets aside, the Immigrants: We Get the Job Done Coalition is a remarkable effort you should definitely support.

Uniting goals from "an all-star Avengers team of 12 organizations" (as Miranda described it), the coalition helps immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in the U.S. by providing legal representation, fighting for changes in public policy, launching awareness campaigns to change hearts and minds, and more. These services truly are critical — especially under the threats of the current administration.

Donate $10 (or more!) at prizeo.com/hamilton, make a video using the #Ham4All hashtag, learn more about the coalition, and check out Miranda's newly released music video, "The Hamilton Mixtape: Immigrants (We Get The Job Done)," below.