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Kayla Stewart

I'm passionate about advocating for equality and helping to create a world where everyone feels like they belong. Equally passionate about Hermione Granger, Viola Davis, and all cheeses. You can find me talking about things that matter and more on Twitter and Facebook.

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Check out Obama's amazing, unapologetically black summer reading list.

For the first time since leaving office, former commander-in-chief Barack Obama is headed to Kenya and South Africa to visit the Obama ancestral home, convene 200 young leaders across the continent, and deliver a speech to mark the anniversary of Nelson Mandela's 100th birthday.

While his schedule is jam-packed, Obama managed to make a reading list for his followers before leaving.

And it. Is. Good.

Barack Obama recommended six books, the majority of which are authored by African writers.

This week, I’m traveling to Africa for the first time since I left office – a continent of wonderful diversity, thriving...
Posted by Barack Obama on Friday, July 13, 2018

"Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe, "A Grain of Wheat" by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, and "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie are just a few. They tell stories ranging from the pervasive impacts of colonialism to an African nation's story before foreign influence to the Nigerian immigrant experience in America. In short, they tell the stories of a remarkably diverse continent, all through the words of people that are connected to it in their own unique ways.

While Obama has released a recommended reading list many times in the last few years, this year's list is particularly important. In the past, political figures and educators alike have centered the stories of white, straight men. While these stories have certainly influenced our society, they are by no means the only stories that exists, nor the only stories that should be told.

Photo by Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images.

Obama is increasing exposure to a largely unexplored literary world of African writers and is helping to make space for diverse storytelling.

As Adichie — one of the novelists Obama recommends — once said in a viral TedTalk, there is a danger in telling a single story. When society only supports stories that feature a singular perspective, we fail to recognize the experiences of immigrants, queer folks, people of color, disabled people, and other underrepresented groups.

Through his summer reading list, Obama is helping make writers like Thiong'o and Adichie as commonly known as Ernest Hemingway and Harper Lee.

Judging by the description of these books, it seems like readers are in for a super fun literary ride.

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If you’re an adult with a disability, finding steady employment can be an uphill battle.

Due to some outdated, problematic stereotypes, the unemployment rate for disabled adults in the United States is nearly 10% — double the rate of those without a disability.

Those numbers are unacceptable, and one company has aspirations to make them a thing of the past.

Aspire works to support disabled adults through workforce development programs and creating job opportunities.

All photos are courtesy of Aspire.

Aspire works with adults who have many different disabilities — such as autism, those who use a wheelchair, and adults with learning disabilities — to develop several important work skills that can be used in different industries. Aspire CEO Jim Kales says it’s a positive step toward improving the job environment for disabled adults.

“While Aspire aims to lower the disability unemployment rate and include people with disabilities into our workforces, we never approach employers out of a sense of 'obligation' or moral duty,” Kales writes in an email. “We view each of our employer partnerships as a win for all parties.”

Through two ventures — the Career Academy and CoffeeWorks — adults with disabilities learn sustainable job skills and use them to support others with disabilities around the world.

Aspire supports multiple ventures to support people living with disabilities.

But how do they do it?

In Aspire’s Career Academy, students are able to dive into their personal career interests while gaining important workforce training. The students receive hands-on training from experts skilled at working with people with a variety of disabilities. To keep services effective, the Career Academy focuses on six career areas that have historically been particularly beneficial for students and graduates.

"We’ve identified six specific sectors that adults with disabilities have statistically excelled in and train participants in those tracks: warehousing and distribution, big-box retail, office and IT, culinary, hospitality, and fitness center administration," Kales says of the program structure.

Their strategy is working in the favor of the students they serve. More than 90% of academy graduates are employed full-time.

Some of them end up at CoffeeWorks — an Aspire-led organization that employs people with developmental disabilities. In addition, 100% of the net proceeds supports kids and adults with disabilities. In essence, they’re breaking down stereotypes and barriers one coffee bean at a time.

“We decided to explore opportunities in the coffee industry because, in essence, coffee brings people together, and that’s what our mission is all about — inclusion for people with disabilities,” Kales writes.

To be an outsider looking through the purview of stereotypes, the success rate might be surprising. But according the Kales, it’s exactly what they expected. Numerous reports show that adults with disabilities often excel in many fields, particularly those with creative or repetitive tasks.

"Hiring people with disabilities makes good business sense — 87% of Americans say they prefer to patronize businesses that hire people with disabilities," Kales writes. “Additionally, hiring people with disabilities helps companies increase their retention rates, saving them the time and cost accrued with employee turnover, as people with disabilities have higher than average retention rates and are proven to be dependable and loyal in their roles.”

For many of the students and employees, the work is empowering, valuable, and important for positive life trajectories.

With real employment opportunities, adults living with disabilities are able to have a more equitable chance to engage with the economy and participate in common societal practices. Society is noticing how awesome it is too.

"[We’re] seeing a wave of interest from employers seeking to hire people with developmental disabilities," Kales writes. "Twenty-one companies (including several Fortune 500’s) have reached out to us in the past six months to start their disability hiring journey."

It’s clear that giving everyone a fair chance at employment opportunities is a win-win for all.

"It comes back to Aspire’s fundamental belief that when we include people of all abilities into our communities, everyone is better for it," Kales adds. "We believe that when people with disabilities are included into our workforces, companies and communities prosper."

Learn more about Aspire's Career Academy below:

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Diversity matters — and the European teams at the World Cup are showing why.

The 2018 World Cup has been wildly incredible.

From nail-biting penalties, unexpected underdog wins, and some truly unique fan costumes, the series has become a summer pastime for many citizens around the world.

Image by AFP/Getty Images.

As the competition winds down, several European countries are fighting for the coveted World Cup. In addition to some truly superhuman skills on display, national teams from finalist countries like France and Britain have showcased and amplified another invaluable characteristics too.

The semi-finals in 2018 include some of the most diverse European teams ever.

Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images.

With players like Kylian Mbappé and Paul Pogba on the French national team and Dele Alli and Kyle Walker on the English national team, European teams in the World Cup are showing just how valuable diversity is.

As billions cheers for their respective teams around the country, watching teams that represent countries that have a fraught colonialist history being led by men of color is extremely important. Men of color, whether they are immigrants or born in their countries of citizenship, often face incomparable challenges in Europe and around the globe. From discrimination in hiring, racism on the field, and struggling to prove their commitment to their countries, men of color often face additional pressure in sports that are broadcast to predominately European viewers.

Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images.

However, society is changing. As people continue to stand up against racism toward immigrants and players of color, the World Cup is just one more example of the value diversity adds.

A diverse team is a winning team.

As we celebrate diversity on the soccer field, it’s important to also keep in mind that we shouldn’t only show respect and praise to people with amazing athletic skill. We should value and respect the contribution of everyday citizens too.

Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images.

While it’s awesome and incredibly fun to support our athletes, celebrities, and heroes, people should also be respectful of immigrants and migrants they encounter in everyday activities as well. They are just as valuable and worthy of civil rights as anyone else. The World Cup shows us that making diversity a priority is both beneficial for excellence and for representation.

Regardless of the outcome of the games, the World Cup has highlighted the importance of diversity in events that emphasize national pride. People of color are all over the world. They’re worthy of respect, and nations can become even better when they support them wholeheartedly.

These 2 nations are welcoming peace after 20 years of war. The world should pay attention.

Two East African nations have made some groundbreaking history that's sending positive diplomacy vibes around the world.

Ethiopia and Eritrea ended a 20-year war, marking a new era for the region — and the world — in diplomacy and peace.

A local police station in Badme, a formerly disputed town near the border of Ethiopia and Eritrea, was painted with the design of the Ethiopian flag. Photo by Maheder Haileselassie Tadese/AFP/Getty Images.

Setting an example for numerous countries in the West and East that are struggling to rebuild their own diplomatic relationships, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki were seen embracing and grinning as they signed an unprecedented declaration to end the war during a summit in Asmara, Eritrea's capital. In a Twitter post that documented the event, Eritrean Minister of Information Yemane Meskel said "a new era of peace and friendship has been ushered."

— (@)

In 1993, Eritrea voted for independence from Ethiopia. As with many formerly colonized nations that are newly independent, Eritrea struggled with economic growth, going deeper into a hole of economic disaster and social inequity. Ethiopia, which has been landlocked since Eritrea's independence, has been strategically interested in a critical Eritrean port called Assab.

This tension between the two nations led to a brutal border war that broke out in the late 1990s and claimed the lives of roughly 80,000 people. After years of attempts at peace deals — including the Algiers Agreement — and deteriorating relationships, any sort of reconciliation seemed unlikely. That is, until Abiy visited Eritrea on July 8.

Abiy became the first Ethiopian leader to set foot in Eritrea in the current century.

Peace talks took place in Ethiopia in late June. Photo by Yonas Tadesse/AFP/Getty Images.

He was warmly welcomed at the airport by Afwerki and other senior Eritrean officials, showing the power of unity between African nations and a wonderful example of what ongoing peace talks can do.

Abiy, a former soldier who fought in the war, agreed to uphold Ethiopia's end of the peace deal that serves to end the border conflict. His swift actions surprised even those who had been studying the conflict for years.

"I did not expect the speed and the enthusiasm," Goitom Gebreluel, who researches Ethiopia's foreign policy at the University of Cambridge in England, told The New York Times. "I believe that this had been decided a while back and the leadership changes within EPRDF [Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front] facilitated it."

It's clear that this peace agreement took years of planning, negotiating, and peace talks, but the swift and unprecedented finale makes it clear:

It's possible for developing nations with years of animosity toward one another to reach peace for the good of their people.

And other nations around the world can learn from this. When leaders prioritize the health and welfare of their people — as Abiy and Afwerki did — peace becomes the obvious and easier solution.

Take note, global leaders. Ethiopia and Eritrea and leading the way on showing what good government looks like.

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2 black women quietly made NBA history. Here's how.

This month, two basketball referees made sports history.

Danielle Scott and Angelica Suffren became the first two black women to referee an NBA game, making for an intersectional feminist win.

Marc J. Spears, a senior writer for ESPN's The Undefeated, noticed the women during the July 3 summer league game between the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers.

— (@)

After Twitter users applauded the women, NBA spokesman Mike Bass confirmed that the news was indeed a historic moment in NBA history.

It comes more than two decades after one of the first barriers in women's refereeing was broken.

In 1997, Violet Palmer shattered the glass ceiling by becoming the league's first woman referee. On October 31 of the same year, she became the first woman to officiate an NBA game, a match between the Vancouver Grizzlies and the Dallas Mavericks.

Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images.

Women have been quietly breaking barriers in the league for years, and this type of representation is needed now more than ever.

As women demand equality in all athletic roles — pay, leadership opportunities, and respect — it's imperative that women are represented in all levels of sport professions, including sports management, sports journalism, and game officiating.

As we continue telling girls and women that they can indeed do anything, seeing two black women in a predominantly male league and industry sends an important message:

When women are given the chance, they can — and will — excel.

Freedom fighter, human rights advocate, prisoner, and all-around remarkable human Nelson Mandela was South Africa's first black president and first post-apartheid leader.

Not only did Mandela fiercely advocate on behalf of South Africans of color, he gave up decades of his life to do it. His visionary actions against South Africa's racist policies led to a 27-year imprisonment on Robben Island.

Photo by Stephen Jaffe/AFP/Getty Images.

Mandela's actions — from protesting to collaborating with like-minded revolutionaries to his nearly 30-year prison sentence — have been well-documented. But the world didn't know the details of his time in prison — until now.

On July 18, The New York Times is publishing hundreds of unreleased letters from Mandela to coincide with what would have been his 100th birthday.

In "The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela," over 250 letters to his family, friends, and colleagues reveal some of Mandela's thoughts and emotions during a turbulent time in his life.

Here are five of the key takeaways from collection excerpts:

1. Peace and harmony are possible.

Mandela held onto his faith and spirituality as a source of inspiration to continue fighting for the world he believed in. He wrote of the parts of the Bible that resonated with him strongest:

"The importance of the passages ... lies in the fact that they tell us of a way of life which would have brought us peace and harmony many centuries ago, if mankind had fully accepted and faithfully practiced the teachings they contain.

They visualize a new world where there will be no wars, where famine, disease, and racial intolerance will be no more, precisely the world for which I am fighting … "

2. There is a time for civility and kindness, and there is a time to fight for change.

Prioritizing civility and kindness is important, but there are always times when one must stand up for what is right. Mandela offered some blatant, important truths, noting that while one person is powerful, a group of people committed to a just cause can move mountains:

"It's a good thing to help a friend whenever you can; but individual acts of hospitality are not the answer. Those who want to wipe out poverty from the face of the earth must use other weapons, weapons other than kindness.

This is not a problem that can be handled by individual acts of hospitality. The man who attempted to use his own possessions to help all the needy would be permanently ruined and in due course himself live on alms. Experience shows that this problem can be effectively tackled only by a disciplined body of persons, who are inspired by the same ideas and united in a common cause."

Photo by Trevor Samson/AFP/Getty Images.

3. Humans are complex and resilient.

In a letter to his wife Winnie, Mandela discussed his attempts to find solace in solitary confinement and described the complexity of the human experience — including our capacity for resilience:

"Honesty, sincerity, simplicity, humility, pure generosity, absence of vanity, readiness to serve others — qualities which are within easy reach of every soul — are the foundation of one's spiritual life.

Never forget that a saint is a sinner who keeps on trying. … No ax is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying, one armed with the hope that he will rise and win in the end."

Good people make mistakes, but the determination to do good prevails.

4. There is power in unwavering hope.

In another letter to Winnie, Mandela made an impassioned plea to use hope in the face of adversity. Having read the work of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Mandela expressed his unshakable belief in the power of positive thinking:

"The man who says: I will conquer this illness and live a happy life, is already halfway through to victory. … Remember that hope is a powerful weapon even when all else is lost.

You and I, however, have gained much over the years and are making advances in important respects. You are in my thoughts every moment of my life. Nothing will happen to you, darling. You will certainly recover and rise."

Photo by Walter Dhldhla/AFP/Getty Images.

Nelson Mandela's letters reveal a man who was nuanced, thoughtful, and determined to do good. In our changing, complex society, his words offer important insights on how to continue fighting for a better world.

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These 6 orgs are making sure freedom and justice are for all Americans.

Independence Day is an important day in the United States.

In 1776, the Continental Congress declared the 13 American colonies were no longer a part of the British Empire and would be recognized as a new nation — thus asserting independence from British rule. This action led to the creation of the U.S. Constitution over a decade later.

But for years, the rights our independent nation promised only applied to certain people.

Black Americans, women, immigrants, people with disabilities, and many other communities didn't get to experience the same freedoms. Instead, to varying degrees, they experienced persecution.

With the passage of several Constitutional amendments — such as those that granted black Americans citizenship, women the right to vote, etc. — the U.S. made steps toward equality for all. But, progress is an ongoing journey. While our nation has improved in many ways, black and Latino citizens still experience disproportionate rates of poverty; gun violence has decimated communities of color, schoolrooms, and churches; and LGBTQ citizens still face high rates of discrimination.

Thankfully, Americans are a fighting bunch. Citizens across the country continue to raise their voices for the rights of all Americans. Here are six organizations fighting tirelessly to ensure that rights to freedom and justice truly do apply to all citizens:

1. RAICES

Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images. Illustration by Tatiana Cardenas.

RAICES is a nonprofit that provides free and low-cost legal services to immigrants. The Texas-based organization has been doing great work to support immigrants since 1986, and they're now the largest immigration legal services provider in Texas. After a Facebook fundraiser for the organization went viral and amassed more than $13 million, RAICES has been able to increase its ability to help separated families locate one another. Their dedication to reuniting families and ensuring that immigrants are afforded the human rights they deserve serves as a true example of fighting for liberty and justice for all. You can support RAICES here.

2. Color of Change

Photo courtesy of Color of Change. Illustration by Tatiana Cardenas.

Color of Change is one of the largest racial justice organizations in the U.S. Operating online, it strives to make the government and large corporations more knowledgeable about how to create safe and equitable environments for black Americans. Striving to ensure black Americans enjoy the same freedoms afforded to them by the Constitution, the organization continues to successfully fight for economic, criminal, and media justice as well as be an amplified power and voice for people of color. You can support Color of Change here.

3. Easterseals

Photo courtesy of Easterseals. Illustration by Tatiana Cardenas.

Americans living with disabilities have made huge strides thanks to organizations like Easterseals leading the way. Easterseals works to provide support to citizens with various disabilities. Their work contributes to a growing mission to ensure that all Americans enjoy accessible spaces and the same freedoms and respect. You can support Easterseals here.

4. Planned Parenthood

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images. Illustration by Tatiana Cardenas.

Planned Parenthood provides comprehensive health services, such as mammograms, birth control, and reproductive and sexual health care, to millions of women around the world. Recently, the organization has been under increased attack from the far right and Christian extremists. In spite of threats from the current administration to decrease funding and growing discrimination, citizens and celebrities have banded together to keep the vital organization flourishing and able to provide health care and services. You can support Planned Parenthood here.

5. Lambda Legal

Photo courtesy of Lambda Legal. Illustration by Tatiana Cardenas.

LGBTQ Americans certainly weren't mentioned in text when the Founding Fathers were imagining what a free nation for all would look like. Lambda Legal has spent years fighting for equal rights and safer environments for LGBTQ people and queer expression. But, in light of recent rollbacks to policy in place to protect queer citizens, that work is really just beginning.

Lambda Legal communications director Jonathan Adams writes, "We have seen in their continued attacks on heath care an issue of grave concern to millions of Americans today. We the people — all of us — must stand together at this time to protect our shared rights and freedoms." Adams highlights how the current administration is "actively working to divide us by attacking children, immigrants, people of color, trans and queer individuals, Muslims, and other groups they seek to marginalize. Their continued focus on polarizing us is taking a toll on the fundamentals of this great nation, those being life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Lambda Legal's efforts to fight for queer citizens is more important than ever, and it is near the truth of our county's declared ideology. You can support Lambda Legal here.

6. Everytown for Gun Safety

Photo courtesy of Everytown for Gun Safety. Illustration by Tatiana Cardenas.

Founded in 2014, Everytown for Gun Safety combined two orgs — Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America — with a shared goal for comprehensive gun safety laws. "In order for all Americans to feel and be free, it's imperative that we feel safe to be who we are in our communities — whether that's in a place of worship, at a concert or at school or a college campus," wrote Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action.

Watts continued, "We must do everything in our power to make our communities safer and that means doing more to protect marginalized communities from gun violence. ... The fight for gun violence prevention is also a fight for equality." You can support Everytown for Gun Safety here.

The promise of America — that freedom and justice exists for all — is a beautiful example of how democracy should work. But that promise can become meaningless if we fail to ensure that those freedoms extend to everyone for a safe and equitable society. These six organizations — and many more — are doing the work to make sure that the sentiments our country was founded on extend to all citizens.

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