The Equity Lab: Are you an environmentally conscious, penny-pinching Zillennial? Read this
Like this newsletter? Forward it to a friend and help us get the word out. They can sign up here.
It’s Wednesday, July 21, 2021, this is Alex Yoon-Hendricks.
When I first moved to Sacramento, all my possessions fit into two very large suitcases. Almost three years later, I’ve finally been able to move into an apartment sans-roommates. Exciting times! However, the new scenery has left me with the daunting task of furnishing my new home. (It is very humbling to, early on in the moving process, realize that every single meaningful piece of common space furniture is, in fact, not yours.)
So! As a self-respecting, environmentally-conscious, penny-pinching Zillennial with semi-active social media accounts, I began to aggressively lurk for second-hand items online, as one does. I’ve got post notifications on for a few thrift stores (let’s call it inspirational window shopping) and I stay up late at night checking for new listings on big buy/sell pages on Facebook; I purchased the couch I’m sitting on right now from a kind grad student living in midtown.
Anyway, does this sound like you? If so, I’d like to point you in the direction of two relevant Facebook groups I’ve recently stumbled upon that are great resources — the Sacramento Queer Exchange and the Sacramento Queer Free Market.
Kierra KwanHull, who started the Queer Exchange group several years ago, created the group simply to streamline sales and aggregate important information for people in the LGBTQ+ community — a “no-frills, no judgment” space, she said.
Members of the private groups can sell sensitive items like binders and makeup, or offer just run-of-the-mill goods with the peace of mind of knowing it went to an appreciative home, said Elena Carrillo, who started the Sacramento Queer Free Market last summer.
“I remember being in college, being in my first job after college, and thinking I don’t have the stability to get basic things,” said Carrillo, who is also president of the Lavender Library and a member of the Cuties of Color collective.
“Our community often thinks of resource-sharing as for the less fortunate, for people down on hard times, for people in need, and it’s very othering,” she continued. “A group like this dismantles that. It doesn’t matter what your income background is ... We all have the capacity to give and to take.”
People are also often asking for recommendations on businesses that are LGBTQ+ friendly, or sharing items they’re in search of — for example, a sewing machine that’s unused and collecting dust, Carrillo said.
The Facebook groups, especially during the isolating pandemic that’s been financially devastating for some, have been a real lifeline for some members of the LGBTQ+ community, Carrillo said. Especially during Pride month, many were posting about upcoming events, or scheduling meet-ups for people who’ve recently moved to Sacramento.
“To me, this is a gay city, and it’s a safe city for so many types of queer folks,” she said. “It’s not just about getting very specific LGBTQ+ related items, but sharing to people within your community.”
Here’s what else you need to know this week:
Must-Read Stories
THOUSANDS CAN’T AFFORD TO EAT IN SACRAMENTO:
About one in eight Sacramento County residents struggles with food insecurity, according to The Bee’s analysis of recent data from the Chicago-based nonprofit Feeding America.
Under-resourced and low-income neighborhoods like North Highlands, south Sacramento, west Arden Arcade and North Vineyard have significantly higher rates of food insecurity compared to the rest of the county. In some parts of Oak Park, Old North Sacramento and Hagginwood, more than 95% of students receive free or reduced lunch.
And that was before the pandemic.
SACRAMENTO WINS NATIONAL GRANT TO STUDY THE REGION’S BLACK HISTORY:
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has been an advocate for recognizing the importance of Black contribution in American history. In 2017, it launched the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund.
The program recently awarded $50,000 to the city of Sacramento to help preserve and create awareness of Black history and cultural resources in the city.
SACRAMENTO REGION AIMS TO END FOOD INSECURITY:
While the pandemic has waned, food insecurity persists throughout Sacramento. It is woven into the fabric of the city. Both private and public entities have invested unevenly in the city’s neighborhoods, depriving them of economic opportunity, competitive schools and good health.
More Interesting Reads
Here’s how Delta surge compares to the last 2 times California tightened COVID rules | The Sacramento Bee
WATCH: ‘Views and Voices: What’s next for domestic violence survivors after COVID?’ | The Sacramento Bee
China can lock up a million Muslims in Xinjiang at once | BuzzFeed News
Do Black women have to save the Police, too? | Vice News
‘I’m sorry but it’s too late’ - unvaccinated patients beg for shot; here comes the lamda variant: COVID news | USA Today
What we’re reading (and you should, too!)
The Olympics, for bad or for worse, are almost upon us.
In the spirit of The Games, I’ve been doing a deep dive into profiles, features and recordings of random world cup competitions and championships to get in the mood for sporty brouhaha (while also being mindful that really, truly no one wanted the Olympics to happen).
Sport climbing, skateboarding, surfing and karate are all new events that are making their debut at the Tokyo Olympics this year. Want to know what it feels like to scale a 50-foot wall, or glide over frothy waves? Check out this fascinating interactive from the Washington Post.
Naomi Osaka, an absolute beast pro tennis player representing Japan at the Games this summer, shares mental health advice and life lessons learned from the intense scrutiny she’s been under, writing in TIME that “it’s OK not to be OK.” Words all the more relevant, given how many athletes, both winners and losers, experience emotional crashes and in some cases clinical depression post-Olympics.
The New York Times calls the Olympics absurd and perhaps should just be gone all together, and uh, where is the lie? A sports writer and his daughter make the trek to witness Simone Biles’ greatness in-person. Outside Magazine says there’s a plot to kill the Olympics, and how can you not eat up a tale like that.
And I know it’s the summer Olympics, but I have to share this video of Elizabeth Swaney’s legendary ski half-pipe run from a few years ago because it fully visualizes my ambitions for 2021.
— Alex Yoon-Hendricks
Correction: We all make mistakes! In our last newsletter, I incorrectly stated how many Sac State graduates from ten years ago make less than $30,000 (I blame poorly-labeled variables from the DOE!!)
In fact, the mean earnings for a student whose family was making less than $30,000 when they graduated school 10 years ago is about $51,900 — which, for the record, is less than what you’d need to actually afford the average asking rent in Sacramento.
Where to find us
❗ We want to hear from you! Please send us your story tips and thoughts to equitylab@sacbee.com.
➡️ You can also follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and like us on Facebook at @EquityLabSac.
Thank you for reading, and we will see you again next week!
Like this newsletter? Forward it to a friend and help us get the word out. They can sign up here.
This story was originally published July 21, 2021 at 2:28 PM.