They call it 'June Gloom' for a reason...

...don't they?

View this email online Fam: The news continues to be pretty overwhelmingly bad, if we may say so. A lot of troubling things are happening; if you’re anything like us, we’re guessing you’ve been eyeball deep in stories about shootings (both in the U.S. and, now, abroad) for a while now. IN THE NEWS Matt Rourke/AP One of the conversations we’ve been following particularly closely is about the role that police play in the prevention, midst, and aftermath of violent attacks. Will a heightened presence of police officers make communities safer, as some have been arguing? Or is a different intervention needed? This week on the podcast, we talked to the author and sociologist Alex Vitale about those questions. He told us that if the goal is to increase public safety, we need to dramatically expand our ideas of what contributes to – and can prevent – violence. It’s an episode worth listening to and, unfortunately, seems like it will continue to be relevant for a very long time. Also in your feeds this week is the latest episode of the School Colors podcast. Quick recap for those who need it: At the beginning of May, Code Switch started airing season 2 of School Colors, which tells the story of a school district in Queens that got a *tiny* bit heated when the idea of a “diversity plan” was introduced. Some relevant context? Queens is one of the most racially diverse places...in the entire world. So what exactly was the so-called plan about? Why was it needed? And why were some parents adamantly against it? If you’re behind on School Colors, now might be time to dive in. Hosts Max Freedman and Mark Winston Griffith are excellent storytellers with deep ties to the communities they’re reporting on. You can catch the newest episode here, or start from the beginning here. Last but not least, we wanted to recommend an episode of Life Kit hosted by the one and only Shereen Marisol Meraji (ever heard of her?) In it, she breaks down how to learn your heritage language. Her tips include building on your strengths, getting clarity on what you actually want to use it for, and focusing on the joy. Buena suerte!  All right, now we want some recommendations from you. What books, shows, movies, music or podcasts do you turn to when the world feels like a little too much to handle? This can be something that inspires you to take action; something that helps channel your rage; something that lets you escape. It can also be pure fluff (we would love some recommendations for fluff.) Send us 2-3 sentences about your pick – it might just be featured in an upcoming Code Switch piece. In the meantime, sending all of you a virtual hug. I don’t know – we just felt like you might need it. Newsletter continues after sponsor message Edited by Leah Donnella Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WBEZ (edit station). Subscribe to Code Switch+. Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free episodes. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: codeswitch@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Code Switch emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy