Take a break from the news with mindful Black stories.

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Personally I’m sick of the daily news format, I’m sick of doom scrolling, and I’m sick of social media.

šŸ‘¼šŸ¾ North Preston Daycare 🚨 Street Checks šŸ‡ŗšŸ‡ø Buffalo Shooting

Twice as Good Update

Seventy subscribers and counting!

Well, I launched one month ago with no money and no social media or promotion, but 70 people have already subscribed! Not only that, but 90 per cent of you not only opened the email, but read or listened to the content. I couldn’t ask for a better turnout at this stage, and I appreciate you all showing up to find out what this is about.

Personally I’m sick of the daily news format, I’m sick of doom scrolling, and I’m sick of social media.

Twice as Good is an audio newsletter where I curate black news that centres human stories and the deeper context beyond the headline. The articles are in text and audio formats whenever possible, so you can listen or read on your own time.

No red notification dots, no ā€˜ping’ sounds, no algorithm.

On that note, what I’m doing is nothing without you. So who are you? How does the newsletter help you stay informed and inspired?

If you have 10 minutes to help me understand what you’re getting out of this and what you like (or don’t like) about it, your answers make all the difference in terms of what comes next.

This road goes both ways, too. If you want to know more about me–who I am, where I come from, and what this thing is all about–I was recently on the BlackLantic podcast with Hillary LeBlanc and Clinton Davis where I introduced myself. Check it out.

After our interview someone told me how they wished they could keep up with the news on their daily commute in the car–that’s exactly why the newsletter is packed with audio. The audio will keep playing even if you click away or put your phone to sleep, so you can safely listen while driving, biking, walking, or whatever you’re doing that is way more engaging than gluing your eyes to a screen. I record articles in audio for this reason, and I do it as often as I possibly can.

This release includes some seriously thought provoking stories to read (or listen to) so just before we get on with it...

I'm putting together a list of black-owned media companies on the East coast and I want your input. Reply to this email to shout out your friends, family or colleagues who are black and own their media business. The resulting database will be passed on to the Canadian Association of Black Journalists (CABJ) so they can advocate for funding and investments in black media in the Atlantic provinces.

P.s. Thanks to the people who answered the last poll! A clear majority asked to hear this section of the newsletter as audio, and here it is.

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LISTEN Twice as Good Newsletter June 5 2022
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/2:22
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The Soul Train

Diversity of thought, talent and experience.

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LISTEN 50 years of family community for trailblazing North Preston Daycare
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50 years of family, community for trailblazing North Preston Daycare | SaltWire
These special guests were dressed to the nines with their poofy dresses or collared shirts and bowties. But, boy, can they party.As the ...
Perspective | The Whitest thing I’ve ever seen
The ā€œslapā€ said 10,000 words. How some (White) people reacted to it said even more.
WePresent | Micaiah Carter captures a regal Black consciousness
In his series ā€œOptimism,ā€ a collaboration with WePresent, photographer Micaiah Carter magnifies the vibrant cultural tapestry of Black consciousness
Family of Canada’s first Black mail carrier honoured by facility naming
A state-of-the-art mail sorting facility in Scarborough will be known as the Albert Jackson Processing Centre when it opens next year.
ā€˜We’re all connected’: Calgarians celebrate unity ahead of African Liberation Day | CBC News
Organizers of the event said it was an important occasion for the community to come together to show solidarity.
Call out anti-Black racism every day, not as a campaign tactic
Instead of looking at anti-Black racism as a one-off moment in the past, it should be looked at as an ongoing systemic issue that should be actively challenged and addressed in a sustained way.
The younger Pearsons of ā€˜This Is Us’ reflect on Black love: ā€˜It runs so deep’
For six seasons the dynamics surrounding Randall Pearson and his family taught audiences a thing or two about what Black love really means.
Shad on being Black and average: ā€˜We shouldn’t have to be exceptional just to get respect’
Though he raps about being ordinary, Shad is anything but average.
The Black origins of the first Memorial Day that were almost erased from history
On May 1, 1865,Ā newly-freed African Americans who fought in the Civil War decorated soldiers’ graves on what is thought to be the first-cited Memorial Day.
How an 80-year-old manuscript renewed Black writer Richard Wright’s legacy | CBC Radio
Richard Wright was the biggest name in Black American literature in the 1940s. He fell out of favour, in part the result of critiques by James Baldwin and Ralph Ellison. But a recent publication of a Wright manuscript has led to a re-evaluation of his legacy and enduring relevance.
Disneyland’s ā€˜Tale of the Lion King’ celebrates African culture
The live stage show, part of the theme park’s ā€œCelebrate Soulfullyā€ event, is accompanied by snacks developed by Disney chef Natalie Willingham that highlight African flavors.
ā€˜Cancel culture a reflection of rightwing papers’ intolerance,’ says David Olusoga
Historian taking part in debate at Hay festival says he is labelled an activist to ā€˜delegitimise’ his voice
Olympian Bryan Gibson honoured with mural in Kentville, N.S. | SaltWire
Comments from protƩgƩes move Canadian boxing hall-of-famer to tears
Interracial Couples On How They Talk About Race & Racism
ā€œI found myself jealous that he could just exist in the world freely, while I moved through it differently. ā€
Rollie Pemberton’s memoir Bedroom Rapper uncovers the hidden history of Canadian hip hop | CBC Books
The Edmonton-born musician and writer, best known as Cadence Weapon, discusses the creative process behind his memoir Bedroom Rapper.
Book award honours late African Nova Scotian community leader
The first-ever Nova Scotia Book Awards will be handed out Monday including the George Borden Writing for Change Award.
Black men who served: Truro descendants draw direct lines to the No. 2 Construction Battalion | SaltWire
Local man shows community links to soldiers exhibiting patriotism in the face of persistent racism
Retired Judge Corrine Sparks receives honorary degree from Mount Saint Vincent University
Sparks was the first Black judge in Nova Scotia and the first Black female judge in Canada.

The Headlines

Stories that go beyond the surface.

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LISTEN Know Your Rights campaign against racist police street checks stalled by bureaucracy
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Know Your Rights campaign against racist police street checks stalled by bureaucracy
Three years later, still no action from the Board of Police Commissioners on this Wortley Report idea.
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LISTEN The Buffalo shooting shows Tennessee lawmakers banned the wrong race theory
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The Buffalo shooting shows Tennessee lawmakers banned the wrong race theory | Weathersbee
A white youth killed 10 people in Buffalo. He feared Black people were replacing white people. Bans on CRT will make it tough to end such craziness.
Homeless population in Halifax region more than doubles in four years, survey finds | CBC News
Data from the Point-in-Time Count was released Tuesday, reporting that on April 7 this year, 586 individuals in the Halifax Regional Municipality were without a safe, permanent address. The previous count found that on the night of April 24, 2018, there were 220 homeless people recorded.
Plaintiff in class-action lawsuit against Canadian Armed Forces ā€˜extremely optimistic’ about outcome
Rubin ā€œRockyā€ Coward is one of four plaintiffs suing CAF for systemic racism, institutional discrimination they say they faced in military.
African journalists condemn media outlets for using images of Black people in coverage of US, UK monkeypox | Businessinsider
Africa’s foreign press body said using images of Black people in reports on the monkeypox outbreak in the UK and US perpetuates negative stereotypes.
Halifax police constable recalls making arrest over fear man would use pen as weapon | CBC News
A Halifax police constable who used a stun gun on a man during a traffic stop on Quinpool Road three years ago offered her side of the storyĀ to a provincial board of review Thursday.
Halifax will repaint Black Lives Matter murals again in 2022
The lettering along Brunswick Street and Alderney Drive will be refreshed at the end of July.
Success of Black entrepreneurship programs hinges on balancing community support with new approaches
We must be proactive in reimagining the types of supports needed to accelerate the success of Black entrepreneurs in Canada.
3 Out of 4 Gifted Black Students Never Get Identified. Here’s How to Find Them
Most attend schools where they never get a chance to be recognized, a new Purdue University study finds.
5 Ways to Close the Pay Gap for Black Creators
The influencers of influencers! Black creators often receive little to no credit. Here are five ways Black creators can close the pay gap.
Change needed to combat anti-Black racism at College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia | CBC News
A new report from a task force examining anti-Black racism at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia highlights challenges and makes recommendations.

About

I'm a journalist and digital producer who rejects the daily news format, instead embracing narrative, human-centred information and stories.

I've done work for The Coast–where I covered the local housing crisis and the growth of Airbnb–CBC, the Black Business Initiative magazine, Halifax Examiner, and Lion’s Roar, the largest Buddhist magazine in the English speaking world. I've also helped launch multiple journalistic startups based on community issues around race, media and politics.

Twice as Good is a newsletter where I curate black news that centres human stories and the deeper context behind the headline. I do this in both text and audio formats whenever possible, so you can listen or read as you wish.

Share your tips and feedback by replying to this email, or send me a voicemail.

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Jamie Larson
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