npr--2020-08-12--Kamala Harris Pick For VP Is Hailed As 'A Moment Of Pride' In India

Kamala Harris Pick For VP Is Hailed As ' A Moment Of Pride ' In India Many Indians are tweeting support Wednesday for Kamala Harris , celebrating their connection to the new presumptive Democratic nominee for vice president , whose mother was from India .
Harris is not only the first woman of color to appear on a major U.S. presidential ticket , but she is also the first person of South Asian descent .
`` This is a historical , transformational , and proud moment for ... all women of colour , all Black women , and all South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chopra tweeted .
`` Pride for India !
! ''
says another .
Harris ' mother , Shyamala Gopalan , who died in 2009 , was a Hindu whose family hails from Tamil Nadu , a state in southern India .
Gopalan moved to California for graduate school before Harris was born .
`` It is a moment of pride for Indians and Tamil Nadu especially , '' tweeted the state 's deputy chief minister , Thiru O. Panneerselvam .
While Harris has most often identified herself as Black , and on occasion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about her Indian mother 's influence on her in her 2019 memoir , The Truths We Hold .
Harris has previously spoken about her family 's Indian heritage , including in a giggly cooking video with actor Mindy Kaling .
Harris has said she has fond memories of strolling Tamil Nadu 's beaches with her late grandfather .
But some supporters of India 's Hindu nationalist government also took to social media Wednesday to criticize Harris for her stance on Kashmir , India 's only Muslim-majority region .
`` This is one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ KamalaHarris .
She 's the favorite candidate of those who want to break my ancestral homeland of # Kashmir away from India , '' one tweet read .
Last year , the Indian government canceled the special autonomy of what was then the state of Jammu and Kashmir and put the region under direct central government control .
Afterward , Rep. Pramila Jayapal — a Democrat and Indian American congresswoman — introduced a U.S. House resolution urging India to uphold human rights and refrain from the use of violence in Kashmir .
Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ India 's foreign minister abruptly canceled a meeting with U.S. lawmakers because Jayapal was included .
In September 2019 , as a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries , Harris also responded to a question from a Kashmiri American at a campaign event by saying : `` [ Kashmiris ] are not alone .
We are all watching .
So often , when we see human rights abuses ... the abuser will convince those that they abuse that nobody cares , and that nobody 's watching , and that nobody is paying attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuser . ''
Still , the national general secretary of India 's ruling Hindu nationalist party on Wednesday tweeted his congratulations to Harris for her nomination .

Kamala Harris Pick For VP Is Hailed As 'A Moment Of Pride' In India
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Many Indians are tweeting support Wednesday for Kamala Harris, celebrating their connection to the new presumptive Democratic nominee for vice president, whose mother was from India.
Harris is not only the first woman of color to appear on a major U.S. presidential ticket, but she is also the first person of South Asian descent.
"This is a historical, transformational, and proud moment for... all women of colour, all Black women, and all South Asian women," Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra tweeted. "Pride for India!!" says another.
Harris' mother, Shyamala Gopalan, who died in 2009, was a Hindu whose family hails from Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India. Gopalan moved to California for graduate school before Harris was born.
"It is a moment of pride for Indians and Tamil Nadu especially," tweeted the state's deputy chief minister, Thiru O. Panneerselvam.
While Harris has most often identified herself as Black, and on occasion, as African American, she wrote about her Indian mother's influence on her in her 2019 memoir, The Truths We Hold. Harris has previously spoken about her family's Indian heritage, including in a giggly cooking video with actor Mindy Kaling. Harris has said she has fond memories of strolling Tamil Nadu's beaches with her late grandfather.
But some supporters of India's Hindu nationalist government also took to social media Wednesday to criticize Harris for her stance on Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority region.
"This is one of the reasons I don't support #KamalaHarris. She's the favorite candidate of those who want to break my ancestral homeland of #Kashmir away from India," one tweet read.
Last year, the Indian government canceled the special autonomy of what was then the state of Jammu and Kashmir and put the region under direct central government control. Afterward, Rep. Pramila Jayapal — a Democrat and Indian American congresswoman — introduced a U.S. House resolution urging India to uphold human rights and refrain from the use of violence in Kashmir. Harris then tweeted her support for Jayapal when India's foreign minister abruptly canceled a meeting with U.S. lawmakers because Jayapal was included.
In September 2019, as a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, Harris also responded to a question from a Kashmiri American at a campaign event by saying: "[Kashmiris] are not alone. We are all watching. So often, when we see human rights abuses... the abuser will convince those that they abuse that nobody cares, and that nobody's watching, and that nobody is paying attention — which is a tool of an abuser."
Still, the national general secretary of India's ruling Hindu nationalist party on Wednesday tweeted his congratulations to Harris for her nomination.


npr--2020-08-12--'We Made Herstory': Fani Willis Poised To Become First Woman DA in Georgia County

'We Made Herstory ' : Fani Willis Poised To Become First Woman DA in Georgia County The longtime Fulton County , Ga. , District Attorney , who in recent weeks gained national attention for leading the prosecution of white police officers in the killing of Rayshard Brooks , was trounced in primary runoff on Tuesday by his former employee .
Paul Howard , who became the first Black district attorney in Georgia when he assumed office in 1997 , was crushed by Fani Willis who secured more than 73 % of the vote .
Howard came in second during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ runoff was triggered when neither surpassed 50 % of the vote .
`` Y'all we made herstory , '' said Willis , who is Black , to a group of supporters gathered outside her Midtown Atlanta-area campaign headquarters .
There is no Republican qualified for the general election , effectively making Willis the next Fulton County District Attorney .
She is poised to become the first woman to lead the district attorney 's office .
`` My staff and I will do what 's right , every time and all the time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or we 're handling a case that no one knows but us and that family , '' Willis said .
`` That 's what you have the right to respect and that 's what I will do . ''
Willis was hired by Howard and worked in his office for 16 years , eventually being placed in the Major Case and Cold Case Divisions from 2004 to 2012 and was subsequently named deputy district attorney of the Complex Trial Division , according to her campaign website .
In 2018 , she left the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice .
Willis was the lead prosecutor in the trial of 12 Atlanta educators who were charged in a widespread cheating scandal where students ' standardized test scores were inflated .
All but one of those educators was found guilty of racketeering , the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports .
The paper also notes Howard , who had been seeking his seventh term , had been dogged in recent weeks by a number of scandals , including several investigations into his conduct in office .
The AJC adds : Howard also is facing scrutiny for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where Garrett Rolfe , the now-fired Atlanta police officer shot and killed Brooks on the night of June 12 in a Wendy 's restaurant parking lot .
Howard charged Rolfe with felony murder and 10 other counts five days after the shooting .
The former officer faces a possible life sentence without parole if convicted .
Rolfe is out on bond , as is officer Devin Brosnan , who is facing aggravated assault and other lesser charges .
He remains with the Atlanta Police Department .
Critics , including Rep. Doug Collins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tight contest in November for a U.S. Senate seat , have accused Howard of being driven by `` political pressure '' when his office filed charges against the officers , both of whom are white .
Collins last month formally asked Attorney General William Barr to launch a probe into `` the egregious abuse of power '' by Howard in the case .
Soon after Collins ' request , GBI reportedly expanded its investigation of Howard 's conduct in office to include why the Fulton County District Attorney 's office issued grand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting but did not impanel a grand jury .
`` I was so humbled to get this job in the first place , '' Howard said in remarks to reporters Tuesday night after conceding the race .
`` I came with pride and I 'm leaving with pride . ''
For her part , Willis promised to bring compassion , transparency and integrity to the office .
`` You have my word that during my tenure as district attorney in Fulton County , we will be a beacon ... for justice and ethics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Willis said .
She gave a nod to another woman who made history Tuesday , Sen. Kamala Harris of California who was named by presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden to be his running mate .
Harris is the first Black and first Asian American to be nominated as a vice presidential nominee by a major U.S. political party .
`` And let me say one more thing , '' Willis said .
`` Ai n't it good to be an alumni of Howard University '' which drew cheers from her supporters .

'We Made Herstory': Fani Willis Poised To Become First Woman DA in Georgia County
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kent D. Johnson/AP Kent D. Johnson/AP
The longtime Fulton County, Ga., District Attorney, who in recent weeks gained national attention for leading the prosecution of white police officers in the killing of Rayshard Brooks, was trounced in primary runoff on Tuesday by his former employee.
Paul Howard, who became the first Black district attorney in Georgia when he assumed office in 1997, was crushed by Fani Willis who secured more than 73% of the vote.
Howard came in second during the June primary behind Willis, but a runoff was triggered when neither surpassed 50% of the vote.
"Y'all we made herstory," said Willis, who is Black, to a group of supporters gathered outside her Midtown Atlanta-area campaign headquarters.
There is no Republican qualified for the general election, effectively making Willis the next Fulton County District Attorney. She is poised to become the first woman to lead the district attorney's office.
"My staff and I will do what's right, every time and all the time, whether the news cameras are on us or we're handling a case that no one knows but us and that family," Willis said.
"That's what you have the right to respect and that's what I will do."
Willis was hired by Howard and worked in his office for 16 years, eventually being placed in the Major Case and Cold Case Divisions from 2004 to 2012 and was subsequently named deputy district attorney of the Complex Trial Division, according to her campaign website. In 2018, she left the DA's office and opened her own practice.
Willis was the lead prosecutor in the trial of 12 Atlanta educators who were charged in a widespread cheating scandal where students' standardized test scores were inflated.
All but one of those educators was found guilty of racketeering, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
The paper also notes Howard, who had been seeking his seventh term, had been dogged in recent weeks by a number of scandals, including several investigations into his conduct in office. The AJC adds:
"Howard faces federal lawsuits alleging discrimination or sexual harassment by subordinates past and present. The [Georgia Bureau of Investigation] is investigating his use of a nonprofit to funnel almost $200,000 of city of Atlanta funds into his personal bank account. "Last week, he agreed to pay a $6,500 state ethics fine for failing to disclose his role as CEO of two non-profits, one of which netted him $195,000 in city grant money. Howard was accused of 14 violations, which he admitted to in the consent agreement."
Howard also is facing scrutiny for his handling of the Rayshard Brooks case, where Garrett Rolfe, the now-fired Atlanta police officer shot and killed Brooks on the night of June 12 in a Wendy's restaurant parking lot.
Howard charged Rolfe with felony murder and 10 other counts five days after the shooting. The former officer faces a possible life sentence without parole if convicted.
Rolfe is out on bond, as is officer Devin Brosnan, who is facing aggravated assault and other lesser charges. He remains with the Atlanta Police Department.
Critics, including Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga, who is himself in a tight contest in November for a U.S. Senate seat, have accused Howard of being driven by "political pressure" when his office filed charges against the officers, both of whom are white.
Collins last month formally asked Attorney General William Barr to launch a probe into "the egregious abuse of power" by Howard in the case.
Soon after Collins' request, GBI reportedly expanded its investigation of Howard's conduct in office to include why the Fulton County District Attorney's office issued grand jury subpoenas connected to the Brooks' shooting but did not impanel a grand jury.
"I was so humbled to get this job in the first place," Howard said in remarks to reporters Tuesday night after conceding the race. "I came with pride and I'm leaving with pride."
For her part, Willis promised to bring compassion, transparency and integrity to the office.
"You have my word that during my tenure as district attorney in Fulton County, we will be a beacon ... for justice and ethics in Georgia and in this nation," Willis said.
She gave a nod to another woman who made history Tuesday, Sen. Kamala Harris of California who was named by presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden to be his running mate.
Harris is the first Black and first Asian American to be nominated as a vice presidential nominee by a major U.S. political party.
Both women attended a historically black university in Washington, D.C.
"And let me say one more thing," Willis said. "Ain't it good to be an alumni of Howard University" which drew cheers from her supporters.


npr--2020-08-12--Black Power Scholar Illustrates How MLK And Malcolm X Influenced Each Other

Black Power Scholar Illustrates How MLK And Malcolm X Influenced Each Other Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are frequently seen as opposing forces in the struggle for civil rights and against white supremacy ; King is often portrayed as a nonviolent insider , while Malcolm X is characterized as a by-any-means-necessary political renegade .
But author and Black Power scholar Peniel Joseph says the truth is more nuanced .
`` I 've always been fascinated by Malcolm X and Dr. King ... and dissatisfied in how they 're usually portrayed — both in books and in popular culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book , The Sword and the Shield : The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. , Joseph braids together the lives of the two civil rights leaders .
He says that King and Malcolm X had `` convergent visions '' for Black America — but their strategies for how to reach the goal was informed by their different upbringings .
`` Malcolm X is really scarred by racial trauma at a very early age , '' Joseph says .
`` King , in contrast , has a very gilded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an upper-middle-class , African-American family , prosperous family that runs one of the most important churches in Black Atlanta . ''
Joseph says that , over time , each man became the other 's `` alter ego . ''
Malcolm X , he says , `` injects a political radicalism on the national scene that absolutely makes Dr. King and his movement much more palatable to mainstream Americans . ''
Now , with the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement , Joseph says that King and Malcolm X 's visions have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that the Black Lives Matter protesters really are protesting for radical Black dignity and citizenship and see that you need both .
So Malcolm and Martin are the revolutionary sides of the same coin , and really the BLM movement has amplified that . ''
On what Malcolm X meant by racial separatism This idea of separatism is really interesting .
The deeper I investigated Malcolm X , the more I understood what he meant and what the Nation of Islam meant by racial separatism .
It was n't segregation .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Malcolm does this in a series of debates against Bayard Rustin , against Jim Farmer , against James Baldwin , Louis Lomax .
He says that racial separatism is required because white people do not want Black people to be citizens and have dignity .
And if they did , you would n't have to protest and experience police violence and police brutality : small children trying to integrate Little Rock High School , young people trying to integrate lunch counters , and they 're arrested and brutalized , sometimes people were killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interesting about this idea of separatism , Malcolm argues separatism is Black people having enough self-love and enough confidence in themselves to organize and build parallel institutions .
Because America was so infected with the disease of racism , they could never racially integrate into American democracy .
On Malcolm X 's vision of `` by any means necessary '' protest Malcolm is making the argument that , one , Black people have the right to self-defense and to defend themselves against police brutality .
It 's really striking when you follow Malcolm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of court appearances he 's making , whether it 's in Buffalo , N.Y. , or Los Angeles or Rochester , N.Y. , where members of the Nation of Islam have been brutalized [ and ] , at times , killed by police violence .
So Malcolm is arguing that , one , Black people have a right to defend themselves .
Second part of Malcolm 's argument — because he travels to the Middle East by 1959 , travels for 25 weeks overseas in 1964 — is that because there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Africa and the Third World in the context of the 1950s and '60s , he makes the argument that the Black revolution in the United States is only going to be a true revolution once Black people start utilizing self-defense to end the racial terror they 're experiencing both in the 1950s and '60s , but historically .
And one of the reasons Malcolm makes that argument , obviously , is because his father and his family had experienced that racial terror .
On King 's policy of non-violent protest v. self defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that when we think about nonviolence versus self-defense , it 's very , very complex , because even though Martin Luther King Jr. is America 's apostle and a follower of Gandhi and believes in nonviolence , there are always people around King who are trying to protect him and in demonstrations , who actually are armed , they 're not armed in the same way that , say , the Black Panthers would arm themselves later , but they 're armed to actually protect and defend peaceful civil rights activists from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ King famously had had armed guards around him in Montgomery , Ala. , after his home was firebombed during the bus boycott of 1955 to '56 .
And it 's Bayard Rustin who famously told him he could n't have those armed guards if he wanted to live out the practice of nonviolence .
So King usually does not have his own people being armed .
But when he 's in the Deep South , there are civil rights activists who actually are armed and at times protecting him .
They 're not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conference , but the movement always had people who were trying to protect peaceful demonstrators against racial terror .
On King 's response to Malcolm X 's argument against non-violent civil disobedience King has several responses : One is that nonviolence is both a moral and political strategy .
So the morality and the religious argument is that Black people could not succumb to enemy politics .
And this idea that when we think about white racism , we would become as bad as the people who are oppressing us .
So he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says , well , then there are n't enough Black people , even if they arm themselves to win some kind of armed conflict and struggle .
And then finally , he says and there 's a great speech in 1963 in Los Angeles where he does n't mention Malcolm X , but he 's speaking out against Malcolm X in terms of what 's happening in Birmingham .
And Malcolm has called him an Uncle Tom and all kinds of names .
He says that non-violence is the weapon of strength @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are powerful and courageous and brave and heroic and disciplined .
It 's not the weapon of the weak , because we 're going to use this non-violent strategy to actually transform the United States of America against its own will .
...
I say Malcolm is Black America 's prosecuting attorney .
He 's prosecuting white America for a series of crimes against Black humanity that date back to racial slavery .
Dr. King is Black America 's defense attorney — but he 's very interesting : He defends both sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black people to white people and tells white people that Black people do n't want Black supremacy .
They do n't want reverse racism .
They do n't want revenge for racial slavery and Jim Crow segregation .
They just want to be included in the body politic and have citizenship .
But he also defends white people to Black people .
He 's constantly telling — especially as the movement gets further radicalized — Black people that white people are good people , that white people , we can redeem the souls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white allies who have fought and struggled and died with us to achieve Black citizenship .
So it 's very interesting , the roles they both play .
But over time , after Malcolm 's assassination , one of the biggest ironies and transformations is that King becomes Black America 's prosecuting attorney .
On how Malcolm X and King 's visions merged They start to merge , especially in the aftermath of Malcolm 's assassination on Feb. 21 , 1965 .
And in a way , when we think about King , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has what he later calls one of those `` mountaintop moments . ''
And he always says there are these mountaintop moments , but then you have to go back to the valley .
And that mountaintop moment is going to be the Selma to Montgomery march , even though initially , when we think about March 7 , 1965 — Bloody Sunday — demonstrators , including the late Congressman John Lewis , are battered by Alabama state troopers , non-violent demonstrators , peaceful demonstrators on the Edmund Pettus Bridge .
But by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is going to say these protesters are right and they are part of a long pantheon of American heroes dating back to the revolution .
And then March 21 to the 25 , the Selma to Montgomery demonstration is going to attract 30,000 Americans — including white allies , Jewish allies like Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel — to King and the movement .
So King is going to make his last , fully nationally televised speech on March 25 , 1965 , where he talks about American democracy , racial justice , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that August , Aug. 6 , 1965 , the Voting Rights Act has passed .
So these are real high points .
But then five days after the Voting Rights Act is passed , Watts , Los Angeles explodes in really the largest civil disturbance in American history up until that point .
And when we think about after Watts , that 's where King and Malcolm start to converge , because Malcolm had criticized the March on Washington as the `` farce on Washington , '' because he said that King and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D.C. , and forced a reckoning about race in America .
And they did n't do that .
By 1965 , King says that in this essay , `` Beyond the Los Angeles Riots , '' that what he 's going to start doing is use non-violent civil disobedience as a peaceful sword that paralyzes cities to produce justice that goes beyond civil rights and voting rights acts .
Sam Briger and Thea Chaloner produced and edited the audio of this interview .
Bridget Bentz , Molly Seavy-Nesper and Meghan Sullivan adapted it @ @ @ @

Black Power Scholar Illustrates How MLK And Malcolm X Influenced Each Other
Enlarge this image toggle caption Thabo Jaiyesimi/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Thabo Jaiyesimi/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are frequently seen as opposing forces in the struggle for civil rights and against white supremacy; King is often portrayed as a nonviolent insider, while Malcolm X is characterized as a by-any-means-necessary political renegade. But author and Black Power scholar Peniel Joseph says the truth is more nuanced.
"I've always been fascinated by Malcolm X and Dr. King ... and dissatisfied in how they're usually portrayed — both in books and in popular culture," Joseph says.
In his book, The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., Joseph braids together the lives of the two civil rights leaders. He says that King and Malcolm X had "convergent visions" for Black America — but their strategies for how to reach the goal was informed by their different upbringings.
"Malcolm X is really scarred by racial trauma at a very early age," Joseph says. "King, in contrast, has a very gilded childhood, and he's the son of an upper-middle-class, African-American family, prosperous family that runs one of the most important churches in Black Atlanta."
What's really extraordinary is that the Black Lives Matter protesters really are protesting for radical Black dignity and citizenship and see that you need both. So Malcolm and Martin are the revolutionary sides of the same coin, and really the BLM movement has amplified that.
Joseph says that, over time, each man became the other's "alter ego." Malcolm X, he says, "injects a political radicalism on the national scene that absolutely makes Dr. King and his movement much more palatable to mainstream Americans."
Now, with the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, Joseph says that King and Malcolm X's visions have converged: "What's really extraordinary is that the Black Lives Matter protesters really are protesting for radical Black dignity and citizenship and see that you need both. So Malcolm and Martin are the revolutionary sides of the same coin, and really the BLM movement has amplified that."
Interview highlights
Basic Books
On what Malcolm X meant by racial separatism
This idea of separatism is really interesting. The deeper I investigated Malcolm X, the more I understood what he meant and what the Nation of Islam meant by racial separatism. It wasn't segregation. It was separatism, they argued, and Malcolm does this in a series of debates against Bayard Rustin, against Jim Farmer, against James Baldwin, Louis Lomax. He says that racial separatism is required because white people do not want Black people to be citizens and have dignity. And if they did, you wouldn't have to protest and experience police violence and police brutality: small children trying to integrate Little Rock High School, young people trying to integrate lunch counters, and they're arrested and brutalized, sometimes people were killed, of course. So what's interesting about this idea of separatism, Malcolm argues separatism is Black people having enough self-love and enough confidence in themselves to organize and build parallel institutions. Because America was so infected with the disease of racism, they could never racially integrate into American democracy.
On Malcolm X's vision of "by any means necessary" protest
Malcolm is making the argument that, one, Black people have the right to self-defense and to defend themselves against police brutality. It's really striking when you follow Malcolm X in the 1950s and '60s, the number of court appearances he's making, whether it's in Buffalo, N.Y., or Los Angeles or Rochester, N.Y., where members of the Nation of Islam have been brutalized [and], at times, killed by police violence. So Malcolm is arguing that, one, Black people have a right to defend themselves. Second part of Malcolm's argument — because he travels to the Middle East by 1959, travels for 25 weeks overseas in 1964 — is that because there [are] anti-colonial revolutions raging across Africa and the Third World in the context of the 1950s and '60s, he makes the argument that the Black revolution in the United States is only going to be a true revolution once Black people start utilizing self-defense to end the racial terror they're experiencing both in the 1950s and '60s, but historically. And one of the reasons Malcolm makes that argument, obviously, is because his father and his family had experienced that racial terror.
On King's policy of non-violent protest v. self defense
One thing that's important to know is that when we think about nonviolence versus self-defense, it's very, very complex, because even though Martin Luther King Jr. is America's apostle and a follower of Gandhi and believes in nonviolence, there are always people around King who are trying to protect him and in demonstrations, who actually are armed, they're not armed in the same way that, say, the Black Panthers would arm themselves later, but they're armed to actually protect and defend peaceful civil rights activists from racial terror. And of course, King famously had had armed guards around him in Montgomery, Ala., after his home was firebombed during the bus boycott of 1955 to '56. And it's Bayard Rustin who famously told him he couldn't have those armed guards if he wanted to live out the practice of nonviolence.
So King usually does not have his own people being armed. But when he's in the Deep South, there are civil rights activists who actually are armed and at times protecting him. They're not necessarily connected to his Southern Christian Leadership Conference, but the movement always had people who were trying to protect peaceful demonstrators against racial terror.
On King's response to Malcolm X's argument against non-violent civil disobedience
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kelvin Ma/Basic Books Kelvin Ma/Basic Books
King has several responses: One is that nonviolence is both a moral and political strategy. So the morality and the religious argument is that Black people could not succumb to enemy politics. And this idea that when we think about white racism, we would become as bad as the people who are oppressing us. So he pushes back against that. Politically, he says, well, then there aren't enough Black people, even if they arm themselves to win some kind of armed conflict and struggle. And then finally, he says and there's a great speech in 1963 in Los Angeles where he doesn't mention Malcolm X, but he's speaking out against Malcolm X in terms of what's happening in Birmingham. And Malcolm has called him an Uncle Tom and all kinds of names. He says that non-violence is the weapon of strength. It's the weapon of people who are powerful and courageous and brave and heroic and disciplined. It's not the weapon of the weak, because we're going to use this non-violent strategy to actually transform the United States of America against its own will. ...
I say Malcolm is Black America's prosecuting attorney. He's prosecuting white America for a series of crimes against Black humanity that date back to racial slavery. Dr. King is Black America's defense attorney — but he's very interesting: He defends both sides of the color line. He defends Black people to white people and tells white people that Black people don't want Black supremacy. They don't want reverse racism. They don't want revenge for racial slavery and Jim Crow segregation. They just want to be included in the body politic and have citizenship. But he also defends white people to Black people. He's constantly telling — especially as the movement gets further radicalized — Black people that white people are good people, that white people, we can redeem the souls of the nation. And we have white allies who have fought and struggled and died with us to achieve Black citizenship. So it's very interesting, the roles they both play. But over time, after Malcolm's assassination, one of the biggest ironies and transformations is that King becomes Black America's prosecuting attorney.
On how Malcolm X and King's visions merged
They start to merge, especially in the aftermath of Malcolm's assassination on Feb. 21, 1965. And in a way, when we think about King, right after Malcolm's assassination, King has what he later calls one of those "mountaintop moments." And he always says there are these mountaintop moments, but then you have to go back to the valley. And that mountaintop moment is going to be the Selma to Montgomery march, even though initially, when we think about March 7, 1965 — Bloody Sunday — demonstrators, including the late Congressman John Lewis, are battered by Alabama state troopers, non-violent demonstrators, peaceful demonstrators on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
But by March 15, LBJ, the president, is going to say these protesters are right and they are part of a long pantheon of American heroes dating back to the revolution. And then March 21 to the 25, the Selma to Montgomery demonstration is going to attract 30,000 Americans — including white allies, Jewish allies like Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel — to King and the movement. So King is going to make his last, fully nationally televised speech on March 25, 1965, where he talks about American democracy, racial justice, but the long road ahead. By that August, Aug. 6, 1965, the Voting Rights Act has passed. So these are real high points.
But then five days after the Voting Rights Act is passed, Watts, Los Angeles explodes in really the largest civil disturbance in American history up until that point. And when we think about after Watts, that's where King and Malcolm start to converge, because Malcolm had criticized the March on Washington as the "farce on Washington," because he said that King and the movement should have paralyzed Washington, D.C., and forced a reckoning about race in America. And they didn't do that. By 1965, King says that in this essay, "Beyond the Los Angeles Riots," that what he's going to start doing is use non-violent civil disobedience as a peaceful sword that paralyzes cities to produce justice that goes beyond civil rights and voting rights acts.
Sam Briger and Thea Chaloner produced and edited the audio of this interview. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Meghan Sullivan adapted it for the Web.


npr--2020-08-12--Harris, As Biden's Running Mate, Says Case Against Trump Is 'Open And Shut'

Harris , As Biden 's Running Mate , Says Case Against Trump Is 'Open And Shut' Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his newly named running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris of California , made their first joint appearance Wednesday following Biden 's announcement of the selection a day earlier .
`` I have no doubt that I picked the right person to join me as the next vice president of the United States of America , '' Biden said in scripted remarks at a high school in his hometown of Wilmington , Del .
Amid the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throngs of supporters is not possible .
Instead , the two walked out wearing masks , and one person sat several feet away as the other spoke .
Harris is the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants , and Biden 's choice will make her the third woman — and first woman of color — to be nominated for vice president by a major political party .
`` This morning , '' Biden said , `` all across the nation , little girls woke up , especially little Black and brown girls who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our communities , but today , today just maybe they 're seeing themselves , for the first time , in a new way — as the stuff of presidents and vice presidents . ''
Biden criticized President Trump 's personal attacks on Harris .
Trump called Harris `` nasty , '' and Biden said Trump is `` whining about how she 's been 'mean ' to his appointees . ''
Biden added : `` It 's no surprise because whining is what Donald Trump does better than any president in American history .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ remarks that closely mirrored his stump speech in which he talks about the need for a better coordinated federal response to the pandemic and a revitalized economy .
Biden noted the day marked the third anniversary of the racist violence in Charlottesville , Va. , which he says caused him to decide to run for president to wage `` a battle for the soul of the nation . ''
In her first remarks since being announced as Biden 's running mate , Harris said she was mindful of the `` heroic and ambitious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ word that had reportedly been levied against her as a critique .
She recounted her experience as a prosecutor and said the `` case against Donald Trump and Mike Pence is open and shut . ''
`` We need more than a victory on Nov. 3 ; we need a mandate that proves the past few years do not represent who we are or who we aspire to be , '' she said .
She also talked about the special relationship she formed with Biden 's late son , Beau , whom she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney general .
`` Ever since I received Joe 's call , I 've been thinking ... about the first Biden that I really came to know , '' she said , describing how during the Great Recession she and Beau Biden would sometimes speak multiple times a day .
`` Beau was the kind of guy who inspired people to be a better version of themselves , '' Harris recounted .
`` He really was the best of us .
And when I would ask him , 'Where 'd this come from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his dad . ''
Joe Biden , meanwhile , referred to Harris , her husband , Doug Emhoff , and their children as `` honorary Bidens . ''
`` Ready to go to work ? ''
In a tweet earlier Wednesday , Biden shared a video that documents the moment he asked Harris to join the ticket , asking , `` You ready to go to work ? ''
Trump , in a press briefing Tuesday , began his criticism of the new vice presidential candidate , calling her the `` most liberal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement Wednesday , the Trump campaign blasted Harris for pushing `` Biden even farther to the left than he had already moved '' and that `` Joe Biden and Kamala Harris together make up the most extreme , leftist ticket in American major party history . ''
Harris was a prosecutor in the Alameda County and San Francisco district attorney 's offices , and then became the San Francisco district attorney .
She won election as California attorney general in 2010 before becoming , in 2016 , just the second Black woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate .
She gained national attention during the televised Senate hearings for Brett Kavanaugh 's confirmation to the Supreme Court and Russia 's efforts to interfere in the U.S. presidential election .
Harris ran for president but bowed out in late 2019 .
Another onetime Democratic candidate , Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota , told Here & Now on Wednesday that she spoke with Harris a day earlier .
`` I ca n't wait to see what they will do together , not just as a ticket , but what she will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , working side by side with Joe Biden .
She knows how to govern , '' Klobuchar said .
The process of selecting Biden 's running mate was extensive .
The original list of contenders had more than 20 names on it .
Co-chairs from Biden 's selection committee met with every candidate , asking them about their vision and agenda — and even what they anticipated Trump 's nickname for them to be .
The initial list was narrowed to 11 women who were then deeply vetted by a team of lawyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the very start was on who would be the best governing partner to help him lead our country out of the chaos created by Donald Trump .
Senator Harris is the right person to join Joe Biden in bringing our country together and restoring the soul of the nation , '' read a joint statement from the Biden campaign 's selection committee .
Biden and Harris will formally accept the nominations during the virtual Democratic convention , which is scheduled for next week .
During his remarks , Biden shared that his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political fundraising , `` and I think I know why , '' he said , smiling at Harris .
Later Wednesday , at a joint virtual fundraiser , Biden said the campaign had raised $ 26 million over the past 24 hours .

Harris, As Biden's Running Mate, Says Case Against Trump Is 'Open And Shut'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 7:38 p.m. ET
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his newly named running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, made their first joint appearance Wednesday following Biden's announcement of the selection a day earlier.
"I have no doubt that I picked the right person to join me as the next vice president of the United States of America," Biden said in scripted remarks at a high school in his hometown of Wilmington, Del.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, an introductory rally in front of throngs of supporters is not possible. Instead, the two walked out wearing masks, and one person sat several feet away as the other spoke.
Harris is the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, and Biden's choice will make her the third woman — and first woman of color — to be nominated for vice president by a major political party.
"This morning," Biden said, "all across the nation, little girls woke up, especially little Black and brown girls who so often feel overlooked and undervalued in our communities, but today, today just maybe they're seeing themselves, for the first time, in a new way — as the stuff of presidents and vice presidents."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Carolyn Kaster/AP Carolyn Kaster/AP
Biden criticized President Trump's personal attacks on Harris. Trump called Harris "nasty," and Biden said Trump is "whining about how she's been 'mean' to his appointees."
Biden added: "It's no surprise because whining is what Donald Trump does better than any president in American history."
The former vice president launched into remarks that closely mirrored his stump speech in which he talks about the need for a better coordinated federal response to the pandemic and a revitalized economy.
Biden noted the day marked the third anniversary of the racist violence in Charlottesville, Va., which he says caused him to decide to run for president to wage "a battle for the soul of the nation."
In her first remarks since being announced as Biden's running mate, Harris said she was mindful of the "heroic and ambitious women before me," using a word that had reportedly been levied against her as a critique.
She recounted her experience as a prosecutor and said the "case against Donald Trump and Mike Pence is open and shut."
"We need more than a victory on Nov. 3; we need a mandate that proves the past few years do not represent who we are or who we aspire to be," she said.
She also talked about the special relationship she formed with Biden's late son, Beau, whom she worked with when he was Delaware's attorney general.
"Ever since I received Joe's call, I've been thinking ... about the first Biden that I really came to know," she said, describing how during the Great Recession she and Beau Biden would sometimes speak multiple times a day.
"Beau was the kind of guy who inspired people to be a better version of themselves," Harris recounted. "He really was the best of us. And when I would ask him, 'Where'd this come from?' he'd always talk about his dad."
Joe Biden, meanwhile, referred to Harris, her husband, Doug Emhoff, and their children as "honorary Bidens."
"Ready to go to work?"
In a tweet earlier Wednesday, Biden shared a video that documents the moment he asked Harris to join the ticket, asking, "You ready to go to work?"
Trump, in a press briefing Tuesday, began his criticism of the new vice presidential candidate, calling her the "most liberal person in the Senate."
In a statement Wednesday, the Trump campaign blasted Harris for pushing "Biden even farther to the left than he had already moved" and that "Joe Biden and Kamala Harris together make up the most extreme, leftist ticket in American major party history."
Harris was a prosecutor in the Alameda County and San Francisco district attorney's offices, and then became the San Francisco district attorney. She won election as California attorney general in 2010 before becoming, in 2016, just the second Black woman in U.S. history to be elected to the Senate.
She gained national attention during the televised Senate hearings for Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation to the Supreme Court and Russia's efforts to interfere in the U.S. presidential election. Harris ran for president but bowed out in late 2019.
Another onetime Democratic candidate, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, told Here & Now on Wednesday that she spoke with Harris a day earlier.
"I can't wait to see what they will do together, not just as a ticket, but what she will bring to the office of vice president, working side by side with Joe Biden. She knows how to govern," Klobuchar said.
The process of selecting Biden's running mate was extensive. The original list of contenders had more than 20 names on it. Co-chairs from Biden's selection committee met with every candidate, asking them about their vision and agenda — and even what they anticipated Trump's nickname for them to be. The initial list was narrowed to 11 women who were then deeply vetted by a team of lawyers.
"Vice President Biden's focus from the very start was on who would be the best governing partner to help him lead our country out of the chaos created by Donald Trump. Senator Harris is the right person to join Joe Biden in bringing our country together and restoring the soul of the nation," read a joint statement from the Biden campaign's selection committee.
Biden and Harris will formally accept the nominations during the virtual Democratic convention, which is scheduled for next week.
During his remarks, Biden shared that his campaign set a single-day record for online political fundraising, "and I think I know why," he said, smiling at Harris.
Later Wednesday, at a joint virtual fundraiser, Biden said the campaign had raised $26 million over the past 24 hours.


npr--2020-08-12--QAnon Supporter Who Made Bigoted Videos Wins Ga. Primary, Likely Heading To Congress

QAnon Supporter Who Made Bigoted Videos Wins Ga. Primary , Likely Heading To Congress A Georgia Republican who has said that Muslims do not belong in government and expressed her belief in the baseless conspiracy theory called QAnon has won her primary runoff and is all but certain to win a seat in the House of Representatives in November .
Marjorie Taylor Greene , a construction executive , won 57 % of the vote in Georgia 's heavily-Republican 14th Congressional District , handily defeating neurosurgeon John Cowan , who had pitched himself as , `` All of the conservative , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump congratulated Greene on Wednesday morning , calling her a `` future Republican Star '' who is `` strong on everything . ''
Many high-ranking Republicans in the House of Representatives distanced themselves from Greene earlier this summer , after Politico highlighted videos in which Greene expressed anti-Muslim sentiments .
A spokesman for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called her views `` appalling . ''
Facebook took down an ad in which Greene brandished a rifle and threatened antifa protesters , saying it violated its policies against inciting violence .
And many media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outlandish QAnon conspiracy theory .
As Emma Hurt of member station WABE reports , `` all of it only fueled her message . ''
`` The fake news media hates me .
Big Tech censors me , '' Greene said in a video on Twitter .
`` The DC Swamp fears me .
And George Soros and the Democrats are trying to take me down . ''
In videos spotlighted by Politico , Greene called the election of two Muslim women to Congress `` an Islamic invasion into our government . ''
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. laws protect freedom of religion — and then said , `` but I 'm sorry , anyone that is a Muslim , that believes in Sharia law , does not belong in our government . ''
`` Let me explain something to you , Muhammad , '' she said in one video .
`` We already have equality and justice for all Americans .
Muslims are not being held back in any way ... what you people want is special treatment .
You want to rise above us . ''
Greene also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men have been held down by `` being in gangs and dealing drugs , '' not by anything white people have done ; that both white supremacists and members of the Black Lives Matter movement are `` idiots '' ; and that in seeking the Black vote , Democrats are `` trying to keep the Black people in a modern-day form of slavery . ''
Democrats are the real racists , Greene said , stating that `` the most mistreated group of people in the United States today are white males . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after she won the first round of primary voting for her district and multiple news outlets covered her support for the QAnon conspiracy .
The once-fringe conspiracy has made inroads into the mainstream , with multiple GOP candidates expressing , at a minimum , openness to the QAnon narrative .
The conspiracy includes a wide variety of shifting and often-contradictory predictions and allegations , but it centers on an anonymous figure named `` Q '' who asserts that a wave of mass arrests are about to take down high-ranking Trump opponents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the world is controlled by elite members of a secretive satanic child sex-trafficking ring .
`` Q is a patriot , we know that for sure , '' Greene said in a video from 2017 , in which she recapped some of Q 's predictions and why she supports them .
`` There 's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take this global cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles out , and I think we have the president to do it , '' she said , referring to Trump .

QAnon Supporter Who Made Bigoted Videos Wins Ga. Primary, Likely Heading To Congress
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mike Stewart/AP Mike Stewart/AP
A Georgia Republican who has said that Muslims do not belong in government and expressed her belief in the baseless conspiracy theory called QAnon has won her primary runoff and is all but certain to win a seat in the House of Representatives in November.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, a construction executive, won 57% of the vote in Georgia's heavily-Republican 14th Congressional District, handily defeating neurosurgeon John Cowan, who had pitched himself as, "All of the conservative, none of the embarrassment."
President Trump congratulated Greene on Wednesday morning, calling her a "future Republican Star" who is "strong on everything."
Many high-ranking Republicans in the House of Representatives distanced themselves from Greene earlier this summer, after Politico highlighted videos in which Greene expressed anti-Muslim sentiments. A spokesman for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called her views "appalling."
Facebook took down an ad in which Greene brandished a rifle and threatened antifa protesters, saying it violated its policies against inciting violence. And many media outlets have covered her support for the outlandish QAnon conspiracy theory.
As Emma Hurt of member station WABE reports, "all of it only fueled her message."
"The fake news media hates me. Big Tech censors me," Greene said in a video on Twitter. "The DC Swamp fears me. And George Soros and the Democrats are trying to take me down."
In videos spotlighted by Politico, Greene called the election of two Muslim women to Congress "an Islamic invasion into our government."
In one video message, Greene acknowledged that U.S. laws protect freedom of religion — and then said, "but I'm sorry, anyone that is a Muslim, that believes in Sharia law, does not belong in our government."
"Let me explain something to you, Muhammad," she said in one video. "We already have equality and justice for all Americans. Muslims are not being held back in any way ... what you people want is special treatment. You want to rise above us."
Greene also said that generations of Black and Hispanic men have been held down by "being in gangs and dealing drugs," not by anything white people have done; that both white supremacists and members of the Black Lives Matter movement are "idiots"; and that in seeking the Black vote, Democrats are "trying to keep the Black people in a modern-day form of slavery."
Democrats are the real racists, Greene said, stating that "the most mistreated group of people in the United States today are white males."
Greene made national headlines in early June, after she won the first round of primary voting for her district and multiple news outlets covered her support for the QAnon conspiracy.
The once-fringe conspiracy has made inroads into the mainstream, with multiple GOP candidates expressing, at a minimum, openness to the QAnon narrative.
The conspiracy includes a wide variety of shifting and often-contradictory predictions and allegations, but it centers on an anonymous figure named "Q" who asserts that a wave of mass arrests are about to take down high-ranking Trump opponents.
Followers of "Q" often believe that the world is controlled by elite members of a secretive satanic child sex-trafficking ring.
"Q is a patriot, we know that for sure," Greene said in a video from 2017, in which she recapped some of Q's predictions and why she supports them.
"There's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take this global cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles out, and I think we have the president to do it," she said, referring to Trump.


npr--2020-08-12--How An Artist, A Toy-Maker, A College Student Use Their Skills To Fight The Pandemic

How An Artist , A Toy-Maker , A College Student Use Their Skills To Fight The Pandemic Last month , we asked our audience : What are some of the inventive ways that people are addressing COVID-19 challenges in their community ?
Dozens of NPR readers wrote in with nominees .
Many are people who have found ways to put their special skills and talents to good use .
A former toy-maker , laid off from his job , is putting on puppet shows in his living room window for passersby .
An artist set up a socially distant art @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are helping local businesses provide low-cost meals to immigrant families in need .
Here are six profiles of volunteers who are making a difference .
In the weeks after March 25 , when India announced a nationwide lockdown to battle the coronavirus pandemic , Perpetual Nazareth , an English teacher at Don Bosco High School in Mumbai , India , was flooded with calls from teenage students who were bored and listless .
Although the school had pivoted to online classes , `` I could tell that it was a tough time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she says .
When Nazareth wondered how she could help , Joshua Salins , a former student , offered a suggestion : Why not teach them new hobbies ?
Salins had already established a small business called The Hobby Tribe in October 2019 to make it cheaper and easier for people to pursue the kinds of activities that he himself enjoys — singing , making art and playing music .
`` We would rent a place , hire teachers and gather people who wanted to learn something new , '' he says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six courses : dance , guitar , the keyboard , drums , tailoring and drawing Mandala art ( an Indian art form that employs circular patterns and shapes ) — at budget rates — ranging from a flat fee of $ 10- $ 20 for eight sessions .
After the lockdown , The Hobby Tribe ground to a halt , says the 21-year-old founder .
Students could n't attend in-person lessons .
So the organization had to reinvent itself .
Salins approached his alma mater to see if students would be interested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says Nazareth , who is not affiliated with the program .
Over 100 students signed up in a single day .
After shifting online , The Hobby Tribe hired more teachers and expanded to offer 40 courses , including coding , photography , beauty and makeup tips , cooking and trivia games at an even lower price — $ 2 for eight sessions .
Cheryl Moniz 's 15-year-old daughter Tamara is taking photography lessons from their home in Mumbai .
`` Kids need an outlet like this .
It gives them a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and productive , '' she says .
As word spread , it sparked interest from all over the world , Salins says .
Five hundred students are now enrolled .
Many are Indians based in the U.S. , U.K. , Nigeria , the United Arab Emirates , Australia , Cyprus , Hong Kong , Singapore , Oman and Qatar .
People of all ages are welcome to join .
`` In these tough times , hobbies do more than build character .
It 's an interesting way to interact with like-minded people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mold you into the person you want to become . ''
Kamala Thiagarajan is a freelance journalist based in Madurai , India , who has written for The International New York Times , BBC Travel and Forbes India .
You can follow her @ kamal_t .
For residents of 15-mile-long Lopez Island , which sits off the coast of Washington , finding a face mask is pretty easy .
Thanks to Chom Greacen , 29 , mask dispensers are scattered throughout the island .
People can pull a free cloth mask from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normally conducts energy research in Thailand , but due to travel restrictions , she has n't been able to continue her work .
So she 's been devoting her spare time to getting masks to the more than 2,000 islanders .
`` Back in March and April , masks [ of all types ] were difficult to come by or they were expensive , '' Greacen says .
While the islanders mobilized to get N95 masks donated to their EMTs and health care workers , she realized that everyone else would need a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greacen came up with her DIY project , Grab-and-Go Masks .
`` I thought of the little sanitary product vending machines that are in public bathrooms , '' Greacen says .
She made a prototype of a hanging rectangular box using leftover campaign signs from her husband 's run for the school board .
The durable , plastic material would protect the masks within .
The masks are also DIY , made using blue disposable shop towels made of polypropylene — they 're heavy duty paper towels typically used for cleaning up grease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shops .
The recommendation for the material came from Dr. Peter Tsai , the inventor of the N95 respirator .
To date , 40 volunteers have helped make some 6,000 masks using kits — complete with directions and supplies — provided by Greacen .
Volunteers also help restock the dispensers .
Greacen has not spent a cent on the project .
Shop towels for the masks are donated by the Islands Marine Center ( IMC ) , a local marina and boat dealership , which has two of Greacen 's dispensers on its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chom sprung into action [ at the start of the pandemic ] because there was no way to get masks whatsoever , '' Tim Slattery , general manager of the IMC , wrote in an email to NPR .
`` We work in an essential business that was still up and running , so having masks available was a must . ''
Today , dispensers can be found all over the island , indoors and outdoors .
They 're in high-traffic areas such as grocery stores , a bakery , the fudge shop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's market .
Some hang on the front doors of businesses for customers to grab as they enter .
Greacen plans to keep the project going as long as masks are needed .
Lopez Island has only had three cases of the coronavirus to date , according to the San Juan County Health Department .
Dr. Robert Wilson , the island physician who treated and diagnosed the three cases , says Greacen 's promotion of mask usage and making them available to the public has been great .
`` [ Lopez Island ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilson says .
`` People here are more connected and more likely to get involved .
They 're interested in keeping each other safe . ''
Nadia Whitehead is a freelance journalist and science writer .
Her work has appeared in Science , The Washington Post and NPR .
Find her on Twitter @ NadiaMacias .
In early April , Shawana Brooks , an artist and a curator in Jacksonville , Fla. , had a big idea : What if she started an art gallery in her backyard ?
Because of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also an artist , could n't show his exhibit the Way Maker Series to the public .
The eight-piece mixed-media project honors historical figures from Jacksonville who have fought for the rights and freedoms of the Black community , such as William Stetson Kennedy , who infiltrated and investigated the Ku Klux Klan in the 1940s , and James Weldon Johnson , who brought attention to racism and lynching as a member of the NAACP .
So Brooks convinced Watson to put his works outside their home and share it with the neighborhood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enjoy the art while practicing social distancing .
And that 's how 6 Ft. Away Gallery was born .
The gallery , which sits on a half-acre of land on their property , is free and open daily to everyone — rain or shine .
As in any gallery , the art is for sale .
Hundreds of people have already visited , Brooks says , and they now host backyard discussions where Watson talks about his artwork .
Watson says the gallery has given him an opportunity to share his art @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many opportunities for artists .
Brooks and Watson are planning to feature more artists in their backyard in the future .
But for now , they are raising money to help local Black artists struggling to find work .
The project , called Color Jax Blue , uses those funds to pay artists to create large-scale murals that encourage the Black community to vote .
Karen Barnes-Rivera , a former colleague of Brooks and a local business leader who nominated 6 Ft. Away Gallery for this piece , says the pop-up gallery and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Jacksonville community during the pandemic .
`` These projects remind us that creativity , art , vibrancy and a sense of community can create resilience , '' Barnes-Rivera wrote in an email to NPR .
Nadia Whitehead is a freelance journalist and science writer .
Her work has appeared in Science , The Washington Post and NPR .
Find her on Twitter @ NadiaMacias .
Susana Gómez Luz normally sews beekeeping overalls and veils for Maya Ixil , a cooperative of over 200 small-scale farmers that harvests , sells and exports coffee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Santa Avelina , Guatemala .
But during the pandemic , the 23-year-old switched gears to learn how to make face masks , an idea spearheaded by the co-op , which paid for materials and her labor .
`` I downloaded an image of the design and practiced it five times before getting started , '' she says .
`` It was easy . ''
With the help of two colleagues , Gómez Luz manufactured reusable face masks , made of finely meshed cloth with extra lining inside .
Since May , they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to most of the indigenous farmers and beekeepers in the co-op .
Wearing a mask to prevent the spread of the coronavirus is mandatory in Guatemala .
But a tight-fighting , multi-layered mask goes for about $ 2.50 .
With the cutback in hours due to lockdown restrictions , some workers make as little as $ 5 a day .
Although lockdown restrictions are now easing , farmers have only been able to work half days since the national quarantine was imposed on March 17 , due to a 4 p.m. curfew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July .
And while their wages have halved , the price of basic food basket items like eggs has risen by up to 50 % , says co-op manager Miguel Ostuma .
The donated masks have been a huge help , says Domingo de la Cruz Toma , a 52-year-old beekeeper with the co-op .
`` It 's been really beneficial . ''
Marcela Pino , co-director of the U.S. nonprofit Food 4 Farmers — which works with coffee farming communities like the Maya Ixil — says this resourcefulness is characteristic of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard ... and they never lose spirit , '' says Pino .
Sophie Foggin is a journalist based in Medellin , Colombia , covering politics , human rights , history and justice in Latin America .
Local restaurants offer cheap comfort food to families in need Siblings Esther Chong , 31 , and Sam Chong , 34 , knew they wanted to help families in need in Palisades Park , N.J. , during the pandemic .
The town , which has a large upper-middle class population , is home to the largest percentage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of any municipality in New Jersey .
Many are of Asian and Latino descent .
And many are undocumented and have n't had access to unemployment benefits and stimulus checks during the crisis .
So on April 6 , the pair — who sell mobile phone accessories online as their day jobs — started Our Community Dinner Table ( CDTable ) to provide food to families in need .
Using funds donated by the community , the Chongs buy pre-packaged dinners — at an average of about $ 6 each — from struggling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them with some income .
Then , working with CDTable volunteers , they distribute the meals to families for free in the public library 's underground parking lot , Monday through Friday .
Recipients queue on spray-painted lines , 6 feet apart for social distancing , to choose their meal for the day : usually Italian , Korean or Latin American .
`` Every ethnicity 's idea of comfort food is different , '' says Esther .
`` In America , a lot of people think of chicken noodle soup .
For Asian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rice porridge .
We wanted this to be a source of comfort as well . ''
So far , CDTable has served nearly 16,000 meals — 300 a day at its peak in June — and raised more than $ 90,000 through grants and fundraising .
Most of the funds go toward buying more meals as well as supplies like bags for the meal and personal protective equipment for volunteers .
CDTable now partners with about 10 restaurants and has 10 to 15 volunteers who show up on a regular basis , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distribute meals almost every day .
`` The impact [ of CDTable ] has been enormous , '' says Chung , for both recipients and restaurants .
James Chang , assistant manager of Jin Go Gae , a longstanding Korean catering company , says their business took a `` big hit '' when large gatherings ceased because of the pandemic .
Providing discounted meals to CDTable has been a consistent source of income as well as a way to share their food with their community .
`` It gives us real joy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a freelance journalist who covers global poverty and inequity .
Her work has appeared in Humanosphere , The Guardian , Global Washington and War is Boring .
Follow her on Twitter : @ joannelu After being laid off from his job making toys for animals at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago in early April , Matthew Owens was looking for a way to pass the time at home in the pandemic .
So he decided to revive his longtime love of making puppets .
A few weeks later , he started a project called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon since then , he has put on free 30-minute puppet shows for passersby from his second-story living room window .
The circus-themed show features characters such as the Tattooed Man , clowns and a high diver whom Owens drops from his window into a glass of water that his wife places on the sidewalk before the show .
The audience favorite is a toad puppet named Yoshi who lip syncs to a 1950s Japanese yodeler .
Owens now has over 50 different puppets , each of which he makes by hand .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the materials with his own funds .
`` I just want people to be happy and to have something to smile about , '' says Owens .
The show has become a local hit .
Today , anywhere from 20 to 50 people , adults and children alike , line up to watch the shows .
Since July , the state of Illinois has allowed public gatherings of 50 or fewer people ; previously this was restricted to 10 or fewer .
For his part , Owens does remind the audience to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the show — and , for the most part , he says , people abide .
Emily Landon , an infectious disease specialist at the University of Chicago , says audience members need to be responsible and take precautions for their safety .
They should disperse , for example , if the crowd becomes too large .
Landon adds that Owens could end or pause the show if the audience is not taking those safety precautions .
`` In my mind , the sort of ethical responsibility would be to post a sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , please wear face coverings , ' and if more than 50 people gather , then I have to stop , '' she says .
Hannah Long , a local Chicago resident who has seen the show twice with her two young kids , says the show was a reminder to her family that there are still `` good and lighthearted things in the world '' — and also restored a sense of community missing since the pandemic began , she adds .
`` Some people say the show is the highlight of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Despite the fact that they are wearing masks , I am pretty confident the audience is smiling underneath . ''
Jessica Craig is an intern on NPR 's science desk .
Thank you to everyone who nominated a problem-solver in your community .
We enjoyed reading through them !

How An Artist, A Toy-Maker, A College Student Use Their Skills To Fight The Pandemic
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marc Mangra Marc Mangra
Last month, we asked our audience: What are some of the inventive ways that people are addressing COVID-19 challenges in their community?
Dozens of NPR readers wrote in with nominees. Many are people who have found ways to put their special skills and talents to good use. A former toy-maker, laid off from his job, is putting on puppet shows in his living room window for passersby. An artist set up a socially distant art gallery in her backyard. Two siblings are helping local businesses provide low-cost meals to immigrant families in need.
Here are six profiles of volunteers who are making a difference.
Virtual classes fight free time and boredom
In the weeks after March 25, when India announced a nationwide lockdown to battle the coronavirus pandemic, Perpetual Nazareth, an English teacher at Don Bosco High School in Mumbai, India, was flooded with calls from teenage students who were bored and listless.
Although the school had pivoted to online classes, "I could tell that it was a tough time for them and for parents, too," she says. When Nazareth wondered how she could help, Joshua Salins, a former student, offered a suggestion: Why not teach them new hobbies?
toggle caption Sandhya Salins
Salins had already established a small business called The Hobby Tribe in October 2019 to make it cheaper and easier for people to pursue the kinds of activities that he himself enjoys — singing, making art and playing music. "We would rent a place, hire teachers and gather people who wanted to learn something new," he says. At first, the group offered six courses: dance, guitar, the keyboard, drums, tailoring and drawing Mandala art (an Indian art form that employs circular patterns and shapes) — at budget rates — ranging from a flat fee of $10-$20 for eight sessions.
After the lockdown, The Hobby Tribe ground to a halt, says the 21-year-old founder. Students couldn't attend in-person lessons. So the organization had to reinvent itself. Salins approached his alma mater to see if students would be interested in virtual classes. The response was heartening, says Nazareth, who is not affiliated with the program. Over 100 students signed up in a single day.
After shifting online, The Hobby Tribe hired more teachers and expanded to offer 40 courses, including coding, photography, beauty and makeup tips, cooking and trivia games at an even lower price — $2 for eight sessions.
Cheryl Moniz's 15-year-old daughter Tamara is taking photography lessons from their home in Mumbai. "Kids need an outlet like this. It gives them a chance to relax, keeps them connected and productive," she says.
As word spread, it sparked interest from all over the world, Salins says. Five hundred students are now enrolled. Many are Indians based in the U.S., U.K., Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Singapore, Oman and Qatar. People of all ages are welcome to join.
"In these tough times, hobbies do more than build character. It's an interesting way to interact with like-minded people," Nazareth says. "They can mold you into the person you want to become."
Kamala Thiagarajan is a freelance journalist based in Madurai, India, who has written for The International New York Times, BBC Travel and Forbes India. You can follow her @kamal_t.
DIY dispensers provide free face masks to all
Enlarge this image toggle caption Quaniqua Williams Quaniqua Williams
For residents of 15-mile-long Lopez Island, which sits off the coast of Washington, finding a face mask is pretty easy. Thanks to Chom Greacen, 29, mask dispensers are scattered throughout the island. People can pull a free cloth mask from a dispenser whenever they need one.
Greacen normally conducts energy research in Thailand, but due to travel restrictions, she hasn't been able to continue her work. So she's been devoting her spare time to getting masks to the more than 2,000 islanders.
"Back in March and April, masks [of all types] were difficult to come by or they were expensive," Greacen says. While the islanders mobilized to get N95 masks donated to their EMTs and health care workers, she realized that everyone else would need a mask, too.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Quaniqua Williams Quaniqua Williams
In March, Greacen came up with her DIY project, Grab-and-Go Masks. "I thought of the little sanitary product vending machines that are in public bathrooms," Greacen says. She made a prototype of a hanging rectangular box using leftover campaign signs from her husband's run for the school board. The durable, plastic material would protect the masks within.
The masks are also DIY, made using blue disposable shop towels made of polypropylene — they're heavy duty paper towels typically used for cleaning up grease, oils and spills in automotive repair shops. The recommendation for the material came from Dr. Peter Tsai, the inventor of the N95 respirator.
To date, 40 volunteers have helped make some 6,000 masks using kits — complete with directions and supplies — provided by Greacen. Volunteers also help restock the dispensers.
Greacen has not spent a cent on the project. Shop towels for the masks are donated by the Islands Marine Center (IMC), a local marina and boat dealership, which has two of Greacen's dispensers on its property.
"It was great that Chom sprung into action [at the start of the pandemic] because there was no way to get masks whatsoever," Tim Slattery, general manager of the IMC, wrote in an email to NPR. "We work in an essential business that was still up and running, so having masks available was a must."
Today, dispensers can be found all over the island, indoors and outdoors. They're in high-traffic areas such as grocery stores, a bakery, the fudge shop, the ferry dock and the farmer's market. Some hang on the front doors of businesses for customers to grab as they enter.
Greacen plans to keep the project going as long as masks are needed.
Lopez Island has only had three cases of the coronavirus to date, according to the San Juan County Health Department. Dr. Robert Wilson, the island physician who treated and diagnosed the three cases, says Greacen's promotion of mask usage and making them available to the public has been great.
"[Lopez Island] is your typical small town," Wilson says. "People here are more connected and more likely to get involved. They're interested in keeping each other safe."
Nadia Whitehead is a freelance journalist and science writer. Her work has appeared in Science, The Washington Post and NPR. Find her on Twitter @NadiaMacias.
A socially distant gallery brings art to the neighborhood
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marc Mangra Marc Mangra
In early April, Shawana Brooks, an artist and a curator in Jacksonville, Fla., had a big idea: What if she started an art gallery in her backyard?
Because of the pandemic, her husband Roosevelt Watson III, also an artist, couldn't show his exhibit the Way Maker Series to the public. The eight-piece mixed-media project honors historical figures from Jacksonville who have fought for the rights and freedoms of the Black community, such as William Stetson Kennedy, who infiltrated and investigated the Ku Klux Klan in the 1940s, and James Weldon Johnson, who brought attention to racism and lynching as a member of the NAACP.
So Brooks convinced Watson to put his works outside their home and share it with the neighborhood. She created a sign encouraging others to enjoy the art while practicing social distancing.
And that's how 6 Ft. Away Gallery was born. The gallery, which sits on a half-acre of land on their property, is free and open daily to everyone — rain or shine. As in any gallery, the art is for sale.
Hundreds of people have already visited, Brooks says, and they now host backyard discussions where Watson talks about his artwork.
Watson says the gallery has given him an opportunity to share his art at a time when there aren't many opportunities for artists.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cheryl McCain Cheryl McCain
Brooks and Watson are planning to feature more artists in their backyard in the future. But for now, they are raising money to help local Black artists struggling to find work. The project, called Color Jax Blue, uses those funds to pay artists to create large-scale murals that encourage the Black community to vote.
Karen Barnes-Rivera, a former colleague of Brooks and a local business leader who nominated 6 Ft. Away Gallery for this piece, says the pop-up gallery and Color Jax Blue have offered hope to the Jacksonville community during the pandemic.
"These projects remind us that creativity, art, vibrancy and a sense of community can create resilience," Barnes-Rivera wrote in an email to NPR.
Nadia Whitehead is a freelance journalist and science writer. Her work has appeared in Science, The Washington Post and NPR. Find her on Twitter @NadiaMacias.
Former bee-suit makers sew masks for farmers
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kyle Freund/Food 4 Farmers Kyle Freund/Food 4 Farmers
Susana Gómez Luz normally sews beekeeping overalls and veils for Maya Ixil, a cooperative of over 200 small-scale farmers that harvests, sells and exports coffee and honey in the remote village of Santa Avelina, Guatemala. But during the pandemic, the 23-year-old switched gears to learn how to make face masks, an idea spearheaded by the co-op, which paid for materials and her labor.
"I downloaded an image of the design and practiced it five times before getting started," she says. "It was easy."
With the help of two colleagues, Gómez Luz manufactured reusable face masks, made of finely meshed cloth with extra lining inside. Since May, they have sewn more than 200 masks and donated them to most of the indigenous farmers and beekeepers in the co-op.
Wearing a mask to prevent the spread of the coronavirus is mandatory in Guatemala. But a tight-fighting, multi-layered mask goes for about $2.50. With the cutback in hours due to lockdown restrictions, some workers make as little as $5 a day.
toggle caption Kyle Freund/Food 4 Farmers
Although lockdown restrictions are now easing, farmers have only been able to work half days since the national quarantine was imposed on March 17, due to a 4 p.m. curfew that was lifted at the end of July. And while their wages have halved, the price of basic food basket items like eggs has risen by up to 50%, says co-op manager Miguel Ostuma.
The donated masks have been a huge help, says Domingo de la Cruz Toma, a 52-year-old beekeeper with the co-op. "It's been really beneficial."
toggle caption Kyle Freund/Food 4 Farmers
Marcela Pino, co-director of the U.S. nonprofit Food 4 Farmers — which works with coffee farming communities like the Maya Ixil — says this resourcefulness is characteristic of the vibrant co-op. "They work so hard ... and they never lose spirit," says Pino.
Sophie Foggin is a journalist based in Medellin, Colombia, covering politics, human rights, history and justice in Latin America.
Local restaurants offer cheap comfort food to families in need
Enlarge this image toggle caption Hanna Kim Hanna Kim
Siblings Esther Chong, 31, and Sam Chong, 34, knew they wanted to help families in need in Palisades Park, N.J., during the pandemic. The town, which has a large upper-middle class population, is home to the largest percentage, at 64%, of immigrants of any municipality in New Jersey. Many are of Asian and Latino descent. And many are undocumented and haven't had access to unemployment benefits and stimulus checks during the crisis.
So on April 6, the pair — who sell mobile phone accessories online as their day jobs — started Our Community Dinner Table (CDTable) to provide food to families in need. Using funds donated by the community, the Chongs buy pre-packaged dinners — at an average of about $6 each — from struggling locally run restaurants, helping to provide them with some income. Then, working with CDTable volunteers, they distribute the meals to families for free in the public library's underground parking lot, Monday through Friday.
toggle caption Esther Chong
Recipients queue on spray-painted lines, 6 feet apart for social distancing, to choose their meal for the day: usually Italian, Korean or Latin American.
"Every ethnicity's idea of comfort food is different," says Esther. "In America, a lot of people think of chicken noodle soup. For Asian communities, maybe it's more like rice porridge. We wanted this to be a source of comfort as well."
So far, CDTable has served nearly 16,000 meals — 300 a day at its peak in June — and raised more than $90,000 through grants and fundraising. Most of the funds go toward buying more meals as well as supplies like bags for the meal and personal protective equipment for volunteers. CDTable now partners with about 10 restaurants and has 10 to 15 volunteers who show up on a regular basis, including Mayor Chris Chung, who has helped distribute meals almost every day.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Hanna Kim Hanna Kim
"The impact [of CDTable] has been enormous," says Chung, for both recipients and restaurants.
James Chang, assistant manager of Jin Go Gae, a longstanding Korean catering company, says their business took a "big hit" when large gatherings ceased because of the pandemic.
Providing discounted meals to CDTable has been a consistent source of income as well as a way to share their food with their community. "It gives us real joy," says Chang.
Joanne Lu is a freelance journalist who covers global poverty and inequity. Her work has appeared in Humanosphere, The Guardian, Global Washington and War is Boring. Follow her on Twitter: @joannelu
A window puppet show to entertain passersby
toggle caption Matthew Owens
After being laid off from his job making toys for animals at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago in early April, Matthew Owens was looking for a way to pass the time at home in the pandemic. So he decided to revive his longtime love of making puppets. A few weeks later, he started a project called the Lockdown Puppet Theater. Every Saturday afternoon since then, he has put on free 30-minute puppet shows for passersby from his second-story living room window.
The circus-themed show features characters such as the Tattooed Man, clowns and a high diver whom Owens drops from his window into a glass of water that his wife places on the sidewalk before the show.
The audience favorite is a toad puppet named Yoshi who lip syncs to a 1950s Japanese yodeler.
Owens now has over 50 different puppets, each of which he makes by hand. Owens does not take donations and pays for the materials with his own funds.
"I just want people to be happy and to have something to smile about," says Owens.
The show has become a local hit. Today, anywhere from 20 to 50 people, adults and children alike, line up to watch the shows. Since July, the state of Illinois has allowed public gatherings of 50 or fewer people; previously this was restricted to 10 or fewer.
For his part, Owens does remind the audience to maintain social distancing and wear masks throughout the show — and, for the most part, he says, people abide.
Emily Landon, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Chicago, says audience members need to be responsible and take precautions for their safety. They should disperse, for example, if the crowd becomes too large.
Landon adds that Owens could end or pause the show if the audience is not taking those safety precautions. "In my mind, the sort of ethical responsibility would be to post a sign saying, 'Please stay 6 feet apart, please wear face coverings,' and if more than 50 people gather, then I have to stop," she says.
Hannah Long, a local Chicago resident who has seen the show twice with her two young kids, says the show was a reminder to her family that there are still "good and lighthearted things in the world" — and also restored a sense of community missing since the pandemic began, she adds.
"Some people say the show is the highlight of their week," Owens says. "Despite the fact that they are wearing masks, I am pretty confident the audience is smiling underneath."
Jessica Craig is an intern on NPR's science desk.
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