12-19-13
by RED editor Amy Goldwasser, reporting from NYC on the cool theme of activism that connected us in 2013
One of my favorite things about editing RED Hearts—about being an editor in general—is that you have such a close, ongoing relationship with the writing that you notice certain themes and trends sneaking in. I’m not talking about the song-of-summer obvious ones, or even necessarily the topic a writer was writing about. I mean the subtle, underlying ones that can connect posts over the course of a year in unexpected and always interesting ways.
In the case of RED Hearts in 2013, I was delighted to discover a very cool common thread of activism, of feminism, of helping those in need—whether those happen to be fictionalized young women in the 19th century or very real students in underserved public high schools today or…pelicans, even.
Here, some of the year’s examples of those who wear their RED Hearts in the right place, a place of putting others first and celebrating those who aren’t afraid to change the way the world works in some way large or small.
This Girl is on Fire. Jessica Goodman sung the praises of Alicia Keys “for her genius take on the power of girls and women to overcome obstacles and prove ourselves.” Also, this is just an irresistible pop song that’s lost none of its anthem appeal over the year. Bet you can’t get it out of your head all over again.
Pal Up to a Pelican. Carey Dunne made feathered friends, discovering a couple of smart and simple ways to support struggling bird populations, victims of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill (yes, still!) and other avian casualties. “For $25,” she wrote “you can adopt an orphan ducking (the most tragically adorable pairing of words).”
Girls To The Front. Olive Panter declared the book by Sara Marcus on the Riot Grrrl movement “should be mandatory reading for everyone, male or female.” It’s a deeply important, true chronicle of “ten girls sitting in a room, telling the stories that keep them up at night. As a result, they wind up feeling less alone and more powerful.”
My Notorious Life. Carey Dunne found out that her mom, Kate Manning, is also one of her favorite authors—and how chillingly relevant a novel about a character who lived in the 1800s is to teen reproductive rights today.
Public Supply Notebooks. Cindy Morand, through her personal experience of moving from Mexico to attend a New York public high school not speaking a word of English, emphasized the importance of arts programs for communication. She wrote about a series of notebooks that are not only beautifully designed but give directly to teachers in high-need classrooms toward creative projects.