Excerpt: The big shift is due, in large part, to the changing attitudes of white people. One question, though, is what that might mean politically come November.

Amid tensions with the president over his deployment of federal officers during protests, Washington’s mayor had “Black Lives Matter” painted near the White House in an unmistakable assertion of control.

Because of Covid, protesters are having to change how they protest.

I am worried about layoffs next year. I recently moved to a new school and the potential for layoff is high.

On Friday the governor explained how Hollywood will reopen after months of lockdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California will allow schools, day camps, bars, gyms, campgrounds and professional sports to begin reopening with modifications starting next Friday.

As a white person I have struggled with how to express myself in this difficult, historic time. Ultimately what I say doesn't matter as much as any Person of Color in this moment, because when I think I understand, i can't possibly. The only thing I think I can contribute that is my place to say, is to express some thoughts to other white people in this moment about what this moment means. It's no longer enough to not be racist. A lot of us have hung our hats on "not seeing color" or treating people equally regardless of their race. Weve been making those steps for 60 years as a nation, and the slow March of forward progress has only made actual racists hide behind more obscure symbolism and made white people feel better about themselves. Every white person who wants to consider themselves "good" in this moment, now has a responsibility to attack and drive out racism. And every white person who tries to say racism isnt that bad or isnt the real problem now, needs to be confronted with the fact they are making it worse. You cant compare police killing statistics to black on black crime. Doing so ignores the fact that a deep distrust of the police born from centuries of abuse and persecution has made minority communities vulnerable to criminal influence as good people are afraid to call the cops because the cops might be worse than criminals they need protecting from. You cant say all lives matter. Because, 1) no shit. And 2) people are trying to lift up the most abused segment of our population, and doing so will raise the tide for all people. Sure there is that incident where a white person was beaten or killed by cops. That's why BLM and other movements are asking for things like independent review of all complaints and incidents not just those affecting minorities. There are a million reasons why AllLivesMatter is not appropriate and diminishes the moment. Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss this, but that conversation distracts the conversation from constructive discourse to have to have in public. You can't say protesting is causing division in this country. Black people are asking to be seen and heard, they are asking you to better understand their experience, their fear and their pain. If you are refusing to acknowledge that experience, or somehow invalidate it because you have never seen it, you are the one causing division. Citing the looting or rioting as causing this "division" is a whole separate issue. For this point I will just say, you can't equate protesting with the looting and rioting, they are different things. You can condemn looting. But instead of just using it as a reason to dismiss or act against protestors, you have to look at what is actually going on. There are multiple different types of looting and rioting going on. Some is a response to police meeting peaceful protest with more violence and oppression. This is the anger and the burning. Like when one child hits another and the second child bites in response. Neither is ok, you don't excuse the first child hitting because the response may have been worse. Violence begets violence, and places where curfews have been rolled back and protestors have not been met with police, protests have remained peaceful and people have danced in the streets. The other type of looting is what happened in Fairfield and Vallejo, with looting without protest, the stealing. This is horrible, and criminal, but also a clear sign the system has been ineffective at improving or protecting our communities and has created safe spaces for criminal elements created by their community fearing Police brutality more than the criminal elements also terrorizing them. Protestors arent saying that looting is ok, and looting shouldn't in any way diminish their message. Looting should be condemned, but also think about what the looting means and how it serves as proof the protestors are right. People loot when teams and cities win or lose sports championships every year, there are unsavory elements that will take advantage every chance they get. If anything protestors want to improve their communities so looting doesnt happen again. Looting is horrible and absolutely should be condemned, but it a symptom of the underlying problem far more than a product of protests, and is being used as an excuse to set curfews in place to justify breaking up protests unlawfully. You cant joke about Covid. People protesting during a pandemic doesnt mean they dont take it seriously or it isnt a problem. It means the moment is so big, people are willing to take on another layer of danger in unrest because they dont know when they will have this moment again. You need to demand more of your police. A good cop is no longer one that doesnt beat or abuse people, it's one who reports or acts against the abuses by others. Sadly cops who do that are driven out of forces and departments. If we want to talk about places like Camden, NJ, where they disbanded their Police department and rebuilt it with all local officers, officer involvement in the community, and they are actually seeing reductions in crime as well as Public approval of the police department, thats a good conversation to have, and something worth praising and commending. Dont post pictures of officers kneeling, 2 days ago Buffalo, NY officers kneeled, and 24 hours later in the same location, the same officers nearly killed a peaceful 75 year old man. Officers kneeling with protestors has been compared to an abusive boyfriend apologizing before beating you again 2 weeks later. We need change not gestures. A reform of our police system benefits the good cops as much as the victims of the bad cops, as they will be able to protect and serve their community the way they wanted to when they became cops, instead of fearing reprisal for speaking up or stopping abusive officers. You need to educate yourself on what protestors are facing. The police brutality in these times in coming in overwhelming waves. This brutally is causing protests to escalate into panic or riots, which then creates the safe space for the criminal element to loot. I suggest if you can stomach unsettling images you check out the Twitter thread I'm going to link. It started with a lawyer documenting 10 instances of unjustified police brutality or abuses of rights in the first day and a half of protests, 6 days in it's over 300 videos. https://twitter.com/greg_doucette/status/1266751520055459847?s=19 You need to understand the basics of what is being asked for. There is so much hurt and anger,and a lot of people only see hashtags like #defundthepolice or #abolishthepolice and think it's ridiculous we need cops. Some of it is exaggeration, some of it is just more nuanced. The basic things people want come down to. 1) Independent review. Instances of police brutality and killings are investigated and determined lawful or not by District Attorneys who work with the same officers on a daily basis and are dependent on their cooperation to do their job, as well as seek re election. This is the definition of conflict of interest, an independent office of some sort needs to do this work. 2) police funding needs to change. Police budgets are insanely large portions of local government spending, with ridiculous amounts spent on military grade equipment and way too little spent on things like social workers and drug counseling. Our communities are better served trying to better them than to punish them. Both in efficiency and quality of life. 3) elimination of qualified immunity. When a cop violates someone's civil rights and isnt even charged, the city often still loses a civil lawsuit (because civil rights were violated) the city or municipality ends up liable for the damages, not the police department or the offending officer. This further depletes resources for the community at large and is a further part of the plea to "hold police accountable". If doctors are liable for their own mistakes, why arent police departments? Why does seeking restitution for crimes against you make your community's schools, social programs or arts suffer, and not the actual entity that committed the crime? You need to see how it's working. The state of Colorado, the city of Portland, and the city of Minneapolis are making massive changes to their police programs. The LAPD budget is under review with hundreds of millions of dollars potentially being diverted to other community improvement. The officers were all arrested and charged, that happened because people werent satisfied each step along the way. And that doesnt mean the final goal is accomplished, there are hundreds of other civil rights violations and abuses new and old that have not seen justice. These protests will get stronger and stronger until that wave of change spreads, and as certain government parties respond with more force, more people will be outraged and join the protests. There is a lot there, and so much more I havent even touched. If anyone wants to discuss these points privately, without judgement, feel free to message me. My biggest regret right now is all my life I have tried to be a good friend to the people of color in my life, but I have failed because I have not done enough to be a good Ally, what they actually deserved. But this moment isn't about me or any other white persons guilt, it is about what we will do now to step up and fix an obviously broken system.

Many falsely believe that the Corona virus will not harm children. However, it it becoming clearer that while not statistically likely, Covid-19 can be deadly to children.

Reported job losses are declining. The hope is that people can get back to work soon.

Many of us are eagerly waiting for a vaccine. But there is is still so much uncertainty.

This article compares protest signs from white people protesting for a haircut, to black people asking, "Am I Next?"

Recently a group of teenagers posted racist rants on social media. The teens were all athletes. The school district wrote a public letter of condemnation. They also speak on Covid-19 and the stress it has caused. They also list actions the school district will take in order to ensure they are honoring diversity within their educational programs.

Parents, teachers and students all of the country are eagerly waiting to know what will happen in the Fall as schools begin to reopen.

This article highlights (at least for me), where our nations priority lay. Educational services always take the brunt of our nations cuts. It is so unfair to our children. Don't they know that education spending will decrease the need for prisons?

Now that all races have been canceled, I have been participating in social distance marathons. I have completed one so far. Virtual Marathons such as this are helping people like me stay active.

My brother-in-law is a grocery-store worker in Texas. As the numbers of positive Covid cases rise, he continues to go to work. He believes in his heart that his work is important and that he is an essential worker. Jobs previously overlooked such as truckers, grocery store workers, or waste management, Now Americans are celebrating these workers.

As an educator in California, I am watching this story closely. I don't know what I will do if I get laid off. My school district has already sent out an email asking us to prepare for possible furloughs. I don't understand how Newsome could cut budgets to the areas of highest need.

NPR answers questions about Covid-19, reopening, voting, elections and more.

Podcast about the push-back by rural Americans against restrictions.

This article is talking about SARS viruses and how orcas may be in danger.

From injecting bleach to a bio-shield? There are a lot of strange ideas to keep Covid-19 from infecting people. Some of them are pretty strange. Introducing the personal bio-shield.

As the states begin reopening the question of if social distancing will be enough to flatten the curve is now on the forefront.

Interesting article about the process of counting true covid-19 mortality numbers.

This day hit us hard. 100,000 Americans dead. As of today (June 25, 2020) the number is 124,440. And yet it is an actual debate for many on if social distancing and masks are necessary.

My sons school is talking about reopening in the fall. With so much uncertainty ahead these meeting sometimes feel pointless.

I went to the grocery story with my 83 year old grandmother and was more than a little irritated to see that so many people were refusing to wear a mask. It gave me an uneasy feeling. My grandmother who lives alone and very far from any family, has no choice but to leave her home to buy necessities. I am worried for her safety.

A meme posted about the cutthroat labor system in Peru, it's true that there's a lot of competition in certain sectors. In some cases, vendors barely make a profit because everyone is trying to offer the lowest price just to make the sale. I often had this conversation with my mother in law who sold clothing on consignment, I understand that consignment is a normal practice, but if you have to take a bus/taxi to someone's house 3 or 4 times to collect installments, the minimal profits you were making are essentially erased. Now that Peru is allowing some vendors to start selling again, it's once again a volatile and competitive environment because so many people have been without work and the basic necessities.

I really love reading Somos, and I love this short historias piece reflecting on the best and worst of coronavirus from 100 Peruvians. It's reassuring to read what is helping people stay positive, and at the same time recognize that we're all struggling with a really difficult moment. There's a parent who laments she can't visit her daughter when she got into Stanford, another parent willing to watch the Wizard of Oz as many times as his daughter asks, and others who took the extra time at home to learn new skills like baking a carrot cake or reflecting on their lives and relationships.

I didn't realize there were organizations coordinating the production and distribution of medical supplies to send abroad, it seemed like just a few months ago we couldn't even get states to agree to share supplies. I'm wondering where these ventilators will go, or if they won't even make it out of Lima. The comments and replies seemed laudatory for the president, but nothing too significant, so I didn't screenshot them. Tweet text: Today, 250 brand-new, state-of-the-art ventilators arrived safely in Peru. This @USAID donation is another example of American generosity as the United States battles COVID-19 at home and around the world.

A group of prisoners from Chino were recently transferred to San Quentin because of a COVID-19 outbreak. These prisoners were housed in a separate, yet connected, area from the residing San Quentin incarcerated population. San Quentin prisoners reported daily COVID-19 testing since the group arrived. 159 prisoners at San Quentin have now tested positive for COVID-19. The numbers are expected to continue to climb. Fear, anxiety, frustration and anger are running rampant as San Quentin attempts to contain the spread of the virus.

California is planning to release more corrections inmates early on July 1st in an effort to slow the spread of the corona virus. While this is a step in the right direction advocates point out that this group of inmates does not include those with disabilities, medically fragile, or preexisting conditions. The article also highlights how the virus is spreading from on facility to another through prisoner transfer. While transferring prisoners to facilities with lower populations sounds good to aid in social distancing the people being transferred are actually spreading the virus into new facilities.

Late night host, John Oliver, of HBO's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," recently dedicated the main portion of his thirty minute show to highlighting the struggle of America's inmates with the covid-19 pandemic. This article provides the highlights of the show including a lack of soap, the number of non-inmate personal who are ill, covid being introduced to new facilities through prison transfer, people who have yet to be convicted but stuck in jail because they cannot afford cash bail, and the use of solitary confinement as punishment for one inmate who shared a video on Facebook.

As the US struggles to deal with covid-19 so do the nations corrections facilities. Due to their architecture and systems the facilities are at high risk of covid spreading rapidly through their populations. Advocates are becoming increasingly concerned over a new policy in some facilities which are using solitary confinement as an answer to the problem of quarantine. While advocates of abolishing solitary confinement are concerned for all of the regular reasons this causes extra alarm because they are worried the practice will become more wide spread and more commonly used both during the pandemic and once it is over.

In an effort to slow the spread of covid-19 inside of US prisons and jails some inmates have been release early or sent home, on house arrest. As discussions were happening across the country regarding this idea Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, signed an executive order to stop early release from the states correctional facilities.

The architecture and structure of US prisons and jails make it impossible follow any of the guidelines given to slow the spread of the corona virus. Some argue it is prudent to release nonviolent offenders or those nearing the end of their sentences in an effort to provide more space within the facilities. Others oppose this idea citing fear of public safety. Inmates and their advocates worry that a prison sentence could turn into a death sentence. What about persons who have yet to even stand trial? While many people are not aware in the difference between a prison and a jail the distinction is very important. Jails hold people awaiting trial that could not afford bail while prisons are where people convicted of crimes serve their sentence. To be fair there are a small number of people in jails serving their sentence because it is short. With covid looming the question has become is it fair to keep people in jail where they have no defense against a deadly virus? This article discusses this issue and provides excerpts from letters written by inmates at the Harris County Jail in downtown Houston, TX.

The US prison population quickly found it was impossible to social distance to protect themselves from contracting the corona virus. This is due to prison architecture and overcrowding. This article talks to inmates at the Marion Correctional Facility in Marion, Ohio. This facility has been the site of the largest virus outbreak in the nation.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. We've officially crossed over the 100 day mark! And still no hair cut for our son. We did venture out to a local toy store as we had officially ran out of puzzles. It was our first outing and we actually went into the toy store as a family. We all wore masks and did not touch anything during our time there. We were the only family in the store. It was definitely eerie but felt wonderful to be out and doing something normal. It also felt nice to support a local business owner that has undoubtedly struggled during this pandemic due to loss of business. We picked out two dinosaur puzzles. I'm certain we will be back for more puzzles soon.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. It was dad's turn for a photo with the completed puzzle! These two had a lot of fun completing this puzzle together and did this in just one afternoon. Dad recently got his "summer cut" from his sister, a former hair stylist, that we live with. Our son continues to refuse to allow us to cut his hair. It is getting so long! Tomorrow we will have sheltered-in-place for 100 days. 100 DAYS. This was supposed to last 14 days. How much longer will this be our reality?

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. We had a major puzzle mishap! Our daughter spilled an entire cup of water on the puzzle. We tried to dry the pieces but it did not work. The pieces completely disintegrated! While we were disappointed that we could not finish the puzzle, we did learn to keep liquids away from puzzles. Also, check out his hair! Although he has easy access to a hair cut as we live with his aunt who used to be a hair stylist, he refuses to get his hair cut. There are so many people out there wanting a hair cut that they cannot get. And here he is refusing a hair cut he can get! Note the presence of a mask on our table. We ordered a few different styles for the kids to try on to make sure they are successfully able to wear them as our county begins to open back up.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. We chose a collection of puzzles to complete together today. My son's hair is starting to grow again. I wonder if he'll be open to another hair cut soon. 2 hair cuts in quarantine? It's hard to believe that so much time has passed. This image also clearly captures "Gary the Octopus" a special project that we completed as part of my son's remote learning curriculum.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. Immediately after he finished his first ever 1000 piece puzzle, he asked to do another one! He took a much more active role in sorting the pieces for this puzzle. It is so fun to lose ourselves in puzzling. It takes our minds off of the gravity of the world in which we live. Just looking at this photo, it is hard to believe that we are living in the middle of a pandemic.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. After completing a number of 300 piece puzzles on his own, our son decided he was ready to move up and asked to do a 1000 piece puzzle! He let mom and dad help a lot more with this puzzle but primarily only to sort pieces. He never gave up and I am very impressed by his ability to work on a puzzle over multiple days without ever getting frustrated.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. In this image, a glimpse of our family remote learning schedule and some school work are seen in the background. The presence of his "lovey" in hand is also a reminder to remember how young he is to be living during something as big as a pandemic.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. He is easily completing 300 piece puzzles on his own! It's quite the feat for a child his age.

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. I love how this photo marks the passage of time for our son. We are sheltering-in-place with his aunt, who happens to cut hair. While all of the hair salons in our area are currently closed, he scored a fresh cut thanks to her!

With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times.

Clorox is a company based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have a close friend that works for Clorox and they shared this interview with me. The interview captures the realities that COVID-19 is having on Clorox and its employees. The interview highlights the experience of Larry Wheeler, a senior packaging operator who has worked for the company for 29 years. Clorox employees are playing an essential role in stopping the spread of COVID-19. Wheeler's dedication and commitment to working as hard as possible for the common good is commendable.

My niece was on the path to braces right before California's shelter-in-place orders were issued mid-March. This is her first time in braces, she is one of the first in her grade to get braces, and a handful of her older cousins have braces. The excitement and anticipation were at an all time high for her. And then she had to wait, and wait, and wait. Her orthodontist recently reopened and she was one of the first patients seen. My niece was thrilled to finally get her braces! I am impressed by the dental practice's adaptability and ability to make sure their young patients feel at ease even given the newness of the COVID-19 world. The first photo in this series shows my niece waiting outside. Patients are now required to wait in/by their cars and text the practice upon arrival. They are waved in when it is their turn to enter the office. The second photo shows my niece getting her braces from her orthodontist who is in full PPE. The third photo shows her with a complete set of braces and you can feel the joy radiating from her. The final photos are of her wonderful orthodontist that is taking every possible precaution to ensure that everyone is safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The country had many protests in June. Some were violent, but most were peaceful. There has never been such a large civil rights movement in our history. One particularly touching story is the story of a man who admired his girlfriend's commitment and action so much, he knew that he wanted to marry her. I guess he was considering marriage because he happened to have a ring in his pocket. So he got down on one knee and asked the big question. She said yes behind her face mask. She is pregnant and they call their child "Baby Batman" and plan to marry in September 2021.

Since COVID-19 was an unprecedented event, people tried hard to understand its cause. Many conspiracy theories cropped up. This one claimed that the virus was predicted by the movie Captain America. Here he is shown in Times Square, New York, with a bottle of Corona beer in lights and what could be seen as an atom of the virus. These two elements "prove" that the virus was released into the population. Of course, the virus has nothing whatsoever to do with the beer--it was named corona due to the halo surrounding each virion.