Redesign for apt and a reminder about generosity

I am so happy about the apt redesign, I can barely sit still. Go look at it. It’s okay–I’ll wait.

Isn’t it pretty?

After you see it on your computer, you should go look at it on your fancy phone. If you don’t have a fancy phone, ask a friend or an approachable stranger if you can borrow theirs. Tell them it’s for literary reasons.

Did you see it? Isn’t that crazy? It’s compatible with your phone! Ceaseless wonders!

Okay, on to the generosity. Today is (was) Giving Tuesday. In an effort to combat Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday is a day when you donate money to charity or an organization you really like. It’s a time to show your support in a financial way. I said it recently–I know, money is tight right now–but there are tons of organizations that could use your support.

Here are a few I particularly like:

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (or CBLDF) fights to protect artists and writers of graphic stories (I mean that in the both the pictoral and “mature readers” sense) from censorship. They have great rewards for your donations, but the best reward would be knowing you helped someone create something in the way they wanted, unhindered by the limitations that someone with authority might place on their medium (or media for those extra-talented writers-pencillers-inkers out there).

Doctors Without Borders. Healthcare is a huge issue in wartorn countries due to race, politics, and religion. The crew at Doctors Without Borders provides “medical aid to those most in need regardless of their race, religion, or political affiliation.” This is direly important work. Give what you can.

Literacy for Incarcerated Teens or LIT. Like I need to tell you this: literacy is important. It’s important that kids learn how to read. It’s important that young adults continue to read. It’s important that adults are encouraged to read, too. It is especially important that readers encounter challenging work that makes them think critically about not only their lives (and their interaction with other people) but about life in general because critical thought helps society en masse. What’s great about LIT is it reaches out to young readers who are in a difficult situation and reminds them that nothing is insurmountable. They’re centered in NY and they specifically work with teens incarcerated in New York’s juvenile facilities. These are kids that might otherwise be forgotten. Kids who have a lot of time to think. Help them have something healthy to think about.

Okay, that’s the end of my little pitch. There are literally thousands of charities you could donate to. And don’t forget about my offer–those literary journals take donations! And you even get a live reading for donating. So give generously. Even if it’s not to a lit journal or to me or to any of the charities I mentioned. Give what you can because it’ll make a difference to someone who needs it.