i’m reading about the complexities of mass incarceration and i had to step back for a second and realize the ridiculous amount of privilege i have as an ivy league student to be able to experiment with whatever drugs i want. i’m protected by these castle walls to be able to do whatever i want…
Incarceration Rate For Blacks 6 Times The National AverageThe incarceration rate for American-Americans is so high that young black men without a high school diploma are more likely to go to jail than to find a job, thereby causing the breakup of families and instilling further poverty upon them.
“Prison has become the new poverty trap,” Bruce Western, a Harvard sociologist, told the New York Times. “It has become a routine event for poor African-American men and their families, creating an enduring disadvantage at the very bottom of American society.”
While few would argue against locking up murderers and rapists, many social scientists have begun to discuss the problem of imprisoning too many people – especially when those people face long sentences for nonviolent crimes. The US has the highest incarceration rate in the world, locking up about 500 people for every 100,000 residents, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
The incarceration rate for African-Americans is about 3,074 per 100,000 residents, which is more than six times as high as the national average. Black men in their 20s and early 30s without a high school diploma are particularly vulnerable: with an incarceration rate of 40 percent, they are more likely to end up behind bars than in the workforce, Pew Charitable Trusts reports.
Since the incarceration rate is highest for African-Americans, it makes it more difficult for blacks to rise out of poverty, receive higher levels of education, and escape a life of crime.
Here are a few more facts about black incarceration taken from the New York Times:
- Among male high school dropouts born between 1975 and 1979, 68 percent of blacks (compared with 28 percent of whites) had been imprisoned at some point by 2009, and 37 percent of blacks (compared with 12 percent of whites) were incarcerated that year.
- By the time they turn 18, one in four black children will have experienced the imprisonment of a parent.
- More young black dropouts are in prison or jail than have paying jobs. Black men are more likely to go to prison than to graduate with a four-year college degree.
Pinterest is the new hot social media medium in town, and you don’t want to be left out. Pinterest and Instagram reveal just how visuals are, and you can make it work for you in a couple of steps!
1. Stand out:
While things are far from being old on Pinterest, it’s certainly harder to stand out. A little known fact is that you can make your pictures as vertically long as you want (See pic on left!). Also, try making quotes (See pic on right) or combining pictures to stand out amongst the crowd. The key is in design. So, even with quotes, make sure to put in some effort to style it!
2. Pinning Strategies: Curate the hottest pins out there across various interests to attract an immediate following.
3. Engagement: Follow others and engage your followers. Re-pin interesting things that your followers post and leave relevant comments.
tofu cutlets
Pinterest users not only buy the products they pin, but spend more on average than their Facebook counterparts, according to new data from Shopify.
(via fred-wilson)
When I first went vegan, I didn’t think I’d ever have my former favorite dish ever again. Tofu and I had met before, but we decided at the time that it just wasn’t a good fit…Yet, we met again. At a Chinese restaurant, I noticed my former fave Chinese dish in vegetarian rendition, and I had to give it a try! I barely recognized my former tofu all jazzed up in a crispy coating and fancy sauce, but that night I vowed to never give tofu the cold shoulder again. Soy is a treat for me. I don’t eat it regularly. Also, eating this dish out in restaurants would give me grave headaches, so I decided to be bold and make my own! Join me in sweet fried tofu glory!
In Chinese, I’d say to 请你吃饭: Qing ni chi fan, which means to please eat your meal!
Recipe: General Tso TofuIngredients
1.Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes.
2. Place in a bowl and coat evenly in corn starch.
3. Heat the oil.
4. Once heated, toss in the tofu. Fry until golden on each side.
5. Set fried tofu aside in a paper towel to drain.
6. Either clean up the oil or use another pan to heat up sauce (vinegar, Soyaki, pepper flakes, hot sauce, scallions, sesame seeds, etc.).
7. Heat the sauce and then toss in the tofu, coating it lightly.
8. Enjoy! I paired mine with steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and quinoa.
*Image courtesy of Traveling Together.
