Today, class, we're studying community spread
| Friends, this will be the last Incoming for a short while. We've hired a new newsletter editor, who will soon bring their own voice to this space! While we're on a hiatus, feel free to reach out to us at hellomobile@buzzfeed.com or me specifically at brandon.hardin@buzzfeed.com with any questions, thoughts, suggestions for what you like (and don't like!) in newsletters, or just to say hi.
In the meantime, here are some other good newsletters from BuzzFeed News folks: 👉 Please Like Me: All about the influencers who are watching us watch them 👉 JPG: Our lovely photo desk sends out some of the best pictures weekly 👉 A List of People I Am Mad At: an occasional newsletter by Scaachi Khoul THE BIG STORY
The Sunrise Movement's members of color say the group "tokenized" and used them for years
In a series of internal memos and letters, many of the youth-led group's members of color repeatedly charged over the last three years that they felt "tokenized," "used," "ignored," and "dismissed." The activists also said they were overworked and underpaid; warned that the group was unable to attract or retain members of color, especially Black ones; bemoaned the lack of diversity among Sunrise leaders; and demanded resources to build up support in communities of color.
Since its founding in 2017, the Sunrise Movement set out to be different from the rest of the environmental movement, which is predominantly white. But when the escalating calls for change came from within, Sunrise repeatedly failed to live up to its ideals, according to interviews with 18 current and former members.
"If movements don't get it together, and this is including but not limited to Sunrise, 2022 is going to be a bloodbath and 2024 is going to be even worse," said a Black former Sunrise staffer who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation. STAYING ON TOP OF THIS
School is back and thousands of students are already in quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19
The highly contagious Delta variant continues to wreak havoc on reopening plans.
All 53 fourth-graders at Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts in Richmond, Virginia, have been quarantined after four students reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.
In a South Carolina school district, 126 students and 22 staff members tested positive during the first week back at school, resulting in more than 600 students and seven staff members having to quarantine.
Throughout the state of Mississippi, roughly 1,000 students and teachers have tested positive and nearly 5,000 are quarantined.
SNAPSHOTS
Another of "American Idol" star Syesha Mercado's babies has been taken by authorities. She has now had two of her young children taken within the past six months, but many people are questioning the decisions by the state and a doctor who has been investigated in the past for being too quick to diagnose child abuse.
Olivia Rodrigo fans aren't happy after receiving her Sour album merch, saying it wasn't what they expected.
#FREEBRITNEY
Britney Spears' dad said he's preparing to step down from her conservatorship
Jamie Spears' new court filing paves the way for the pop star to be free of the control her father has held over her life for more than 13 years.
In a 12-page document filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday, an attorney for the singer's dad wrote that while there are "no actual grounds for suspending or removing" him, he didn't think prolonging the "public battle with his daughter over his continuing service as her conservator would be in her best interests."
ELEPHANTS ON PARADE In April, a herd of 15 elephants in China meandered more than 800 miles from the city of Pu'er and arrived in the city of Kunming in June, gaining legions of fans along the way. The herd, which officials said was finally reaching a protected habitat in southwest China's Yunnan province, had been migrating in search of food and a home. Here are some of the highlights of their journey. China Daily / Reuters Kindness is both a sword and shield, Brandon 📝 This letter was edited and brought to you by Brandon Hardin and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here.
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