#5SmartReads - April 14, 2023

Hitha on battling medical debt, democracy in Tennessee, and regulating AI

April 14, 2023

As depressing as the news feels sometimes, I find a lot of hope and action happening at the state and local levels on important issues that don’t get the press they need.

Like medical debt.

Nearly 1/3 of Americans owe a collective $200B in medical debt - a sum that’s greater than the economy of some countries. And this particular debt is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy.

This article does a really nice job of outlining different states’ approaches, from capping interest rates on medical debt to debt relief programs.

“I don’t forget coming from a single-parent household, growing up in Hawaii on EBT — that’s real. I am not, in real life, a Disney princess,” she says. “Sometimes I do worry about what I’m doing with my time. Am I spending it helping my community and making an impact in real life? I’m trying to figure out how to do something of impact, while also appreciating that without working in film, I wouldn’t have been able to let my mom retire. I have never encountered this kind of financial security before. And I would be stupid to give it up.”

When I was 22, I didn’t have the kind of maturity or priorities that Auli’i Cravalho possesses. Then again, when I was 14, I was checking out Danielle Steele novels behind my mother’s back and aspiring to be a pop star.

I admire Cravalho so much - as a performer, as an activist, and frankly as a role model. And I clearly need to be watching The Power.

If you were horrified by the expulsion of Representatives Justin Pearson and Juston Jones by their Republican colleagues last week, then you need to read every word of this article.

But maybe pour yourself your favorite beverage first, because it will horrify you. The state is the least democratic in the United States, per a 2022 study, with extreme gerrymandering, voter suppression, and high recidivism that appears by design.

So what will it take to make Tennessee more democratic? The infrastructure is there - it just needs more national support and resources."

“We were able to register more than 1,200 voters this week,” she said. “We put out a voting guide to educate people. We do a monthly plug-in where people have the opportunity to discuss how issues are affecting Black communities. We do events that center joy — every year we have a Juneteenth block party, where 5,000 or 6,000 people show up. We’ve expanded to Memphis and Chattanooga. The foundation is there. All we need is investment.”

Over the past few days, the country hasn’t been able to look away from the political chaos in Tennessee. But for many in the state, the nagging question is: Will this attention last?

The stakes of the current moment couldn’t be higher. 

There are no words to describe how much I loved this article.

The sharp observations, the receipts, the well-deserved snark…it’s brilliant. And with the exception of American icon LeVar Burton and President Obama, I can’t think of any famous men sharing their book recommendations or building community the way women do - not widely published and sought-after collaborator James Patterson.

“And yet, this arena, which has the ability to bring in multi-millions, fortify personal brands, and communicate personal values, has the gender breakdown of a Lilith Fair. From a pure financial standpoint, why aren’t celebrity men capitalizing off of a rabid, reading fanbase? Why aren’t they tapping into a pipeline of devoted followers eager to support the trajectory of a story from book to box office? From a less cynical outlook, why aren’t famous men using book club structures to solidify themselves as intellectuals or even just insatiable bookworms? Is it perhaps because they…can’t read? Sorry. I’m joking. I think.”

If you’re a man reading this - start a book club. Please. It’s good for the brain, the soul, and for society as a whole.

…and I hope both parties can agree on the framework, as well as the urgency of getting regulations in place as this technology scales.

I think Leader Schumer’s proposed framework on transparency is a great start, in requiring AI companies to provide clear transparency. But this is not a one-and-done piece of legislation - it’s establishing the foundation of future regulation of this and new technologies that pose to both improve and disrupt our lives.

While I think Schumer’s bill stands a fair chance of passage in the Senate, I’m not so sure about the House of Representatives (though I’d love to be wrong).

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