#5SmartReads - October 6, 2021

Henrietta Lacks estate sues company using her ‘stolen’ cells (AP News)

As well they should.

The HeLa cell line has led to the discovery of countless therapeutics in cancers and other serious disease. These cells were removed from her body without her or her family’s consent, and the cell lines themselves and the medicines developed because of HeLa cells made a LOT of money for the shareholders of those companies.

No Longer Overlooked: The Venture Capitalist Changing The Face Of Investing (Forbes)

If you look at the press for startups and entrepreneurs, you’d probably think that how much you raise and the value of your exit are the only things that matter.

And you would be wrong. My friend Janine Sickmeyer is proof of that.

After bootstrapping and building her legal tech company to an exit (with every member of her team having equity in the company, and thus a share of the exit), she’s now building Overlooked Ventures.

I’m forever inspired by her (and Amy Shoenthal, who interviewed Janine). And I think you will be too.

What's behind the rising energy prices (Axios)

It’s a combination of factors. And if it feels like everything is stalled right now…well, you would be right.

In this case, it’s oil companies declining to raise output and consumers demanding the increased supply.

That’s just one part of our energy problem. When you consider how climate change has knocked out parts of the electrical grid (or in Texas’ case, the whole grid), an unreliable supply of crude oil can exacerbate our delicate energy system even more.

*cough*UPDATE THE GRID*cough

Katie Sturino On Trusting Your ‘Crazy’ Ideas And Faking It Til You Make It (ELLE)

People who tell you what kind of business you SHOULDN’T be starting…well, they shouldn’t be giving advice. And no one knows that better than Katie Sturino - someone I admire and respect so much. Megababe is the BEST.

I loved this interview she gave to Madison Feller (and the Office Hours series in ELLE).

More women are serving life sentences. Experts are trying to determine why. (The 19th*)

Thank goodness for The 19th* for publishing vitally important, underreported stories like this.

More women are in prison and jail and serving life sentences than ever - and no one really knows why, though a few folks are trying to figure it out.

I was horrified after reading this story, but it’s the kind of horror that lights a fire in your belly to go do something about it. I don’t know what that thing is (beyond my involvement with Youth Represent), but I’ll let you know when I figure it out.