5SR - September 12, 2023

Hitha on Morocco, independent schools, and the Suits renaissance

Author

Hitha Palepu
September 12, 2023

Today’s curator is the founder of #5SmartReads, Hitha Palepu. She’s a consummate multihyphenate - CEO of Rhoshan Pharmaceuticals, author of WE’RE SPEAKING: The Life Lessons of Kamala Harris and How to Pack: Travel Smart for Any Trip, and professional speaker. Hitha is an unabashed fan of Taco Bell, Philadelphia sports teams & F1, romance novels, and is a mediocre crafter. She lives in NYC with her husband and two sons.

Every climate or natural disaster is a unique tragedy with its own set of challenges and hardships. The recent earthquake in Morocco is no different - this time, the challenge is to deliver aid to those in the Atlas Mountains.

I want to share this incredibly helpful Reel from Lucky on different ways to help:

This GoFundMe was started originally to support a friend’s caregiver who looked after her son during their wedding week. Having met their goal, the extra funds are being used to purchase supplies (food, water, baby products) and deliver them to collection sites in Marrakech.

I’m very lucky that Elyse Fox’s and my paths have criss-crossed many times over the past 6 years, and to see her build Sad Girls Club into the impactful platform is now is (while raising her beautiful son Basel) is a joy and a privilege to see.

I also love how intentional she lives and works - it’s a far cry from the grind-hustle-nonstop version of productivity we are all deprogramming ourselves from. Features like these are so important to show how we can build important businesses while taking care of ourselves and being there for the family. It may look different than what we’ve been told “work” looks like, and frankly it’s more empowering to me than clocking a 14-hour day at my desk and forgetting to eat and ending up with a migraine (just me?).

That Senator Tuberville’s nonsensical opposition to voting on hundreds of military nominations and promotions - which is a matter of national security, in my opinion - has gone this long is frustrating and dangerous.

I’m heartened to see that his behavior is being rightfully criticized by leaders on both sides of the aisle, with Chairman McCaul of the House Foreign Affairs Committee joining Senator McConnell by calling attention to the senator’s inaction.

So why is Tuberville holding up the votes? Because of abortion - specifically, the Pentagon’s policy in reimbursing service members’ travel expenses for abortion care.

I know you likely don’t need this reminder, but it’s worth repeating that abortion care is necessary for miscarriages, ectopic and unviable pregnancies, or when the birthing parent’s life is in danger. And our service members deserve this policy AND the right leadership up and down the ranks to help them do their sworn duty of protecting this country.

Anyone else responsible for the millions of hours of Suits watched on Netflix?

I have a very soft spot in my heart for the USA dramas circa 2008-14, with Suits being at the top (I also loved Covert Affairs and Fairly Legal). They are easy watching (but not quite as mind-numbing as my reality television choices). I’ve been rewatching Suits while editing graphics on Canva, cooking dinner, or when I need a television palate cleanser (like after that last episode of Foundation).

There are some bigger factors in play (both in viewer behavior, how Netflix balances between their own content and what they have rights to in order to maximize the hours watched on their platform, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes) that this piece does a nice job of breaking down.

I’m a firm believer in a robust public education system that receives the funding and respect it deserves.

I also send my children to private school, selected to meet their unique needs and the environment for them to best learn in. I recognize what a massive privilege this is, and I would be hypocritical if I did not acknowledge this and the need for parents to make the best choice for their child’s education.

Too often the conversation of school choice is focused on charter schools receiving public funds with no oversight or being used in religious schools, and that’s a separate debate entirely. But there is an underreported case for school choice, and it’s the rise of Black Independent Schools.

“These schools aim to empower Black children in ways that traditional American schools historically have not. They provide an educational experience that fosters a strong sense of identity, pride, and cultural awareness.

Black Independent schools, also called Afrocentric schools, have long been championed by Black educators due to their experiences with integration as far back as the 1960s and, more recently, by young Black families who say they have experienced coded racism and marginalization in integrated schools. Both groups have been disappointed by decades of efforts to address inequities in America’s largest school system.”

My goal with #5SmartReads is to amplify underreported stories and present the nuance that is too often missing when it comes to discussing a specific issue. I learned a lot from this piece, and I hope you take the time to read it.

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