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“A balm for the soul”
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GOOD PEOPLE Book
upworthy

Kit Sudol

Have you heard about what's happening on April 15? Because it's not just Tax Day.

The biggest protest ever to raise the wage is happening on April 15. And Upworthy is covering it all day.

On April 15, 2015, fast-food workers, child care workers, airport workers, and even adjunct professors are joining together all across the United States.

Minimum-wage workers will protest in various cities in the U.S. (and the world!).

They started organizing in November 2012 with only 200 workers in New York City. That grew to over 150 cities and thousands of minimum-wage workers in 2013. In 2014, the thing went global, with actions in 33 countries across six continents.


And what happens in 2015 ... that's up to everybody who participates!

What do they want? A livable wage of $15 an hour and a union. When do they want it? As soon as humanly possible. That's what the Fight for $15 is all about!

So, like, yesterday would be nice.

See, these employees want to make enough to live, not just scrape by.

These are actual fast-food strikers who are living on the minimum wage. Note that they aren't just bored teenagers trying to make a little extra money to pay for Pokemon cards or whatever it is that teenagers are into these days. They are adults.

I just checked my watch and it's minimum-wage fact-o'clock, so let's get real:

  • At a whopping 75%, adults are the majority of minimum-wage earners.
  • At least 70% of those minimum-wage-earning adults have a high school degree or some college under their belts.
  • The majority of adults making minimum wage? Adult women, at 48.5%.

Here's some fancy pie charts to illustrate this point further, just in case you're into pie. Or charts.

Just like this, but tastier and full of facts about the minimum wage. Mmm.

McDonald's made some progress here when it announced a raise for employees earlier this year. But it's not enough.

This might sound like cause for celebration. But what you might not have heard is ... that raise? Well, it's only for corporate workers, not the fast-food crew working down at your local McD's.

Only 10% of McDonald's employees will actually see that raise on their paychecks. That means roughly 1.6 million people will see a remarkable increase of zero whole dollars, folks.

Like, whoa, McDonald's, slow it down with your tons and tons of generosity you've got going on right now, am I right?

So on April 15, people are joining together in the biggest protest yet to demand more ... in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and maybe even your town (if you're not from the previously listed ones, of course).

And Upworthy is going to cover the entire thing. On Twitter. And from the ground. All day.

And we want you to be there with us.

Watch the @Upworthy Twitter account on Wednesday, April 15, 2015, to see live updates of the protests as they happen.

We'll be talking to folks on the ground as well as giving you the rundown with a slew of smart, labor-focused partners on why this is so, so important right now. We might even do a little Q&A in the middle of it all, just like a regular ol' #UpChat. You remember those, right? Those are fun.

Join us Wednesday, April 15, 2015, for the Fight for 15 protests. #RaiseTheWage

Heroes

They're Just A Bunch Of Little Doodles In A Kid's Notebook. So Why Is It So Upsetting?

Note: This #UpChat has concluded, but don't worry! You can check out our recap of the discussion below and here.This might not be news for some of you. For others, this might be the first time you've ever seen the facts on this issue. But this is real: Too many kids in the United States go hungry each and every day. And that's just incredibly messed up.So if you're as upset as I was after seeing these stats and you want to know how you can help, why not check out our #UpChat on child hunger on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 3 p.m. ET? We're talking solutions with our friends Unilever Project Sunlight and Feeding America, but, you know, only if you've got the time for a totally enlightening hour-long chat on Twitter. Wanna know more? The details are after the infographic. Boom, knowledged. (Already sold on coming to #UpChat? Share this post so all your friends will know and maybe even chat with us too!)But before I get ahead of myself, here's the thing you wanted to learn about in the first place...

True
Unilever

...And there's more! That's right, folks. If you're extra stoked about helping out (which, let's be real, you're awesome and probably beyond stoked), have I got something for you.


Upworthy is partnering with our good friends Unilever Project Sunlight to hold an #UpChat all about hunger in the U.S.! So mark your calendar for Thursday, Oct. 16 at 3 p.m. ET to meet up with us on Twitter, where we'll be hashing out the details (with hashtags!) and to have an enlightening chat about problems and solutions.

Have questions about what the heck an #UpChat is and/or how that works and/or how to pronounce "#"? No worries. Read on for more information!

So, um, where is this happening?

Um, somewhere amazing — otherwise known as the Internet (you know, the place where you're reading this right now) for an #UpChat!

Sounds great! But what exactly is an #UpChat? What's the deal here?

An #UpChat is just a casual chat on Twitter where we discuss a certain important topic. This particular #UpChat is brought to you by our pals at Unilever Project Sunlight and will be all about hunger in the U.S. and what we can do to help folks out. We'll be joined by a bunch of great partners, like Feeding America, and other fun people on Twitter (including you!) Basically, it's going to be really fun and really educational. And what's better than that? (Answer: nothing. #UpChats are the best.)

OK, can you tell me what I can do now?

I love your enthusiasm! The biggest, most crucial part of all this is to have people like YOU — yes, I am talking about YOU — join in and make your voice heard! Here are the three steps to get this educational party started:

1. Follow @Upworthy on Twitter.

2. Check out the #UpChat and #ShareAMeal hashtags on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 3 p.m. ET — and join in the conversation!

3. Check out all the awesome folks joining us on this handy dandy list we've compiled for you.

4. Share this post! If you're going, then share so other folks know you're coming! Can't go? That's cool too! Share this post so maybe your friends will stop by instead! The more, the merrier!

BUT I JUST CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THEN. I NEED TO DO SOMETHING NOWWWW.

I feel you. I kinda want to invent a time machine just so you and I can fast-forward to Oct. 16. But my cat ate my time-machine plans, so we're just gonna have to wait this out together. In the meantime, here's some awesome links to check out while you patiently wait for the #ShareAMeal #UpChat:

1. Learn more about child hunger here at Unilever Project Sunlight.

2. Watch this stunning, gut-wrenching video on a story that is unfortunately way too common.

Heroes

We didn't believe it. So we fact-checked it (twice). Now let's talk about how to take it worldwide.

Note: This #UpChat has concluded, but don't worry! You can check out our recap of the discussion below and here.It's happening — what you've all been waiting for ... an #UpChat (on Twitter!) to talk about climate change, leading up to the United Nations 2014 Climate Summit. This is not a drill, y'all. Be there on Monday, Sept. 15 at 11 a.m. Eastern time to talk realities and solutions with us!

True
Unilever and the United Nations

So you might have heard that Upworthy is doing something special for the upcoming United Nations Climate Summit ... like, say, a Twitter chat about climate change.

Talking about climate change can be frustrating. Like, ugh, climate change, right? Sometimes it feels like we're too busy debating people about whether it's real to put any real solutions in place. It's disheartening! Kinda makes you wanna give up, right? Because it certainly makes me want to sometimes.


(Pictured: me, giving up. Because climate change.)

But here's the thing: It doesn't have to be this way. Check this out:

That's right! The German state of Schleswig-Holstein (yes, Germany has states — 16 of them!) is kickin' butt and takin' names when it comes to renewable energy.

The first time I saw this stat, I didn't believe it, so I looked it up.

Then after I did that, I was still unsure, so I had Upworthy's crack team of fact checkers look it up. And here's what they found: This is legit. And that's amazing.

More importantly, these results don't have to be limited to a state in Germany. (No offense to Germany.) This could be every nation in the world working together, contacting their world leaders, and asking for action. So this isn't really all that hopeless after all. We can act together on climate change — and the time is now.

Exciting, right?!

(Pictured: me, being excited. Because OMG, talking about climate change!)

So, where are you going with this exactly?

Um, we're going somewhere amazing — otherwise known as the Internet (you know, the place where you're reading this right now) for an #UpChat!

Sounds great! But what exactly is an #UpChat? What's the deal here?

An #UpChat is just a casual chat on Twitter where we discuss a certain topic. This chat will be about climate change — specifically, what's the deal with climate change, how it's affecting the lives of everyday people across the world, and what steps we can take as a global community to take action. It will be with Upworthy (hi!), the United Nations, and tons of other participants (including you!). Basically, it's going to be really fun and really educational. And what's better than that? (Answer: nothing. #UpChats are the best.)

OK, can you tell me what I can do now?

I love your enthusiasm! The biggest, most crucial part of all this is to have people like YOU — yes, I am talking about YOU — join in and make your voice heard! Here are the three steps to get this educational party started:

  1. Follow @Upworthy on Twitter.
  2. Check out the #UpChat and #Climate2014 hashtags on 9/15 at 11 a.m. Eastern — and join in the conversation!
  3. Check out all the awesome folks joining us, including Christiana Figueres, the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). You can learn more about the UNFCCC in the Newsroom.

BUT I JUST CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THEN. I NEED TO DO SOMETHING NOWWWW.

I know it's hard! I can't wait either. But you and me, pal, we can get through this trying time together. In the meantime, here's some other neat stuff you can check out to get pumped:

...aaaaand that's all, folks! You are now officially prepared for #UpChat! See you on Twitter on Monday, Sept. 15 at 11 a.m. Eastern time!

More

No Sexual Desire? No Problem! XOXO, The Asexual Movement.

These folks love you, just not that way. It's nothing personal (except it kinda is since, you know, sexual and romantic orientation are like deeply personal and stuff, but anyway). Take it away, Vimeo!