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Democracy

How this protest image became an instant icon

She was arrested shortly after the photo was taken.

a woman stands calmly before two police officers in riot gear.
A photo by Jonathan Bachman.

A woman confronts the police at a Black Lives Matter rally.

A stunning photo of a Black woman confronting police at a Black Lives Matter rally blazed across social media, with some calling it a touchstone image that will stand as a powerful symbol for many years to come.

The photo, captured by Jonathan Bachman of Reuters, comes from a Black Lives Matter rally in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on July 9, 2016 . Police in full riot armor are shown descending on the poised, well-dressed woman, apparently about to be cuffed.

Her name is Ieshia Evans, then a 35-year-old nurse from Brooklyn, NY who had not been to a protest rally before. She was arrested for blocking a public roadway shortly after the image was taken.

DeRay McKesson, one of the most prominent voices of the Black Lives Matter movement, was also arrested at the rally. McKesson was released after 16 hours in a cell; he told the New York Times that he felt Saturday's mass arrests were unlawful as the protesters were peacefully assembled on the side of the highway.

"What we saw in Baton Rouge was a police department that chose to provoke protesters to create, like, a context of conflict they could exploit," said McKesson. Over 100 other protesters were also arrested.

The protests were a direct response to the killing of 37-year-old Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge on July 5, 2016 after two officers shot him repeatedly outside a convenience store. Shortly after Sterling's death, a school cafeteria worker, Philando Castile was shot and killed by police in Falcon Heights, Minnesota while reaching for paperwork in his car. And at a protest rally in Dallas following Falcon Heights, five police officers were killed by snipers.

The violence over those few days has proved to be an intensely raw and revealing piece of American history. Bachman's photo will surely be one of the images that lasts.

This article originally appeared seven years ago.

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Dad's heartfelt lunch message shows how simple, everyday acts can change lives

You can make a huge difference by using O Organics.

via Meg Sullivan (used with permission) and Canva/Photos

A volunteer hands out food in a food bank and Meg Sullivan shares her dad's kind gesture.

When we consider people who have had a positive impact on the world, we often think of those who have made grand gestures to improve the lives of others, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Greta Thunberg, or Mahatma Gandhi. Unfortunately, that type of effort is out of reach for the average person.

However, O Organics would like to remind everyone that they can positively impact the world through small, consistent acts of kindness that add up over time. Much like how a small creek can create a valley over the years, we can change lives through small, consistent acts of kindness.

O Organics is dedicated to the well-being of all by nourishing people everywhere with delicious organic foods grown by producers who meet USDA-certified organic farming standards.

Upworthy's Instagram page recently posted a touching example of everyday kindness. Meg Sullivan shared how her father, Tom, peeled oranges for her lunch just about every day from kindergarten through high school. But on the final day of her senior year of high school, he sent his 17-year-old daughter unpeeled oranges with a touching note about how she’d have to start peeling them for herself.



“It’s Time Baby Girl,” he wrote on a wikiHow printout on how to peel an orange with a drawing of himself crying. For the father, this daily ritual was about more than just making lunch; it was about showing that he cared by going the extra mile. “I could have put money on her lunch account,” Tom told Today.com. “But it’s one of those little things I thought was important, that she knows somebody’s taking the time to take care of her.”

The small, daily gesture taught Megan an essential lesson in kindness.

The post reminded people how their fathers’ small acts of kindness meant so much to them. “My dad peeled my oranges until I graduated high school, too. Now, I peel my daughter’s oranges and will for the next 7 plus years,” Katie wrote in the comments. “Love this. My dad peeled mine, too. When I moved out, he gave me an orange peeler gadget,” Mary added.

o organics, albertson's giving backO Organics has a wide array of foods and flavors covering almost everything on your shopping list.via Albertson's

Did you know that every time you go to the supermarket, you can also change the world through small gestures? O Organics not only allows you to feed your family delicious and nutritious organic food, but each purchase also gives back to help people and communities facing food insecurity.

Through contributions from customers like you, O Organics donates up to 28 million meals annually. The company’s contribution is essential when, according to the USDA, 47.4 million Americans live in food-insecure households.

O Organics has a wide array of foods and flavors covering almost everything on your shopping list. “Over the years, we have made organic foods more accessible by expanding O Organics to every aisle across our stores, making it possible for health and budget-conscious families to incorporate organic food into every meal,” Jennifer Saenz, EVP and Chief Merchandising Officer at Albertsons, one of many stores where you can find O Organics products, said in a statement.

O Organics now offers over 1500 items, from dairy products such as eggs and milk to packaged meats and breakfast staples such as cereal bars, granola and oatmeal. You can also enjoy affordable organic produce with O Organics’ fresh salads and fruit.

Everybody wants to make the world a better place. With O Organics, you can feed your family healthy, organic food every time you go to the market while paying it forward by contributing to the company’s efforts to end food insecurity nationwide. That’s a small, daily gesture that can amount to incredible change.

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Parenting

Mom shares 4-part secret to making her home "the house" for her son and his friends.

Con: They eat all your food. Pro: You'll learn to know and trust the people they spend their time with.

hi.im.amywhite/Instagram

I grew up in "the house." In high school, my home was the designated place where my friends gathered, sometimes in big groups, sometimes just my small core squad. My three best friends spent the night there almost every Friday and/or Saturday night for four years straight. We devoured Totino's frozen pizzas by the dozens, inhaled soda, and laid waste to any snacks or leftovers that were brave enough to exist somewhere in the kitchen. Not only that, but my house was pretty small — four teenage boys took up a lot of space in the living room (the whole thing) and made a lot of noise playing video games deep into the night. It must have driven my parents and older brothers crazy. It's a wonder anyone put up with it.

Or, so I thought when I was younger. When I became a parent myself, I started to understand a little more why my mom and dad were so willing to host and feed me and all my friends every single weekend. Why the outrageous grocery bill and constant chaos in the house was probably a small price to pay.

One mom has perfectly encapsulated why turning her home into "the house" for her son and his friends was so valuable and exactly how she did it.


Giphy

Amy White shared a reel on Instagram showing her college-aged son hanging in her dining room with a group of friends playing cards. The text overlay reads "What makes your kids high school friends want to come over, play cards & spend the night on their College Christmas Break". I think most parents can agree that we want our kids to keep coming home as long as possible! So how exactly did White pull this off?

Her explanation in the caption was spot-on.

First, White says that you have to start early. Become "the hang out house" in high school or even earlier. Then you have a better chance of holding onto the mantle into your kid's college years.

Next, be ready to stock the house with snacks and drinks, and don't make a fuss when your kid's friends have at it. "The kids knew we had food," she writes, "BUT they also knew I didn't care what they had. They knew they could eat anything in my pantry and fridge."

Third, and this is a big one, don't mistake being the "cool house" for being "the house." Some parents choose to allow their underage kids and friends to drink alcohol under their supervision, but you don't have to bend your morals and the law to lure the squad over to your place. Pizza and Coke is plenty to keep most teens happy. "We were not the house that served alcohol or even allowed the kids to bring alcohol to our house. And Guess What?? The kids still came and wanted to hang at our house!"

Fourth, always say Yes (as often as possible, anyway) when your kids want to have friends over. "They know my answer is 99% of the time YES," White writes. "You have to have your kids take the leadership of offering your home and if your home was 'open' to their friends in high school, they know it will be 'open' to their friends in college."

As a bonus tip, White pleas with parents not to worry about the mess having friends over makes. "I love a clean house and organization, BUT I would much rather have a crazy messy house for the kids where memories are made than a quiet house with nothing going on just to keep my house 'clean.'"

White writes, "It's worth being 'the house', so let go of control & get to know your kids friends." Commenters agreed.

White's video went viral to the tune of 8.5 million views and hundreds of comments. Parents shared their own experiences of what it's like being the default hang out house.

"Our house was the high school hangout for my son and friends... every weekend... I loved it!! Miss it now that they are all college graduates and have moved away. I love seeing them when they do come home for the holidays"

"A wise man once said don't be the house with the alcohol. Be the house with the food."


Teenagers will ravage your kitchenMichael Richards Eating GIFGiphy

"Amy 1000% agree!!! My house is full of teenagers on the weekends and I love every bit of it. Even though I wake up to a kitchen that looked much different from when I left it"

"we never allowed alcohol, drugs, bad language, always respectful, and guess what, our house was always the house where the kids hung out. First my daughter, then my son. Through grade school, high school, then when my kids went out of state for college their college friends would come spend a couple weeks during the summer. I always thought of it this way, I loved knowing my kids friends and, who knows, maybe some of those kids, especially during the younger years, just maybe those kids just needed an adult to care. Anyway, it was always fun to have them here!"

"It used to crack me up when my daughter would bring over a bunch of her friends (girls and boys) in high school and instead of hanging out in the family room they all wanted to crowd into either the kitchen with me or our tiny office and happily share all the gossip with me."

Experts say that knowing your kids' friends, and their parents, can have huge benefits. Not only will it bring you the peace of mind of knowing where your kid is and who they're with when they get to those crucial high school years, it has been shown to tangibly improve kids ability to create positive relationships and problem-solve collaboratively. Plus, it can actually be really fun! Kids and teens are the funniest, silliest, most interesting people on the planet. Having a house full of them is messy and loud, but it's always a good time.

Just "Don’t feel bad if your house isn’t the chosen house," one commenter reminds us. "Just be happy your kid has a good group of friends and be thankful they have somewhere safe to hang out."

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Humor

Dutch magician performs for North Korean kids, proving you can find joy just about anywhere

Jesper Grønkjær’s sense of humor and awe has inspired smiles around the globe.

via Freeport Traveler/YouTube

Jesper Grønkjær performs magic for children in North Korea.

North Korea is the most oppressive place in the world, and its people lack freedom of speech, press, or movement. The government, headed by Kim Jong Un, controls all aspects of its citizen's lives, and those who stand up against the regime are punished harshly. It’s also hostile to people outside the country for fear that outside ideas could destabilize the regime.

The country is so isolated from the rest of the world that it just recently opened its border to allow a small number of tourists to visit its Special Economic Zone for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, North Korea demonstrated its alliance with Russia by permitting more than 800 of its citizens to visit the isolated nation.

Another of North Korea’s recent visitors was Dutch magician and adventurer Jesper Grønkjær, who set out to see if he could manage to get a smile from its citizens. “I’ve spent my life proving one universal truth: a smile is the shortest distance between all people on Earth,” Grønkjær said.

"We know you can suppress people, but you can't suppress a smile. I will investigate that, and where better to do it than in one of the strictest countries in the world?” he opens his video on the Freeport Traveler YouTube page. When Grønkjær visited North Korea, he was accompanied by two guards wherever he went, and his passport was taken from him. At night, he was locked in his hotel like a jail cell. However, he still elicited huge grins from children and adults alike as he wowed them with magic tricks with animal balloons, a stuffed ferret, red foam balls, card tricks, and much of his joyful brand of Abracadabra.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

While visiting North Korea, Grønkjær watched the country’s “Day of the Sun Celebrations” at Kim Il-Sung Square in North Korea. Held each year on April 15th, the holiday celebrates the birthday of Kim Il-Sung, the country's founder, and features dancing, military tests, parades, and concerts. For North Koreans, the holiday is akin to Christmas.

Grønkjær’s trip to North Korea isn’t the only exotic and potentially dangerous place where he has performed magic. He has also performed for Indigenous people in Peru, the descendants of the Incas in the Andes mountains, and the Masai warriors in Tanzania. The magician of 20 years has also performed for orphanages in Uganda, the jungles of Irian Jaya, the ice caps of Greenland, and the Las Vegas strip.


Grønkjær uses his adventurous expeditions as subject matter for his various lectures, print articles, and appearances on Danish television. When he’s back home, he performs more than 225 nights a year for family events, circuses, weddings, and corporate parties.

In a world where it can feel like the people in North Korea, Tanzania, Peru, or Denmark are a world away culturally and politically, Grønkjær’s work shows that no matter where you live on the planet or what language you speak, we all share the same sense of wonder and humor. While nefarious forces in the world work to drive us apart, he proves it takes very little for all of us to realize our shared humanity.

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Pop Culture

Man's seemingly obvious 'dishwasher hack' is blowing everyone's minds

One man’s observation about his dishwasher may change the way you do dishes forever.

via Mike McLoughlin/Twitter

Mike McLoughlan realized something very important about his dishwasher.

No one likes doing the dishes, but the tedious chore is made much easier when using a dishwasher. However, an alarming amount of people have reported that their dishwashers can actually make the job harder because they don't properly fit their dishes.

And that's where Twitter user Mike McLoughlin (@zuroph) comes in. McLoughlin made an observation about his dishwasher that would change the way he does dishes forever. For a decade, the Irishman thought that the bottom rack of his washer simply was too small for his large dinner plates. Then he made an amazing discovery:

The tweet went totally viral, and was shared over 14,000 times. He even tweeted a picture to show just how much he could fit in the dishwasher now that he knows the racks are adjustable:

The "hack" (is it still called a hack if the appliance is doing what it is supposed to be doing?) blew people's minds:

But other people were basically like, "Seriously, dude?"

While a group of others tried to one-up McLoughlin with stories of their own:


Okay, go on and check your own dishwasher. You know you want to.


This article first appeared seven years ago.

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Joy

Atlanta Falcons' partner pledges four years of his entire salary to Morehouse College

"One thing Morehouse gave me that no one else has been able to give me in my entire life is that stability."

Thomson200, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Atlanta Falcon's co-owner gifts college four years of his salary

College is an invaluable experience for most college kids, while many can argue whether it's financially worth the experience, there's no doubt it's not something that can be easily replicated. For many teens college is the first time they get to flex their new found adulthood without their parents' supervision in a fairly controlled environment. But for some adolescents, college serves as much more than a place to spread their wings.

Some teens don't have the guidance at home from parents or caregivers so all of the skills others may take for granted are learned while in the college setting. Venture capitalist and Atlanta Falcons' limited partner Rashaun Williams was one of those students that needed a little more guidance when he headed to Morehouse College and attributes the college to his success.

Recently Williams attended the "A Candle in the Dark" Gala where he announced a generous donation to his alma mater. The former graduate would be donating his entire salary from the Falcons to Morehouse College for the next four years. During his acceptance speech for the Bennie Trailblazer Award, he shares what the college means to him and how his experience at Morehouse impacted his whole life.

Money Team GIF by WABEGiphy

"Morehouse was my first investor. You're looking at the return you get when you invest in Morehouse, right now," Williams says. When my father wasn't there for me as a kid, Morehouse picked up the slack. I learned how to tie a tie at Morehouse, eat at a dinner table, out in, pause between my first and last name. My city failed me, but where Chicago failed me, Morehouse picked me up. Morehouse taught me I was a king. Sometimes this country fails me but there is Morehouse."

The award recipient made it clear in his speech that he would not be where he is today without what he learned at the Historically Black College and University. His experience isn't unique, many notable men graduated from the college, Martin Luther King Sr, Jr, and III are all Morehouse alumni. The halls of the HBCU have also been graced by Herman Caine, Spike Lee, Samuel L. Jackson and more, all took valuable lessons away from their time at the college so it's no surprise Williams also attributes his success to Morehouse.

"For four years, Morehouse poured into me, and in return, I would like to donate my entire salary for the next four years back to Morehouse," the alumnus reveals.

Williams wasn't the only donor that evening, in the caption of his speech on social media he writes, " The Candle in the Dark Gala broke all records and raised $6.8m this year for scholarships for students. For the school that took me in when I needed a home, self esteem, education, brotherhood, mentors, hope and community I hope to one day be able to give her a return on her investment!"

People were moved by his generous pledge writing, "Mega congrats and gratitude to you and all of those recognized!"

Another Morehouse alum shares, "Inspiring is an understatement. Fantastic…keep leading. Certainly one of our finest alumni"

Someone else says, "Amazing. Blessing our youth is a very wonderful gift to the world. Thank you."

Marching Band Dancers GIFGiphy

Another alumnus gushes, "One thing I truly respect about your journey is that I can see your intentions are pure. When I see you on national platforms, I always smile and say “ that’s one of us”. Yes, you make money, but the real gem is how you give back teaching, uplifting, and pulling your people forward. Donating your salary is more than just generosity; it’s a statement. Time and again, you’ve shown that you stand with your people and I see that being displayed throughout all your wins. Salute."

The gesture will surely help students secure scholarships at Morehouse to add to the legacy of exceptional graduates contributing to society.

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Family

Mom has her 13-year-old son plan out practice dates to teach 'manners and respect'

She calls it a really great way to spend quality time together while teaching a valuable lesson.

@melissaannmarie/TikTok

Every month, Melissa and her son go on a practice "date" of his choosing.

Going on a date can be awkward. It’s just one of those things that, as an adult, you’re suddenly thrust into with next to no idea for what to expect, how to carry on a meaningful conversation, and, in some cases, how to not overspend. Imagine how much more enjoyable those first dating experiences could have been if you were taught the most basic ins and outs when you were younger.

It just so happens that mom and content creator Melissa Ann Marie has a pretty nifty idea for doing just that. Once a month, she has her 13-year-old son plot out a practice date for the two of them to go on, which she says is “really good practice for him in how he can take out future women on dates, especially as he’s getting closer to that age.”

While use of the word “date” in this situation can be understandably off-putting to some, and perhaps is instilling some gendered expectations, it’s also easy to see how, at its core, this is a practice in thoughtfulness, creativity, organization, and frugality. As Melissa explained in a TikTok video, her son is usually given $50 for this outing, and is expected to make all the plans—from securing tickets to arranging reservations—as well as adhere to basic etiquette like holding doors open and pulling out chairs.

“And along the way,” Melissa says, “I’m teaching him manners and respect, and it’s a really good way to just spend some time with my son while teaching him a really good, valuable life lesson.”

Below is a recent example of a practice date, in which Melissa’s son chose a cat café. Why? Because both he and his mom love cats, it was simple to plan, instantly gratifying, and because “it supports a good cause... the money’s going to the kittens and cats.” In other words, he aced it.

@melissaannmariee Come with me on a date with my boy 🥹 I heard about this idea from another teen/pre-teen boy mama and weve done this a handful of times now. We always have the best time with it! Basically you give them an allowance ($50) and they take you out on a date. The idea is you are prepping them for how to take a girl out on a date in the future so they aren’t completely lost when the time comes. So you help them along the way with how to plan and execute a date and you teach them basic etiquette and manners. And while you are teaching them, you get quality time with them which is the best part. What did he learn today?! -to open the doors for his date -not to walk ahead of his date -pay attention to their preferences with things (places they would want to go too) -pull their chair at a dinner table -learned how to give a waiter a non-verbal cue & signal for the check -learned how to make a reservation online -learned how to pay for everything all on his own - to get creative and thoughtful with a date & not a lot of money to spend 👏🏼 He planned a really sweet one this time and I really i enjoyed teaching him these things along the way and getting some one on one time together. I can’t wait to do this again and see what he comes up with. Trying to teach my boy all of these things so he can be the best partner for someone someday 🤍 #boymom #boymomlife #parentsofteens #motherhood #sandiego #fyp #parentingtips #gentleman ♬ original sound - Melissa Ann Marie


And since admission was $25 each, Melissa’s son came perfectly within budget. Sure, they ended up getting tacos on the beach afterwards, which Melissa technically covered then had him pay for it, (again, or practice). But that in itself is a bit of a lesson in going with the flow, ya know?

Just putting this through a heteronormative lens, think of all the complaints and lamentations you’ve undoubtedly heard from women about their male partners who didn’t exactly excel at date planning. Or even worse, who put the onus on them to plan the whole thing, in addition to planning everything else. Imagine how this lack of consideration could be avoided simply by teaching young men what thoughtfulness really looks like. We regularly encourage parents to help young boys become respectful to women by teaching consent, speaking kindly, and calling out sexism, but this too could be a way to instill really important values and have fun in doing it.

Perhaps this is why Melissa’s post resonated with so many moms, many of whom either incorporated a similar strategy, or plan to do so in the future.

“I did Mom/son dates. My son is 23 now and his fiancé says he’s the sweetest guy she’s ever met,” one person wrote.

Another echoed, “I did this with my 3 sons when they were teenagers. Valuable lessons, and such good quality one on one time with them.”

As parents, we're all doing our best to raise genuinely good humans. That often means finding creative ways to introduce them to the adult world. And, who knows, in teaching these concepts we just might learn a thing or two in the process ourselves.

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