Emma and Nuala try to figure out if they’re perimenopausal, wonder if it’s anxiety or the end of the American empire, and designate Tori Amos as their menopause cult leader.
It is a tough time to live in the USA. Armed militia are kidnapping our neighbors, we’re losing the right to life-saving healthcare, and the cost of basic necessities is about to skyrocket even higher.
Mainstream media outlets — and authoritarian regimes, coincidentally — love this and spit out a constant stream of sensationalist narratives designed to stoke fear. It’s working; I rarely listen to the radio anymore. I steel myself before navigating to the websites of national news outlets. It’s hard not to get sucked into their obsession with doom and anguish.
But hopelessness is their tool, not ours. At COYOTE, we believe our intractable problems are fixable, and that our strength lies in community. Today, we’re launching COYOTE’s First Aid Kit, where we'll pursue intersectional, evidence-based, and sometimes light-hearted solutions to the many challenges of living in the Bay Area and beyond. Armed with information, optimism, and compassion, we can navigate what lies ahead together.
This series will also contain evergreen tips: Today, Soleil brings us a story on how to use good home cooking techniques to keep your spirits up when all you’ve got is beans. Later this week I’ll share a guide on responding to an overdose. I’m also researching one of my worst nightmares: what to do if you’re in a traffic collision on a specific stretch of a Bay Area highway (can you guess which one?).
As part of our pledge to share critical information during this time of upheaval, none of the stories in this series will be placed behind a paywall. We believe taking action is the swiftest antidote to despair, and with COYOTE’s First Aid Kit, we will provide you with the skills to do so.
Have thoughts on what you think we should cover? Hit us up: hello@coyotemedia.org. We’re at your service.
Nuala Bishari is an investigative journalist and opinion columnist who's reported on the Bay Area since 2013. She writes about public health, homelessness, LGBTQ+ issues, and nature.
