Edition No. 42
Arts and Culture
Michigan Opera Theatre begins its 50th season with a powerful portrayal of Tazewell Thompson’s Blue, a wrenching and remarkably original opera centered on a loving, tight-knit family in modern-day Harlem.
Community and Family
Organizational psychologist and best-selling author Adam Grant finally has a name for that feeling of “blah” many of us have experienced during the pandemic: it’s called languishing.
American Democracy
Last month, the specific US Census data needed for re-districting was finally released. Learn how 2010 to 2020 demographic changes affected your community.
Tazewell Thompson’s BLUE
Our friends at Michigan Opera Theatre are returning for their 50th season, once again under the tasteful guidance of Artist Director Yuval Sharon. As you may recall, Michigan Opera Theatre made national headlines with their parking structure opera productions (formed by both the necessity to create COVID-19 safe events and the brilliant mind of Sharon), and they hope to make headlines again this weekend.
Returning to a real stage for the first time in two years, Michigan Opera Theatre is launching its 50th season this weekend (September 11 and 12), with a powerful portrayal of Tazewell Thompson’s opera Blue. Blue tells the poignant and moving story of a loving, tight-knit family in modern-day Harlem struggling to find balance and unity in their lives. Watch as the father goes to work each morning as an NYPD police officer, and his son grows politically and socially aware of the world around him. The opera examines some of today’s most powerful conversations on race and police brutality. It will challenge audiences to engage in the hardest, yet most important, conversations with their communities.
And as the production draws nears, Michigan Opera Theatre has launched “What Makes A Community Safe?” This series of virtual conversations invites community leaders, policymakers, members of law enforcement, and community advocates to discuss safety, community health issues, restorative justice, and more. It serves as the perfect complement to this moving opera. Click here to view the full series.
Languishing: The Feeling of “Blah”
This month officially marks 18 months since the COVID-19 pandemic began in the US. And just like you, we’re tired. It’s been a long year and a half, navigating through new challenges and learning to adapt to a “new” normal. However, the one thing most of us can collectively agree upon is that familiar sense of “blah.” It’s not depression or exhaustion, and it’s certainly not an over-excitement for life—it’s that feeling in-between. A feeling that we can’t quite describe, yet everyone knows. Adam Grant, Organizational Psychologist and best-selling author, penned a piece for the New York Times in which he gave a name to that widely-known feeling of blah: languishing. As Grant explains:
“Languishing is a sense of stagnation and emptiness. It feels as if you’re muddling through your days, looking at your life through a foggy windshield. And it might be the dominant emotion of 2021.”
Of course, providing processes and guidance to beat those feelings is what Grant does best. In an August 2021 TEDxMontery talk, Grant breaks down the key indicators of languishing and presents three ways to escape the dreaded “meh” feeling and once again find your flow.
US Census Redistricting Data Released
On Tuesday, August 10th, the specific US Census data needed for re-districting was finally released. Some of the best, most detailed coverage of how Michigan fared in this specific aspect of the 2020 Census came from our friends at BridgeMichigan. Follow the link below to an overview on 2010 to 2020 demographic changes at the regional level and in our state’s largest communities.
To learn how 2010 to 2020 trends affected your own community, follow the link below and then scroll down the page to the box labeled, “Census 2020: How did your community fare?” Once there, type in the name of your home community and see what you find.
It’s fun! We tried it and learned that 4 of the 5 Grosse Pointes grew between 2010 and 2020; anyone want to guess which Grosse Pointe did not? (Answer: Grosse Shores which experienced a net loss of 361 residents between 2010 and 2020)
Inspired Thoughts is a collection of highly curated content that embraces the spirit and purpose of The War Memorial: arts and culture, community enrichment, leadership, and patriotism.
Derived from the notion that learning from others is the key to success, Inspired Thoughts is meant to shine a light on those making a difference in the world around them. This collection features artists, poets, writers, architects, and every thought leader in-between. Inspired Thoughts is the strongest reflection of what The War Memorial stands for, and what we aim to be.
The content featured on Inspired Thoughts is curated by War Memorial leadership — we also look forward to featuring special guest curators in the near future. If you are interested in providing content for Inspired Thoughts, please email our Communications team at jkaminski@warmemorial.org.