Pat Taub
Maine Initiatives
Last night I attended the annual cocktail party/award gathering of Maine Initiatives, founded in 1993 to fund grassroots and community-based organizations working for peace and justice. It was wonderful to see a huge crowd that was both multi-racial and multi-ages. It gave me hope to see such an outpouring of Mainers working for good causes.
Karen and Grace, two venerable activists who have been fighting the good fight for 50 years+
Two women from Africa who cooked their native fried fish turnovers for the Maine Initiatives gathering
More Points for Maine
This week Portland displayed its compassion by hustling to make room for 170+ migrant families from Africa’s Congo. Cots were set up in the Portland Expo, Portland’s sports arena. The city’s budget will be stretched to the limit as many of the families don’t qualify for assistance right away, or even at all. City Hall is soliciting donations to support our new families: https://www.pressherald.com/2019/06/13/asylum-seekers-settle-in-as-community-offers-help/
A Handmaid’s Tale, Season 3
This week I watched the first three installments of the new season of “A Handmaid’s Tale.” I didn’t find this season nearly as compelling as the prior ones. Season 3 is now on its own, having exhausted Margaret Atwood’s novel, on which Seasons 1 and 2 were based. I’m hoping the plot becomes more absorbing as the series moves along.
Saturday’s Pride Parade
I plan to march with my church’s Pride contingent in Saturday’s annual Pride parade. With all the vicious attacks on our country’s LGBTQ’s population, it feels important to lend my support. I’m remembering a cousin who was gay but afraid to come out because of his disapproving parents. He lived a lonely life, ending it through suicide awhile back. I will march in Bobby’s name.
Father’s Day
My father has been dead for over 20 years, but I will raise a virtual toast to him on Sunday while celebrating my oldest son’s fathering. David has two kids, Jane, 15 and Max, almost 14. He’s a great dad who along with his wife, Mel, has taken the kids on multiple shoestring trips abroad, wanting them to be engaged global citizens.
Happy Father’s Day to son David and kids, Max & Jane–we’re a family of pranksters!
