5 Things / Dolly’s Legacy
A Note from Bernadette
Like so many, I was heartbroken when Dolly Parton left us. What a gift she was, universally beloved and respected. How rare these days.
Dolly used her innate curiosity to build connections with all kinds of people. She embraced diversity without trepidation…did you know that her longtime chauffeur and personal assistant was a trans man? Or that she invested royalties from Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You” in a historically Black Nashville neighborhood, what she called “the house that Whitney built.” Her professional collaborations ranged from Beyonce' to Judas Priest to David Hidalgo from Los Lobos.
Dolly was the ultimate example of using one’s power for good. What a legacy she leaves. May we all be more like Dolly.
This Week's Good Vibes
Arizona Erases A Billion In Debt
Gov. Katie Hobbs partnered with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt to wipe out more than $1 billion in medical bills for nearly 670k Arizonans, no application or state funds required. The nonprofit buys bundled medical debt from hospitals and collection agencies for a fraction of its value, then simply forgives it.
Anyone owing at least 5% of their annual income in medical bills, or earning at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, automatically qualifies. Medical debt hits low-income families and people with chronic illness or disability hardest.
Rodrigo's Festival Raises $20 Million
Olivia Rodrigo's inaugural Daisy Chain Fields festival raised $20 million for organizations supporting women and girls. Every performer at the all-women, Lilith Fair-inspired festival waived their fee so 100% of net proceeds could go to charity.
Rodrigo announced $10 million raised from tickets and sponsors, then Melinda French Gates walked onstage and doubled it. The funds split across 10 nonprofits, including Black Mamas Matter Alliance, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance.
Georgia Elects Its First Out Congressman
Everton Blair won a special election runoff for Georgia's 13th Congressional District, becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to Congress from Georgia and the first openly gay Black man elected to Congress from any Southern state.
Blair, a former Gwinnett County School Board chair and math teacher, will serve out the remainder of the late Rep. David Scott's term through January. Representation in the U.S. South has lagged badly for LGBTQ+ candidates, so this breaks ground.
Seattle Feeds Every Kid, Free
Every Seattle Public Schools student will have access to free breakfast and lunch this fall. Only 9 states have made universal free school meals permanent statewide, and Washington isn't one of them.
Universal school meals remove stigma for lower-income kids and improve attendance regardless of a family's ability to pay. No separate line, label, or shame at the lunch table.
Nashville May Rename Airport For Dolly
Following Dolly Parton's death, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority announced plans to rename Nashville International Airport in her honor. The proposal goes before the airport authority on Sept. 17, and may require revisiting a policy that currently limits naming rights to people who have been dead at least two years.
Good Vibes to Go & Updates
Watch 9 to 5 this week for some laughs and a fun dose of 80s feminism.