This week on the Code Switch podcast, we tried to settle a months-long debate we've been having on the team: Which kind of books are best to read during the pandemic? Ones that help you escape our current reality? Or ones that connect you to it on a deeper level? In doing so, we got a chance to catch up with the authors of some of our favorite pandemic reads. We'll be sharing interviews with those authors throughout the week. Today, in our final installment, we have a conversation with Kwana Jackson, author of Real Men Knit.

The cover of Kwana Jackson's Real Men Knit. kmjackson.com hide caption

The cover of Kwana Jackson's Real Men Knit.

For a romance novel, Real Men Knit is full of some not-so-romantic issues: gentrification, rapidly changing demographics, the sudden death of a family member. But author Kwana Jackson says that her books don't take place on deserted islands so even in her fiction, she never leaves real life behind.

Despite all the seeming heaviness, though, Real Men Knit is a true love story yes, in the romantic love sense. But it's also a story about love for family and community. It takes place in Jackson's native Harlem, and is full of inspiration and references from her childhood. And for anyone wondering, it does have the calling card of a true romance: the mandatory Happily Ever After.

I spoke to Kwana Jackson about the romance industry, her characters, and how Harlem shows up in the book. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Without giving anything away of coursewhat is Real Men Knit about?

Real Men Knit is the story of four brothers fighting to keep their family's knitting shop open after their adoptive mother suddenly passes away. And it's also the love story of Jesse, who is the youngest brother, and Kerry, who is a part time shopkeeper. It's their story of the two of them coming together. Unbeknownst to Jesse, Kerry has had a long-time crush on him for forever.

Tell us a bit more about Mama Joy, the mother of these four boys.

I chose Mama Joy as their adoptive mother because growing up, a native Harlemite, born and raised in New York, I saw lots of women, lots of Black women taking care of not just their own kids, but kids in the neighborhood. It was sort of an it takes a village situation.

There are a lot of real life issues in this book. How did you think about folding that heaviness into a genre that's typically perceived as more lighthearted?

I'm not writing in a setting set on a deserted island, you know, so I can't write in for another person's novel. Maybe it wouldn't be in there. But for me, as a black writer who was born and raised in Harlem, I mean, the fictional Strong Knits shop that I've written is pretty much around the corner, in my head, from where I grew up. And I don't even know if I've ever said this in an interview, but when my grandmother passed away, she had on her dresser notices from the housing department wanting her to move out of her longtime home of over 40 years. So that's something I can't escape. Though I am a fiction writer, I cannot escape. Reality in my fiction is just, you know, it might not be romantic, but it's real.

In the non-romance world, a lot of people refer to romance novels as "bodice-rippers," a term you find offensive and misogynist. Why?

I think that's a way to put down an industry run by women, and put down women and just sort of squash it aside. That's not something I can get behind. I have been a romance fan since I was 11 or 12 years old, and I've learned so much from back-in-the-day romance about what I want to take away and what I would expect and demand in relationships. Though they say "bodice rippers" and "escapism" and "guilty pleasure," there are no guilty pleasureswhat's your pleasure is your pleasure.

So maybe we're doing ourselves a favor, putting aside the COVID news for a bit, and reading a romance or two?

I have been tweeting and shouting, Romance Is Self-Care! And whatever you need for your emotional and mental self-care right now is absolutely fine, and there is absolutely no guilt about any of it.

You've written a number of romances, and your heroines, to date anyway, have all been Black. Is that because there weren't a lot of Black romance heroines years ago, when you were beginning to read them?

I won't say that was the reason I wanted to write romances featuring people of color. I just wanted to write romance! And the reason I feature people of color is because I'm a Black woman. So I couldn't imagine my heroines being anything but Black women. But that's not saying that I won't write romances in the future that don't have a Black woman. I write a lot of series romances, and there may be another character who is a different color and if that character is calling for a story, I may write that.

You have been very active on social media in the romance community about the need for more diversity in the genre. There is some, but as the big blowup earlier this year in RWARomance Writers of Americaover diversity proved, the industry as a whole has a way to go, in terms of equity in promotion of diverse books, in payment of its authors, and other things. Is it making progress?

I think it's coming to terms [with the need to be more racially aware, more equitable]. I think everyone is coming to termsromance, entertainment, etc., and I'm happy to see that they're coming to terms with it and that they're learning from it. In the romance industry, they're starting to value not only the feelings of the readers and the authors, but understand that our dollars have equal value, and that readers will take their dollars elsewhere if they see the inequality and the readers are starting to see the inequality that they didn't see before.

That could be critical, right? Isn't romance the most profitable sector of the publishing industry?

Exactly! That's what I understand. So if all those female writers packed up their laptops and went away, what would happen to the industry?

Readers, we want to hear from you! What books are you turning to right now? Are you team #EscapistReads or team #PandemicReads? Email us at CodeSwitch@npr.org and tell us your thoughts. And if you missed yesterday's conversation, click here to read our interview with Elisabeth Thomas, author of Catherine House.

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Romance Meets The Real World In 'Real Men Knit' - NPR

Author Hannah Chambley - September 28, 2020September 28, 2020 The kind of team that makes every day a good hair day. Photo via Matthew Niblett for Bham Now

Arcadia Salon is serving up all the style and good vibes in Avondale. From its dreamy salon interior to the stylists behind the chairs, Arcadia is doing something right. Get a look inside, and get to know the team making all the magic.

Located in the heart of Avondale, Arcadia Salon is truly a magical spot. The sleek exterior is eye-catching and stepping inside is like a dream. With plants hanging in every corner and a mid-century modern design feelthe space is warm and open, welcoming each guest with cozy accents and lighting.

Fittingly, the word Arcadia is Greek for a happy, serene placewhich the salon definitely achieves. And although I could go on about the stunning design and decor, its the people working inside that make it so magical.

A native of Anniston, AL, Christie J. White, always knew shed return to Birmingham. After working in independent music stores, she got her start in the salon industry as a manager at Van Michael Salon in Atlanta over two decades ago.

Fast forward to 2018, when she reconnected with an old friendTheo Pettwayfor a haircut on vacation. Shed never thought of opening her own salon until sitting in his chair. After a few meetings with Theo, Christie and her husband Bill set out to create Arcadia. They chose every element together and still do.

After deciding to open the salon we were struggling with the name.My husband asked me what I was searching for more than anything and I said happiness. A Google search later he suggested Arcadiathe Greek word for a happy, serene place.I knew that was it instantly.

The decor is inspired by Mid-Century Modern design and of the building itself, which I fell in love with.Plants are a big part of our culture.Taking care of them, having plant pop-ups with House Plant Collective, everyone sharing new plant acquisitions.

The old school way of doing hairshowing up every day just to do hair then go homeis a thing of the past.You gotta bring it! The industry has changed more with the evolution of social media than ever before.Before Instagram, you relied on word of mouth.Now you can actually SEE talent before booking and choose whos best for you.

Arcadias unique approach is that we place a huge emphasis on education as well as supporting one another. If someone is struggling with a cut, color, social media, we help them and assist in real time.We are a team, a true team, that works well together.Ive never, ever, worked with such a talented group of people who constantly work to get better, do better. Clients see that, they feel it and experience the vibe during their visit.

And Ill add: if we arent having fun were doing it wrong.

So many places! Favorites are: Cayo Coco, Crestwood Coffee, Urban Suburban Antiques, Tropicaleo and a neighborhood favorite El Cazador Restaurant in Irondale. Its family-owned and operated and they are such good people. Supporting local is a big one with my husband and me.

If you spot someone in leopard print at Arcadia Salon, its probably Mary. A Birmingham native and graduate of Aveda Institute Birmingham, Mary got her start styling hair for proms and weddings.

Now, shes an integral part of the Arcadia team as a Stylist/Color Educator and the Stylist Social Media Directorusing creativity and knowledge to create color stories with hair as the canvas.

I love to look at other stylists work on Instagram. I pick out an aspect that I like and want to incorporate and figure out how they achieved that look. You can always learn something from your peers.

The Arcadia Team is a very close-knit family. We help each other, from cleaning, to application, to education. It truly makes a difference in your life to have a team that is supportive. Our clients notice this connection too!

Casual, low maintenance + bohemian

My life is very busy and constant, so my personal style is easy to keep up with. My clients appreciate that I incorporate that same easy-going, low maintenance style into their hair because we all have busy lives.

At any House Plant Collective pop up or at home. Self-care is important to me so my happy place is my home and relaxing with my family.And I love plants!

From Gees Bend, AL, artistic ability runs in Theos family. As a graduate of Aveda Institute Birmingham and a Davines Educator, Theo has about 12 years of styling experience under his belt.

Hes been with Arcadia from the beginning and gets to pursue his two true passionsworking with hair and educationdaily. P.S. If you need a good cut or want to go red, Theo is your guy.

My students and co-workers, they continue to challenge me and inspire me.Im so lucky.

Special is the word I use to describe our team. We are a teaching salon where everyone takes part in education, we literally learn new things daily.

Classic, current + casual

I like to adapt to the needs of my clients based on their lifestyle and always considering their personal style.

You will find me at Botanica Downtown buying all the plants!

A Birmingham native, Disney fanatic and travel junkie, youll likely never run out of topics to chat about when sitting in Kistas chair. And thats the best part of being a stylist in her opiniongetting to know all kinds of people and helping them become the best version of themselves.

With 20 years in the business, various classes and advanced training in cutting, coloring + styling techniques, Kista is no stranger to the salon industry. Her specialties include highlights, natural color and short haircuts.

I love to scroll Instagram, but watching my coworkers is the best inspiration.

We have every kind of stylist for every kind of client. We are a diverse group that is incredibly passionate about our profession and about our Salon. And we genuinely like each other and frequently collaborate so each guest gets a great experience.

Grown up punk!

I love giving people classic, wearable styles with a touch of edge.

You can find me hanging at Sanctum Tattoos (my husbands shop) or scuba diving in our local quarries with my son.

Lis (pronounced Liz) is all about making her clients feel good about themselves and realizing how amazing they are simply through an edgy cut or new color.

Growing up in Calera, she always had a love for Birmingham. And after taking a leap of faith and enrolling in cosmetology school at Aveda Institute Birmingham after college, Lis finally found a way to help others feel confident through the creative process of changing their hair. Her specialties include cutting, balayage, fashion colors and full colors.

I find inspiration in my surroundings, especially nature. My favorite thing is to pick out colors/color schemes to use as inspiration for future projects.

The one word I would describe us as is a family. I have only been part of the Arcadia team since February, but I feel like I have known them for years. Within that time frame, they have helped me grow as an artist and a stylist. I think what sets us apart is that we go out of our way to make sure all of us have everything we need to create the best hair they can.

Boho, a splash of alternative + relaxed

The one thing that I try to incorporate from my personal style/lifestyle is to create a look that is going to manage and match their lifestyle. Something that looks effortless but also packs a punch.

Im usually out in nature with friends or hanging out at TrimTab.

With a passion for education, Jaisy is intentional about developing her skills and perfecting her craft. Originally from Paducah, KY, she apprenticed a master stylist in Kentucky for 2 years before becoming a stylist.

When it comes to her clients, communication is key. Jaisy believes each guest brings value to her chair and she looks to them for inspiration. Her specialties? Balayage, blonding + vivids.

I like to look at Pinterest & other social media platforms as a means of direction only, but I never try replicating exactly what I see.

Teamwork.Growing up, I heard a lot in dance classes, Youre only as strong as your weakest link. Thats especially true in a Salon atmosphere. Every person counts.Not many salons can say they have such strong stylists all with amazing people skills, great artistic abilities and sensitivity to others in need.

Its really encouraging whenever I see a stylist running behindanother stylist will step in to sweep, tone, sanitize and literally help in every way possible to set the stylist in need up for success for their next guest.

Hard to say in 3 words but I love the desert, fashionable and casual

I love seeing each of my clients have a look they feel most beautiful in and I always try to deliver.Thats my style: being true to yourself and expressing that through your aesthetic.

Seeds Coffee in Homewood or Cookie Dough Magic!

Ashley is the latest addition to the Arcadia team. After working in retail for 8 years, she decided to put her creative energy into hair and enrolled in Paul Mitchell the School Birmingham to pursue cosmetology.

Shes a Birmingham native who loves to help people feel good through their hair. When it comes to techniques and specialties, Ashley loves coloring hair and creating the perfect curls.

I love to explore social media and see what stylists in other countries are doing and their different techniques.

Im new with Arcadia but super excited to be a part of this salon. Everyone is super positive and friendly.

Fun, comfy, + a little adventurous

I always want clients to feel comfortable with their hairstyles but also how to have fun and work with what you got. I love figuring out what my clients can try thats new.

Queens Park, Le Fresca + Golden Age Wine

Head to their website to book your next appointment online, or give them a call or shoot them a text at (205) 777-5534. Theyll set you up with a stylist, or you can request the stylist you prefer. Before you book, make sure to read through their updated safety guidelines.

Most likely Instagrammin the Birmingham skyline, behind the camera shooting photos or writing stories (with too many puns) for Bham Now.

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Meet the team of Arcadia, the salon bringing style + color to Avondale - Bham Now

What did the Polygon staff spend their weekend watching? Whether its the latest virally popular Netflix series, discovering an animated gem, or educating ourselves in older genre classics, most of us find something worth recommending before we head back to work.

And as usual, the answers range widely, as some people check out whats new and popular on streaming services, and some return to past favorites. So heres what were watching right now, and what you might enjoy watching as well. Head to the comments to drop in your own recommendations.

The Great British Baking Show is back! A new season of Netflixs baking competition series (known as The Great British Bake Off overseas) kicked off with Cake Week on Friday, a thoroughly polite dustup involving Battenbergs, pineapple upside-down cakes, and fondant-wrapped busts of famous people composed of cake sponge. The first episode of the new season was full of delicious drama to the point of being overbaked: cakes were hastily microwaved, accidentally knocked onto the floor, melted into puddles, and savaged by Paul Hollywood. One baker even combined bubble gum and soda flavors in a cake that makes one wonder if theyve ever seen Prue and Paul give an opinion on taste. But the star of the show was baker Daves tribute to former Blink-182 guitarist Tom DeLonge.

The shows showstopper challenge demanded that bakers create a bust of one of their heroes from cake. Construction-based bakes are always stressful to watch, but this particular challenge was pure you tried comedy. Cribbing from Netflixs own Nailed It!, almost every cake hero was a melted, blobby mess, but it was Three Flavours of Tom DeLonge that reached viral hit status on Twitter. I feel for the bakers; cake sponge does not have sculptural qualities of clay or marble, so everyone deserves an A for effort. The Great British Baking Shows graphics department also deserves praise for the delightful interior shots of DeLonges head. If theres one way to start a season, its with the fondant flesh of a pop punk legend (that no one on the show seems to know).

It was a momentous episode, not just for Three Flavours of Tom DeLonge. New co-host Matt Lucas joined the show, replacing Sandi Toksvig, and brought a fun, slightly creepy energy to the proceedings. It was also the first GBBO season filmed during lockdown the show is being produced in a bubble, an extra layer of challenge for this seasons bakers. Im delighted that appointment television is here again. Michael McWhertor

The Great British Baking Show Collection 8 is streaming on Netflix.

And everything else were watching...

A handful of movies from my childhood blew my little brain: Gattaca, Tron, and Contact. I havent watched any of these films in two decades, so I figure what better way to pass quarantine than see how they hit my grown-up noggin.

I began my nostalgia tour this weekend with Contact, which I enjoyed, just not as much as I did as a kid. Jodie Foster plays an astronomer searching for intelligent life (and meaning) in the universe, while slowly falling in love with a journalist/political influencer/self-help icon played by Matthew McConaughey. As a grown-up, the central man of science vs. woman of faith debate feels more polemical Id forgotten that McConaughey plays a preacher-turned-spiritual guru to the President of the United States. The core message feels a little thinner (especially compared to the more recent Arrival) but the story is no less propulsive, particularly the final 40 minutes which play like an acid trip at the planetarium. Getting older can be a drag, but heres a positive: we get to rewatch great films, discovering new things to love, seeing them, in a way, for the first time with a fresh perspective. Now to see if Tron holds up to my impossible childhood expectations! Chris Plante

Contact is streaming on HBO Max.

I slept on Doctor Sleep. Reviews from last falls sequel to The Shining were mixed (and our critics take was dire!). But in the months after the movie bombed at the box office, I only heard good things about Hush and Geralds Game director Mike Flanagans take on the Stephen King novel including praise for an extended cut that turned a two-and-a-half-hour movie into a three-hour-movie. Having respected a lot of Flanagans past work, and feeling high off his Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor (more on that after the embargo next month), I finally carved out time to witness what many saw as a misguided attempt to build on Stanley Kubricks cinematic legacy. [Note: I opted for the theatrical cut.]

Heeeeeeeeeres Johnny with a take: Doctor Sleep is fantastic. Using traces of Kubricks movie as nightmarish memories, Flanagan ties the paths of recovering alcoholic Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor), superpowered shiner Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran), and Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson), the psychic leader of a soul-sucking, immortal cult, together into a sprawling mythological epic. Similar to the two Haunting series, Flanagan has a sense for how to keep Kings literary flavor intact, and the characters grounded in reality. The violence is vicious trigger warning: Rose and her gang feed on helpless kids like Jacob Tremblay! the theme of self-destruction is as terrifying as the supernatural, and the eventual stretch of story that leads Dan back to the Overlook hotel feels earned. For me, the movie doesnt feel like a Shining sequel at all, and more of what Id always hoped wed get out of a Dark Tower adaptation: A mesmerizing collision of fantasy and reality staged atop a bedrock of mythology. Matt Patches

Doctor Sleep is streaming on HBO Max and HBO Go.

There is a scene in Eli Roths grueling cannibal exploitation horror film The Green Inferno that almost made my 100-minute investment in the film feel worth it: A group of protestors, held captive by native people after their plane crashes in the jungle, are fed a mysterious meal. Upon realizing that they are consuming their recently departed friend Samantha, the lone vegan in the group slashes her own throat. Immediately following her death by suicide, one of her fellow protestors concocts a plan to stuff her stomach with his weed stash, hoping that their captors will get so stoned when they cook her, that the prisoners will be able to escape amid the confusion. Yet another protestor decides this is an opportune moment to masturbate, which he justifies as a release to clear his mind. Disgusted, a third protestor starts to strangle the wanker, leading to the inspired closed captioning description [tugging intensifies].

It is an ugly, bewildering scene that skyrockets The Green Inferno into wild, text-your-friends you seeing this shit?! absurdist territory. I cant necessarily recommend The Green Inferno, a brutally gory and smug reproach of slacktivism, but if youre interested in watching this particular scene, it takes place approximately 69 minutes into the film. MM

The Green Inferno is streaming on Netflix.

As a kid, I only knew about King of the Hill from an online mini golf Flash game I would play with my siblings on the family computer. Recommended by my Texan buddy who said the show is an accurate depiction of Texas life, Ive finally been watching the series and ... I am addicted. I found out Bobby Hills voice actress also voiced Pajama Sam, the star of one of Humongous Entertainments old computer games, and my life hasnt been quite the same since. My friend said they were interested in using charcoal to grill some Korean BBQ, and I only half-ironically scolded them for not using propane. Thats where my life is at this moment. Julia Lee

King of the Hill is streaming on Hulu.

Having completed (and loved) Strong Girl Bong-soon, I dug around Netflixs impressive catalogue of supernatural Korean shows to find something else lightheart. Mystic Pop-up Bar is mostly lighthearted but also occasionally complicated and sad, and I definitely found myself reaching for the tissues as I polished the show off over the weekend.

The no-nonsense bar owner Weol-ju (Hwang Jung-eum) is an afterlife reject, forced to settle the grudges of 100,000 souls or be destroyed. With only a few more conflicts to resolve and less than a month to do it, shes feeling the pressure. If only she could harness the powers of sweet Han Kang-bae (Yook Sung-jae), who can make people confess their deepest truth with only a touch. Even with the help of gentle former-cop Chief Gwi (Choi Won-young), shes going to have a hard time fighting off rogue demons and reincarnated menaces to get it done.

The show takes its time unraveling its backstory (there is 500 years worth!), constantly hinting at the truth and rarely pulling a gotcha! style twist. Plus the food theres no shortage of glamorous food shots that will remind you to stop and eat while you marathon this incredibly engaging, moving show. Jenna Stoeber

Mystic Pop-up Bar is streaming on Netflix.

The thing about the Paddington movies is that they are perfect. Ive seen them before, but rewatched them over the weekend with my partner, who had not seen them, with Paddington on Saturday night and Paddington 2 on Sunday night. I honestly had forgotten that they are actually kind of emotionally harrowing, and ended up crying a few times.

If youre not familiar with Paddington Bear, the general gist of the story is that a polite little bear named Paddington is trying to make his way in the city of London after leaving his home in darkest Peru. Its just a sweet time for everyone. Ben Whishaw provides Paddingtons voice in the films, and Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant star as the villains in the first and second film, respectively. A third Paddington is supposedly on the way, or at least it had better be. Karen Han

Paddington/Paddington 2 are available to rent on Amazon.

If you watched The Mandalorian and thought this Pedro Pascal guy sure does a good job playing a reticent mercenary, but I wonder what hed be like as a chatty mercenary instead? And also wore a helmet where I could actually see his face? then youd have as good of a time as I did watching this low-budget sci-fi flick.

Centered around a financially struggling father and daughter who search alien moons and planets for valuable commodities, Prospect isnt trying to tell an expansive or existential story. Instead it focuses on the relationships that people choose (or are forced into) when living on the ragged edge of society. The practical effects do an extraordinary job of making the world feel tactile and lived in and the Pacific Northwest location is made just alien enough to seem otherworldly. And despite some similarities to Pascals role as the Mandalorian, his roguish performance is quite different here, not the least because we can see that charismatic face. Clayton Ashley

Prospect is streaming on Hulu

When the news gets inescapably heavy and depressing, as it did last week, its tempting to retreat into something completely undemanding and unchallenging, and also potentially fun and pretty. Thats why I finally watched Trolls: World Tour, which just arrived on Hulu after an early stint in the premium rental $20 trenches. The original Trolls movie is a surprisingly good time its surreal and almost obscenely perky, with some lively original songs that bring a subversive edge to its feel-good kid-movie vibe. The whole thing is consciously designed like an acid trip, complete with DayGlo colors and warping landscapes full of unexpected singing flowers and talking objects. So Id hoped for something similar from the sequel.

I didnt get it the sequels a pretty standard kids quest movie, with a villain (voiced by Crazy Ex-Girlfriends Rachel Bloom) out to steal everyones uniqueness, and heroes (Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake) using music to stop her. The frustrating thing about the film for an adult viewer: the whole point of the plot is that all music is equally valid and that pop may be fun, but it shouldnt overshadow other music, and yet all the music in the film is fed through a pop filter anyway.

But the visual design! The Trolls films are built around the conceit that the stories are being told through scrapbooks after the fact, so the entire world is designed like a crafting party, with fabric buildings, yarn stages, and a felt balloon. My absolute favorite images included a gorgeous canyon made of piled-up quilts, a pond where the foamy edge of the water is the ragged, frayed edge of a piece of cloth, and a waterfall consisting of silver ribbons. The songs are kinda boring and the plots pretty rote, but this film is shockingly beautiful and thought-through in all the design elements. Tasha Robinson

Trolls: World Tour is streaming on Hulu and rentable on Amazon.

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Great British Baking Show is back on Netflix and coming for Nailed It - Polygon

Alma Matters is a Poynter newsletter designed to provide ideas, news and insight to those in the journalism education community.Subscribe here to get Alma Matters delivered to you.

Have I mentioned Im a big fan of takeovers? Im a big fan of takeovers. Heres what happened when the Guardian US gave a special section to American first-time voters.

Student media leaders would be wise to consider working with diverse student groups or communities to allow them the same luxury with a newspaper section or TV or radio show. Yes, you could still edit the work, but make it easier by outlying some journalism basics (be factual, write short) and getting your temporary recruits to focus on first-person essays and personal photographs. Plan a little extra production time for fact-checking and permissions and let me know how your campus responds!

Because Im a fan of takeovers, Ive written about it before (tips!). Along those lines

My friend Rich Cameron puts out a daily (!!!) email newsletter about journalism in secondary and higher ed in California (heres his Facebook group where you can get more info). On Tuesday he noted a trend of first-person pieces. He wrote, Since the pandemic began more and more colleges have gone to first-person features. Their numbers are fewer this semester than last spring, but Im beginning to see some in high school publications as well.

A good first-person essay still needs editing and guidance. Here are two oldie-but-goodies from Poynters archives:

And here are four examples of personal essays:

You can share the examples above with the non-journalists youre asking to write/shoot for your publication for inspiration. Then let them have free rein to tell their own stories for your audience.

The latest in the How to Be a Reporter series from the Washington Post: Covering the White House. I am a huge fan of these videos, and think they make incredible classroom fodder. Of course, videos take time, money, coordination and planning, but if you find these useful, maybe drop an email to libby.casey@washpost.com and tell her how much you value them in your classroom. Heck, CC this martin.baron@washpost.com guy for fun.

Young journalists, take note. Deanna Schwartz is the managing editor of the Huntington News at Northeastern University, and shes been burning up the professional journalism space (Poynter, the Objective) with important stories about her student journalism experience. The Lead editor Taylor Blatchford and I are always looking for pitches from student journalists, as are plenty of other places (think CJR and Neiman Lab) and its great experience to learn to pitch to editors.

I recently stumbled across The Big List of Class Discussion Strategies and thought it could prove helpful. I particularly liked TQE: This protocol has students come up with their own Thoughts, lingering Questions, and Epiphanies from an assigned reading. Teachers who have used this method say it has generated some of the richest conversations they have ever heard from students!

I love it when people say, Be careful. You dont want to get burned out. As though burnout is easily avoidable something you would just cross the street to escape, like a swarm of bees or a group of hockey fans after their team lost the Stanley Cup.

Thats why I surprised myself this week after reading about the three key signs of burnout by thinking, Wait, there are signs?

My friends at Jumpline, a community hub to support journalism educators, linked to this Inside Higher Ed column in their newsletter this week. Beating Pandemic Burnout feels so spot on, and I wanted to pass it along to you in case you, too, have been avoiding a self-diagnosis of burnout. This is just what hard work is like! I pride myself on my work ethic! Etc.

It reminds me that the most important thing right now isnt pedagogy, but people.

The single biggest action Ive taken in Pandemica is to commit to a nightly walk at 6 p.m. I set my entire day by it, and its remarkable how the rest of my family has accepted and worked around my little corner of self-care. I cant recommend this kind of movement enough.Try to walk a few nights this week even for just a few minutes. See how you feel with a little movement and fresh air.

Also in my self-care world, Im going to take some time this weekend to finish the novel Hamnet by Maggie OFarrell and try to watch The Post again, because I want to enjoy once again that subtle moment where Meryl Streep as Katharine Graham orders publication. I think those are the kind of joyful moments health professionals are urging us to seize.

And hey. Dont burn out.

Barbara Allen is the director of college programming. She can be reached atballen@poynter.orgor on Twitter, @barbara_allen_

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In support of student media handoffs and the power of personal essays - Poynter

A check out how the education and training systems in Europe can try to manage the rise of false information and disinformation.

The De Facto effort is a non-profit undertaking that was currently in the advancement pipeline 5 years earlier. See, many efforts in attempting to comprehend the damage that disinformation causes upon all social systems are fixated media and politics. True, the news cycle is the most lively part of the disinformation community. The research study for De Facto acknowledged the work of the folks behind First Draft, later on the High Level Expert Group on Fake News and Online Disinformation, and couple of efforts such as the SOMA and EDMO observatories, and the plethora of fact-checkers turning up online, all specifically concentrated on media and day-to-day chatter.

With De Facto, we developed that an essential piece of the disinformation puzzle was still missing out on. Various spread media literacy efforts at schools and universities are primarily connected to important believing abilities, which our company believe just scratches the surface area. We wished to examine in comprehensive information the affecting procedure and the damaging effect of mis- and disinformation on teaching and learning. Therefore we began with establishing a full-blown Disinformation Framework for Education and Training Contexts, supported by loads of case research studies, attentively curated eLearning resources and brand-new tools. This is available in several languages already, devoid of any charge. Yet it is just a start, a structural structure upon which we wish to keep establishing a strong practically-oriented technique and tool kit for teachers and students.

We based our deal with long-held clinical postulates from the world of neuroscience, cognitive science, and cognitive linguistics, however in some cases needed to turn to digressive clinical paths (e.g., human evolutionary biology, in order to make certain we are on the ideal track). Though we are not researchers, we are respectable at reading, and dealing with science.

Frames are deep cognitive structures which we construct and enhance continuously. Frames assist us browse in a complicated environment by offering important details of what aspects, stars, and activities come from an offered frame (e.g. a school frame would usually consist of a structure, instructors, training spaces with chairs and desk, online platform, multimedia projectors, interactive screens, students, books, examinations, term documents, tuition, tutoring, and so on). When the brain satisfies a brand-new circumstances of a recognized frame, this leads to a physical support of the neural paths for this frame, similar to a muscle grows if you train it over and over again. The brain normally chooses to send out details down bigger paths as vehicles choose highways to smaller sized roadways. However, when the brain satisfies a circumstances of the frame where there is a conflicting component or an aspect not belonging there based upon previous experience, then this brand-new and dissonant details is primarily disposed of. This is how we dismiss details that does not work together with our recognized beliefs.

Motivated cognition is another intriguing phenomenon. In easy terms, it supplies a description to a series of scenarios: we tend to put more rely on those near us (household and buddies), in stars, political or spiritual leaders, we respond much better to images than to text and much better to video than to still images; we dismiss our own incompetence and characteristic failures to external aspects, however we provide ourselves credit for favorable results. No physician or legal representative considers themselves a bad physician or legal representative, a minimum of not in public admission. Motivated cognition works by injecting incentive aspects into a scenario, which is then thought about in a various light.

Systemic causality is a term which explains intricate chains of domino effect, leading to a single result. By meaning, the intricate chain is not observable, which supplies sufficient premises for simplification on truly elaborate matters such as environment modification. Now, we understand that our brain is not wired to gain from things it can not observe a minimum of till later on in life where the prefrontal cortex is totally established. But this is not adequate, the brain needs to be taught to actively seek for those concealed links, and take them into factor to consider. We generally like to exhibit systemic causality with an Ishikawa fishbone diagram, where great deals of aspects add to a concrete occasion. The great news is that the brain can certainly be taught to do this. The brain requires to be put in a scenario where systemic causality exists, this circumstance requires discussing and unraveling and as an outcome, the brain ends up being more knowledgeable about the presence of concealed, not straight observable cause-and-effect chains.

Equivalency and focus frames are 2 unique kinds of frames. With equivalency, we have 2 declarations that equal rationally and mathematically. The specific phrasing of the declarations nevertheless has the ability to alter viewpoints or choices. People choose a course of action which conserves 50% of an offered group of 100 individuals from particular death however hesitate to provide approval for an action which will eliminate 1/2 of the group, though this is mathematically similar. With focus frames, individuals put focus on particular words or other details aspects (e.g., a red circle marking an item on a CCTV video), and when focus exists, it takes cognitive precedence and ends up being the primary message, typically causing the brain outright declining other aspects which are not on focus.

We were fortunate to be able to check out the topic. We are now even better, as we see how schools begin to execute our technique and structured training interventions to fight disinformation in teaching and learning. We supply assistance to investigative reporters by including insights into the specific system of adjustment or disinformation, hence raising fact-checking and source-checking to a brand-new level. Now the next actions for us will be to adjust the technique, which is now targeted at 16+ and grownups, for students aged 11-12. We establish a brand-new effort on cognitive predispositions and their possible management and mitigation by teachers. We support the science. And we see outcomes.

Link:
Facing Disinformation In Teaching And Learning | Armenian American Reporter - Armenian Reporter

New Delhi: Another new name is going to be added to the Guruji's accused of blackness under the guise of spirituality. A woman has accused nephew of raping her, who is running the ashram after the death of Guruji, who has a million followersin Delhi. The police has registered a case against the woman's complaint at Delhi's Vikaspuri police station and started an investigation.

Guruji, who founded the ashram, is said to have run his ashram after his nephew Navdeep Singh alias Gaurav. The woman, in her complaint, told the police that she lived with her family in Vikaspuri. His family used to come to Guruji's ashram. She came in contact with Gaurav.

The woman alleges that Gaurav brainwashed her against her husband and to her husband against the woman, i.e., both husbands and wives against each other. The woman alleges that after she got divorced, Gaurav called her to the temple and said that Guruji wanted you to become my wife. In 2019, he got married in the name of Guruji. He then raped her several times. The woman said that after that Gaurav stopped talking to her and started blackmailing her, after which the woman reached the police station.

New Delhi: Another new name is going to be added to the Guruji's accused of blackness under the guise of spirituality. A woman has accused nephew of raping her, who is running the ashram after the death of Guruji, who has a million followersin Delhi. The police has registered a case against the woman's complaint at Delhi's Vikaspuri police station and started an investigation.

Guruji, who founded the ashram, is said to have run his ashram after his nephew Navdeep Singh alias Gaurav. The woman, in her complaint, told the police that she lived with her family in Vikaspuri. His family used to come to Guruji's ashram. She came in contact with Gaurav.

The woman alleges that Gaurav brainwashed her against her husband and to her husband against the woman, i.e., both husbands and wives against each other. The woman alleges that after she got divorced, Gaurav called her to the temple and said that Guruji wanted you to become my wife. In 2019, he got married in the name of Guruji. He then raped her several times. The woman said that after that Gaurav stopped talking to her and started blackmailing her, after which the woman reached the police station.

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Delhi ashram became infamous, a woman gets raped in the name of 'Guruji' - News Track English

Photo Courtesy of Simon & Schuster

We are all searching for ways to reduce stress and find peace, especially in a year as challenging as this one. Few people understand how to do that quite like Jay Shetty, a social media superstar and host of the #1 podcast On Purpose, who distills the timeless wisdom he learned as a monk into practical steps anyone can take every day to live a less anxious, more meaningful life. In this special excerpt from his new book Think Like a Monk(available now from Simon & Schuster, a ViacomCBS company), Shetty shares three ways to opt out of the media mind game and create space for reflection.

As a monk, I learned early on that our values are influenced by whatever absorbs our minds. We are not our minds, but the mind is the vehicle by which we decide what is important in our hearts. The movies we watch, the music we hear, the books we read, the TV shows we binge, the people we follow online and offline. Whats on your news feed is feeding your mind. The more we are absorbed in celebrity gossip, images of success, violent video games, and troubling news, the more our values are tainted with envy, judgment, competition, and discontent.

Observing and evaluating are key to thinking like a monk, and they begin with space and stillness. For monks, the first step in filtering the noise of external influences is a material letting go. I had three stints visiting the ashram, graduated college, then officially became a monk. After a couple months of training at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, a temple in the countryside north of London, I headed to India, arriving at the village ashram in the beginning of September 2010. I exchanged my relatively stylish clothes for two robes (one to wear and one to wash). I forfeited my fairly slick haircut for . . . no hair; our heads were shaved. And I was deprived of almost all opportunities to check myself outthe ashram contained no mirrors except the one I would later be shown in the storeroom. So we monks were prevented from obsessing over our appearance, ate a simple diet that rarely varied, slept on thin mats laid on the floor, and the only music we heard was the chants and bells that punctuated our meditations and rituals. We didnt watch movies or TV shows, and we received limited news and email on shared desktop computers in a communal area.

Nothing took the place of these distractions except space, stillness, and silence. When we tune out the opinions, expectations, and obligations of the world around us, we begin to hear ourselves. In that silence I began to recognize the difference between outside noise and my own voice. I could clear away the dust of others to see my core beliefs.

I promised you I wouldnt ask you to shave your head and don robes, but how, in the modern world, can we give ourselves the space, silence, and stillness to build awareness? Most of us dont sit down and think about our values. We dont like to be alone with our own thoughts. Our inclination is to avoid silence, to try to fill our heads, to keep moving. In a series of studies, researchers from the University of Virginia and Harvard asked participants to spend just six to fifteen minutes alone in a room with no smartphone, no writing instruments, and nothing to read. The researchers then let them listen to music or use their phones. Participants not only preferred their phones and music, many of them even chose to zap themselves with an electric shock rather than be alone with their thoughts. If you go to a networking event every day and have to tell people what you do for a living, its hard to step away from that reduction of who you are. If you watch Real Housewives every night, you start to think that throwing glasses of wine in your friends faces is routine behavior. When we fill up our lives and leave ourselves no room to reflect, those distractions become our values by default.

We cant address our thoughts and explore our minds when were preoccupied. Nor does just sitting in your home teach you anything. There are three ways I suggest you actively create space for reflection. First, on a daily basis I recommend you sit down to reflect on how the day went and what emotions youre feeling. Second, once a month you can approximate the change that I found at the ashram by going someplace youve never been before to explore yourself in a different environment. This can be anything from visiting a park or library youve never been to before to taking a trip. Finally, get involved in something thats meaningful to youa hobby, a charity, a political cause.

Discover ways to train your mind for peace and purpose every day in Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty.

Want more? Listen to this clip from the audiobook edition of Think Like A Monk, read by the author.

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Opting Out Of The Media Mind Game, An Excerpt From The NY Times Best-Seller Think Like A Monk By Jay Shetty - CBS Sacramento

The ancient Indian protocol for social distancing is embedded in the lines my yoga guru, from the famous ashram in Monghyr, Bihar, taught me:

"Chaar miley, chausath khiley,

Miley bees ek saath.

Harjan se harijan miley,

Bihsain bahattar hazar."

(When two plus two i.e. four eyes meet each other; 32 plus 32, 64 teeth smile together'

10 fingers of both palms, greet 10 of the other, a total of 20.

Then a person, blessed by the Lord, is in union with another without physical contact.

This results in 36,000 vital points in one human body and 36,000 in the other, sending ripples of joy through 72,000 points in the two beings.)

The current etiquette of social distancing possibly has precedent in past practice. Arrival of outsiders may well have wrenched us away. With Freudian prescience, Akbar Allahabadi put his finger on the nub of the matter:

"Tifl mein bu aaye kya ma baap ke atwar ki,

Doodh to dibbe ka hai taaleem hai Sarkar ki."

(How should an infant inherit characteristics of his/her parents on a diet of powdered milk and government education?)

The lockdown outlawed any toing and froing, conditions which Ghalib had described with great simplicity about Delhi during 1857:

"Koi vaan se na aa sake yaan tak,

Aadmi vaan na ja sake yaan ka"

(No one from there can come here;

Likewise, no one from here can go there)

This limitation on visiting each other soon began to reveal our instinctive comfort level with social separation. We were quite comfortable within the Lakshman rekhas we sketched around ourselves. More revealing were telephone conversations with neighbours, and members of the Residents Welfare Association. What they expressed was indifference to the migrants who had walked away from the suddenly imposed penury, joblessness, no roof over their heads in the torrid heat -- and now it seems, the approaching winter. Were these millions condemned by their 'karma', to be judged for suitable slots only in the next life?

When I visited South Africa to cover Mandela's release, what struck me was not the exclusive white enclaves. I had expected them. After all that is what Apartheid was all about. What astonished me was Lenasia, the Indian colony outside Johannesburg. Sprawling mansions with two swimming pools was the lot of many Indians. Unlike the joyous 'Black' South Africa, much the overwhelming majority, Lenasia was uneasy at the end of White rule. It was possible to meet Manek Patel in his bungalow who thought "apartheid helped keep bloodline pure".

Hierarchies and class are inescapable. A revolutionary like Ho Chi Minh did live in a modest, two room, oak cottage but it had the nicest view of the lake. The rare visa which enabled me to cover the 1979 China-Vietnam war was arranged by a member of the Bao Dai family, an old Vietnamese aristocracy.

The Indian hierarchy, based on caste, is unique. Unlike racism, it is not based on prejudice: it is simply a time honoured practice which draws red lines, not to be crossed, between occupation based caste groups arranged in a vertical hierarchy. Egalitarianism disrupts these red lines. The unease with the Constitution is deep seated for this reason with the present regime which harks back to a pre Islamic 'golden past'.

As we enter the seventh month of the lockdown, it may be worthwhile taking stock. My wife and I (and a live-in help) have been moderately cautious: we have entertained, keeping social distancing and never having more than four guests. Likewise, we have visited friends for meals, and taken the masks off, once seated.

My daily three kilometer walk in the park adjacent to our apartment (I take off the mask; it suffocates me) has been sacrosanct as has been my yoga. The clan in hundreds spread across north India, has so far reported no expiry. But there have been three positive cases in Lucknow including an 85-year-old with co-morbidities. They recovered within three days and three children in the same apartment remained untouched by the virus.

The bleakness that I see ahead cannot be extrapolated from our experience in the health arena. It is the economic sphere, joblessness, abysmal drop in resources, redesigned kitchen budgets, even within cousins where darkness is catching up.

A visit to South Delhi's Select City Mall was scary. Hanuman Chalisa was being chanted in the biggest food mart to invoke the monkey God. The lobby of the five star hotel was as eerie as the empty road in Hitchcock's North by Northwest, where a biplane swoops down on a terrified Cary Grant. A five star restaurant without a customer abutting a bar, stocked to the ceiling, but without a soul. Trust Ghalib to invade my mind:

"Bhare hain jis qadar jaam o subu, maikhana khali hai."

(Goblets and cups are full to the brim, but the tavern is totally empty)

How long will Indian capitalism survive such tightly sealed goblets? Corona, I suspect, will wipe out lifestyles boosted by 30 years of reform. The new middle class will revert to their first car, the Maruti and mother's vegetarian recipes.

This middle class may adjust without too much fuss to the pre reform austerities, a mood that will dovetail nicely in the march towards Hindu Rashtra. A fly in the ointment may well be mass anger. After all, those who walked, their ranks swelled by the jobless and the hungry, will ask questions. Will bread trump faith? To forestall any trouble on that count, the regime has already unfurled a range of draconian measures to put away anyone with a talent to mobilize public anger. As a backup there is also the scary virus as a deterrent against public anger bursting onto the streets. This scarecrow can be made scarier. But that might accelerate velocity of the economy's nosedive. Which economy? What better way to stop the leak than to sink the ship? Salvation shimmers over the sands as silhouettes of the Hindu Rashtra appear.

(Saeed Naqvi is a senior commentator on political and diplomatic issues. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached on saeednaqvi@hotmail.com)

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Will lockdown wipe out lifestyles built over 30 years?.. - Greatandhra.com

Mahatma Gandhi is called 'Father of Nation' and you all must know that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 and Gandhiji's father's name was Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi and he was an advocate. In this way, in 1906, he organized the first Satyagraha campaign against the Transvaal Asiatic Registration Act and in 1920, he joined the Indian National Congress Party and on 26 January 1930 declared India's independence from the British rule. At the same time, in 1917, he started many movements like Champaran Satyagraha, Non-cooperation movement and it was due to these movements that India got independence from the British Raj. In such a situation, today we are going to tell you about the movement launched by Gandhiji.

Champaran Satyagraha: Let us tell you that this was the first Satyagraha under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, Champaran of Bihar and reached Champaran in Bihar in 1917 in support of farmers who were forced to cultivate indigo and other cash crops instead of food grains.

Non-cooperation movement: Let us tell you that after the success of Rowlatt Satyagraha, Mahatma Gandhi started the non-cooperation movement and under this movement started on 1 August 1920, appealed to the people not to go to school, college, court to express non-cooperation against British rule and Nor pay taxes.

NamakSatyagraha: Let us tell you that this movement is also called Dandi Satyagraha and took a 24-day foot march from Sabarmati Ashram near Dandi village near Ahmedabad on 12 March 1930 against the monopoly of British rule over salt.

Dalit Movement: In 1932, Gandhiji founded the All-India Untouchability League and after this, started the anti-untouchability movement from 8 May 1933 and published a weekly paper called 'Harijan' to help the Harijan movement for 21 days. Fasted

Quit India Movement: Let us tell you that this was Gandhiji's third major movement against British rule and on 8 August 1942, in the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee gave the slogan 'British Quit India' but he was arrested soon after. At the same time, the youth activists continued the movement through strikes and sabotage.

Mahatma Gandhi is called 'Father of Nation' and you all must know that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 and Gandhiji's father's name was Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi and he was an advocate. In this way, in 1906, he organized the first Satyagraha campaign against the Transvaal Asiatic Registration Act and in 1920, he joined the Indian National Congress Party and on 26 January 1930 declared India's independence from the British rule. At the same time, in 1917, he started many movements like Champaran Satyagraha, Non-cooperation movement and it was due to these movements that India got independence from the British Raj. In such a situation, today we are going to tell you about the movement launched by Gandhiji.

Champaran Satyagraha: Let us tell you that this was the first Satyagraha under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, Champaran of Bihar and reached Champaran in Bihar in 1917 in support of farmers who were forced to cultivate indigo and other cash crops instead of food grains.

Non-cooperation movement: Let us tell you that after the success of Rowlatt Satyagraha, Mahatma Gandhi started the non-cooperation movement and under this movement started on 1 August 1920, appealed to the people not to go to school, college, court to express non-cooperation against British rule and Nor pay taxes.

NamakSatyagraha: Let us tell you that this movement is also called Dandi Satyagraha and took a 24-day foot march from Sabarmati Ashram near Dandi village near Ahmedabad on 12 March 1930 against the monopoly of British rule over salt.

Dalit Movement: In 1932, Gandhiji founded the All-India Untouchability League and after this, started the anti-untouchability movement from 8 May 1933 and published a weekly paper called 'Harijan' to help the Harijan movement for 21 days. Fasted

Quit India Movement: Let us tell you that this was Gandhiji's third major movement against British rule and on 8 August 1942, in the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee gave the slogan 'British Quit India' but he was arrested soon after. At the same time, the youth activists continued the movement through strikes and sabotage.

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India got independence due to these 5 movements of Mahatma Gandhi - News Track English

Whats your lock down routine like? Currently, Im just spending a lot of time with my mom and my sister. Times like these make you realise that there is nothing above the safety of the people you love. Im reading a lot. Im going through my school history books. Im trying to understand programming because computers have always been so alien to me. Im studying climate change because thats something dear to me. And Im cooking. One day my mom and sister gave me so much attitude. I wanted banana bread and I was like Ill do it myself. Im not dependent on you guys anymore. I followed the recipe and I baked banana bread and since then I have not looked back. (Laughs) Now Im Bhumi the baker. And Im working out.

Do you feel there are too many donts in your life than dos as an actor? Its been four years and eight outstanding films. And the reasonI could make this space for me is because my first film was a big dont. No one could have imagined that there could be a film about a beautiful, overweight, firecracker of a girl. l just jumped into it. I was seventeen when I joined YRF. I dont come from a film family. Everyone thought I was crazy. My family couldnt help me. I just took my chances and look -- you and I are having this conversation right now...

Its interesting that you addressed the topic of body shaming because our movies constantly play up to a stereotype of a pretty, fair, perfect body. Not just the showbiz. It involves years and years of social conditioning. Luckily, when I joined cinema, there was a movement against stereotypes. I feel happy that I could be part of the revolution and now I feel good celebrating my flaws on celluloid. It has made me a confident person. Now I dont care if Im a couple of kgs heavier. There was a phase when I was shooting for Sonchiriya and people were like, Oh my God, you look so thin, you look sick. I was like its my choice, Ill do what is right for my character.

Lets talk of two roles you did last year, which shattered stereotypes - Sonchiriya and Saand Ki Aankh

My selfish motive of doing a film is personal growth as an actor, a great opportunity that is going to showcase another side of my talent, the greed to work in a good story and with good directors. And then comes all the other social fringes that are attached to that. Yes, I am a proud feminist and Im trying to use my craft to bring about change. Ill start off with Sonchiriya. I am a huge Abhishek Chaubey fan. I have loved all his films especially Ishqiya and Udta Punjab. He called me right after Shubh Mangal Saavdhan. That year was so amazing. I got calls from Zoya (Akhtar), Karan (Johar), Abhishek (Chaubey ) and I was like wow, thank God. I met him and he gave me a story narration. I was like I have to do this. I had a few questions like at my age, do I want to play a mother to a fifteen year old? Everybody was like why go to small-town India again? But I knew in a film like this and with a director like Abhishek Chaubey, he was going to keep at it till I sparkled. It was a different world and what my character did, what she stood for, the kind of courage she had, I was blown away by her. And she barely speaks in the film. It was a challenge and he did tell me that it was going to be tough both emotionally and physically. Sonchiriya changed my life.

It changed you how? I met this girl Khushi, who plays Sonchiriya. She is like a younger sister, a daughter to me. She comes on all my film sets. Ive been so fortunate that through her I made a family of 250-300 children in the ashram from where we cast her in Morena in Chambal. Those children have become part of my life. And that switch from being a self-centered person to somebody who actually cares about others happened because of that girl. I am a young woman, right? How did I develop such strong maternal instincts for someone? But that girl transformed me. She started living with me and brought such happiness in my life. I love her. I speak to these children every Sunday through a whatsapp video call. The experience that Khushi had while shooting for Sonchiriya has changed her life as well.

Tell us something about your prep work for the role.

Was it a surreal moment for you holding the Filmfare trophy for Saand Ki Aankh? You heard the three minute speech that I gave. I was so overwhelmed. It was special also because I dont think Ill ever be part of a film like Saand Ki Aankh again, where I feel so happy sharing the stage with my sister-in-arms. You know that notion that two actors cant be friends is all bullshit because for a film like Saand Ki Aankh it would have felt incomplete without Taapsee. A lot of people asked me why do you want to play an old woman on screen? Are you crazy? This is the peak of your career. When I do a film like Saand Ki Aankh, it comes at a cost. Me saying no to many other bigger films.

Do you regret saying no to any film? I get a mix bag of offers. I had a big-ticket film as well. But when I chose to do a film like Saand Ki Aankh, its, as I said earlier, for purely selfish reasons, for my personal growth. And what Ive achieved from Saand Ki Aankh, even a big-ticket film couldnt have done for me. I want to leave behind a legacy of good cinema and I know Saand Ki Aankh is part of that list. I know Sonchiriya is part of that list. Yes they didnt make hundred crores. But i could never own a hundred-crore film, like I own these films. It comes with a cost but its ok.

Any of your colleagues roles that youve seen recently that you wished youd done. Definitely Gully Boy and Im not going to say Alias part. Im going to say all of them from Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Siddhant Chaturvedi to Vijay Verma -- all of them. That film is outstanding! I loved Kapoor & Sons. Im not going to pick one specific performance because I envy all good performers. I watched Thappad yesterday, all of them have done fantastic jobs. And I loved what Ayushmann did in Article 15. I would love to do a film like Article 15.

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I want to leave behind a legacy of good cinema. - Bhumi Pednekar - Filmfare