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End-of-year Giving, 2020

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Note: I am sharing the below in the hope that it will help show solidarity and stimulate some positive action. There are thousands -- millions -- of worthwhile ways to spend your time, energy, and money; I hope you are considering them as I do at this time of year. My giving wouldn't happen were I not listening to all of you: family, friends, colleagues, fellow-travelers, strangers. I hope it helps. Happy holidays.

Dear family and friends,

Christmas is just about done; between a new job, making my own Christmas dinner, wrangling a few Christmas lights for my balcony, singlehandedly supporting the European chocolate industry, and setting up my Charlie Brown Christmas tree, I've let one of the more important items on my to-do list slip until now.

I'm never very good with gifts anyway, and this year I have decided instead to give to organizations in communities near to us; living in a safe, thriving community seems like the best possible gift, and one that I have come to appreciate even more since my move to Tokyo.

In past years, I've focused giving on organizations that were close to me in some way. This year, I have tried to expand that outward, to think more broadly about my family and friends. I know about some of these groups because of you; I hope that others will help improve your life and the things you care about. I've focused both on groups that can provide immediate aid as well as groups that will help advocate for the environment in the future.

Choosing where to give is a difficult process; knowing where money will be most effective, when there are so many voices asking for help, is nearly impossible. However, it is one of the strange accidents of the structure of our society that I have been exceptionally fortunate this year, even as many have not, and I hope that by selecting many different groups I can be of some help.

Hope to see you all again soon.

Eastern Shore

Baltimore

New York

Japan

Global

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