Salvadoran fugitive caught illegally in U.S. four times since 2001

A dad is sharing his first encounter with a transgender woman in his small Texas town‚ and the simple lesson he taught his son is inspiring hope in others. James Eric Barlow (oddragon226 on TikTok) shared a video from his car describing how he and his son saw a trans woman in real life for the first time. "We all know that there's people that are disgusted whenever they see a trans person‚" Barlow begins. "And we all know of the people who don't care if they see a trans person."But apparently‚ we're a third type of person (or at least I am‚ I can't speak for him)‚" he says‚ indicating his son in the backseat who chimes in with "I am‚ too!" Barlow then goes on to explain how they had just had their first experience with a trans woman. It wasn't anything major—she just walked through a door behind them and Barlow held the door for her‚ just as he would any other person. He didn't even notice she was trans at first‚ but once he did‚ his immediate reaction was one we can all learn from. "When I tell you how happy it made me‚" he says‚ beginning to tear up‚ "to be able to see somebody be out and open to the world here in small town Texas. You just gotta know how much bravery that takes. Right‚ Mikey?" "Hell yeah!" the son agrees.Barlow wanted to say something to her‚ but he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable‚ either. "But if you're a trans woman and you came here to the Landmark truck stop in Clyde‚ Texas‚ just know we're proud of you‚" he concludes. @oddragon226 our first trans woman experience #trans #transwoman #transpeoplearepeople #transrights #translivesnatter Barlow's video was shared on Reddit‚ where it's received 37‚000 upvotes and a slew of comments that prove parents set the tone for their kids' sense of acceptance. "Indoctrinate your children with kindness‚ compassion‚ consideration and respect for others." - Toddthmpsn"When I was younger I would get my hair cut by a woman named Liz. She spoke Spanish so it was hard for to understand her English sometimes. My dad spoke Spanish so would translate for her and me. I noticed Liz looked a little different then other women. But I never said anything‚ I never felt any differently about her. She never scared me‚ or made me question anything. She was just Liz. As I got older I realized she was a trans woman. And it literally changed nothing. She was still just Liz. Liz was always kind and treated everyone warmly. I havnt seen her in years but I hope she is doing well. I really liked her." - PerplexedPoppy"This literally happened to me as a child in the 80s. A cashier at a store we visited suddenly started dressing in a feminine style and it appeared that they were transitioning. My mom explained to me in an age appropriate way that sometimes people decide they want to be a man instead of a woman‚ or a woman instead of a man. She told me that people would probably be mean to the cashier and it was important for us to remember that and always be polite to her‚ as we would anyway. This was way before trans issues were as mainstream as they are now‚ but my mom had seen an episode of Phil Donahue where transwoman discussed their stories‚ and she recognized it as a medical issue. Core memory for me." - ZipCity262"As a trans woman‚ im deathly afraid whenever I have to go to rural areas. I can instantly feel physical tension when I walk into a gas station or a restaurant in these areas. Thank you for being supportive. Trans people need you now more than ever." – rainbow_lensesIt really is a simple matter to accept people as they are and treat all humans with dignity‚ kindness and respect‚ even if we don't fully understand them. And as this dad and son show‚ it's a simple matter to demonstrate non-judgmental acceptance in front of our kids so they hopefully will grow up without being bound by chains of bigotry they'll later have to learn to unload. This article originally appeared on 7.7.23

For those not well versed in moose facts‚ the shedding of antlers is normally a fairly lengthy process. It happens only once a year after mating season and usually consists of a moose losing one antler at a time. It’s incredibly rare for a bull moose to lose both at the same time—and even more rare that someone would actually catch it on film. That’s why shed hunter (yes‚ that’s a real term) and woodsman Derek Burgoyne calls his footage of the phenomenon a “one-in-a-million” shot.According to The Guardian‚ Burgoyne was flying his drone through a remote patch of forest in Canada when he spotted three moose in a clearing. His drone followed one of the bulls‚ who began doing the wobbly little shake thing that signals these antlers are going bye-bye.Burgoyne knew he had to keep his camera on the moment—but he had no idea that he’d hit the jackpot.Watch below:It’s hard to tell which is more fun to watch— the super rare moment in nature or Burgoyne’s pure passion for his hobby.“I shook a little bit. It was an adrenaline rush for sure‚“ he told CBC News‚ sharing that he has previously found hundreds of shed antlers in his life.Antler hunting has become a hot and profitable pastime over the past few years‚ although Burgoyne affirms that his shed hunting ambitions are born from a desire for well-being‚ not monetary gain.“I enjoy being in the woods. It’s great exercise and it’s fun tracking the moose through the winter and looking for their sheds in the spring. Each one you find feels like the first one. It never gets old‚” he told The Guardian.Well Derek Burgoyne‚ thank you for doing what you love. Thanks to your passion‚ we too can share this once-in-a-lifetime moment. Here’s to good moose news!This article originally appeared on 1.20.23

Father and daughter dances are a traditional staple of weddings. They tend to range somewhere between tearfully sweet and hilariously cringey. But sometimes‚ as was the case of Brittany Revell and her dad Kelly‚ they can be so freakin’ cool that millions of people become captivated. Brittany and Kelly’s video‚ which amassed‚ I kid you not‚ more than 40 million views on TikTok‚ shows the pair grooving in sneakers (Brittany’s were white because‚ hello‚ wedding dress) to their “dance through the decades.” It all began with Young MC’s “Bust a Move‚” to give you a clear picture. And bust a move‚ they did. Though the duo did a handful of iconic moves—the tootsie roll‚ the MC Hammer dance‚ the Carlton‚ just to name a few—“the dougie‚” made famous by Cali Swag District‚ was the obvious fan favorite.Brittany is clearly no stranger to busting a move and showed off her skills‚ but Kelly had the audience (and the internet) absolutely floored. He not only nailed every move‚ but kept a constant grin from ear to ear. “Reason number 1838329194920 why I love my dad‚” Brittany wrote in her caption. @bnrevell Reason number 1838329194920 why I love my dad. 🫶🏼🥹 #thatdougietho #fatherdaughter #weddingtok ♬ original sound - Brittany Revell People in the comments were quick to profess love for Kelly as well. Here are some gems: “WHO IS THIS LEGEND!”“I aspire to this level of smooth.”“Pops got moves!!🔥”“He really is the main character 🤩🤩”Others shared praise to both dancers for delivering an unforgettable performance. “I would absolutely lose my mind if I saw this at a wedding‚” wrote one person. “This is probably THE best TikTok I’ve ever seen. You and your dad are legit rockstars!! Congratulations!!” added another. Brittany told The Morning Show on Channel 7 that she and Kelly have been learning dances together “for fun in the living room” since she was little. “He has always had some rhythm‚ but I did not know he could pick up the moves like that‚” she quipped. Hey‚ there’s always something new to learn about dear old dad. Brittany also shared in an interview with NBC News that people were responding to more than just impressive choreography—it touched them on a heartfelt level.“I think it’s kind of unique to see a dad of Asian descent be able to open up‚ let loose and just embrace their American child’s music and culture‚” she said‚ adding that several people who didn’t have relationships with their fathers commended how “inspiring” it was to see the fun Brittany and Kelly created‚ encouraging them to “be better with their future kids.” Weddings are a celebration of love‚ and that can extend beyond the bride and groom. This father expressed his love on the dance floor‚ and it’s giving us all something to smile about.Odds are Brittany and her dad are gonna keep posting even more amazing dance videos. You can keep up to date by following Brittany on TikTok here. This article originally appeared on 09.13.22

Each year that I teach the book "1984" I turn my classroom into a totalitarian regime under the guise of the "common good."I run a simulation in which I become a dictator. I tell my students that in order to battle "Senioritis‚" the teachers and admin have adapted an evidence-based strategy‚ a strategy that has "been implemented in many schools throughout the country and has had immense success." I hang posters with motivational quotes and falsified statistics‚ and provide a false narrative for the problem that is "Senioritis."I tell the students that in order to help them succeed‚ I must implement strict classroom rules. They must raise their hand before doing anything at all‚ even when asking another student for a pencil. They lose points each time they don't behave as expected. They gain points by reporting other students. If someone breaks the rule and I don't see it‚ it's the responsibility of the other students to let me know. Those students earn bonus points. I tell students that in order for this plan to work they must "trust the process and not question their teachers." This becomes a school-wide effort. The other teachers and admin join in.I've done this experiment numerous times‚ and each year I have similar results. This year‚ however‚ was different.This year‚ a handful of students did fall in line as always. The majority of students‚ however‚ rebelled.By day two of the simulation‚ the students were contacting members of administration‚ writing letters‚ and creating protest posters. They were organizing against me and against the admin. They were stomping the hallways‚ refusing to do as they were told.The president of the Student Government Association‚ whom I don't even teach‚ wrote an email demanding an end to this "program." He wrote that this program is "simply fascism at its worst. Statements such as these are the base of a dictatorship rule‚ this school‚ as well as this country cannot and will not fall prey to these totalitarian behaviors."I did everything in my power to fight their rebellion.I "bribed" the president of the SGA. I "forced" him to publicly "resign." And‚ yet‚ the students did not back down. They fought even harder. They were more vigilant. They became more organized. They found a new leader. They were more than ready to fight. They knew they would win in numbers.I ended the experiment two days earlier than I had planned because their rebellion was so strong and overwhelming. For the first time since I've done this experiment‚ the students "won."What I learned is this: Teenagers will be the ones to save us.Just like Emma Gonzalez‚ the teen activist from Marjory Stoneman Douglas‚ my students did not back down nor conform. They fought for their rights. They won.Adults can learn a lot from the teens of this generations. Adults are complacent‚ jaded‚ and disparaged. Teenagers are ignited‚ spirited‚ and take no prisoners. Do not squander their fight. They really are our future. Do not call them entitled. That entitlement is their drive and their passion. Do not get in their way. They will crush you.Foster their rebellion. They are our best allies.This story originally appeared on Medium and is reprinted here with permission. It was originally published on 2.21.18.

Every single day‚ babies across the world are born prematurely‚ which means that they're born before 37 weeks of gestation. In Canada‚ about 29‚000 infants are born prematurely each year‚ roughly 1 in every 13. But in the United States‚ around 400‚000 to 500‚000 are born early. That's about 1 in every 8 to 10 babies born in the U.S.!Red Méthot‚ a Canadian photographer and student‚ decided to capture the resilience of many of these kids for a school photography project.He's the father of two prematurely born kids himself‚ so the topic is important to him."My son was born at 29 weeks and my daughter at 33 weeks‚" he told me in a phone interview. "These are the kind of pictures I would like to have seen when my first child was born — they've been through that‚ and they are great now."Méthot said he knows not all preemie stories have a happy ending — one of his photos features a child whose twin passed away after they were born prematurely — but for so many kids who come early‚ they go on to experience a great life.Meet several of the beautiful kids he photographed!Méthot's school project originally consisted of 10 photos‚ but the reaction has been so positive and he's enjoyed taking them so much‚ he continued adding to the collection.Currently‚ he has captured 50 images. (You can view them all in the album on his Facebook page!). Méthot told me that his favorite part of the project has been meeting the subjects."Each time I meet a new person‚ I [learn] about a new story‚" he said.And I think we can all agree that Méthot is a wonderful storyteller through his photography. Between his photos showing the bright future so many premature babies have and his photo showing the loss‚ he captures reality beautifully.This article originally appeared on November 6‚ 2015