You’re reading The Husk's Friday (er, Saturday) edition, our Weekender, a countdown/roundup of miscellanea from Micronesia, Guam, and Earth. (Also: Hiiiii! I’m back!)

There’s been a lot of news the past couple of weeks. I sent an email to subscribers three-ish weeks ago about taking a hiatus in June but now The Husk is back! National news has put me through the wringer, particularly the U.S. Supreme Court decisions. While I try to digest that, here are a few links to things I’ve read recently.

… stories about Bligh Madris

• My favorite news story in the month of June was Bligh Madris making history, becoming the first Palauan to play Major League Baseball. That’s HUGE. Many in Micronesia followed Bligh’s rise in the Minors and celebrated his kick ass debut in the Majors. Here are a couple stories about the Pittsburgh Pirates calling him up:

  • This from mlb.com: Madris makes history as MLB's first player from Palau

  • From The Guam Daily Post: Pirates call up Bligh Madris

  • Three weeks prior, I was able to chat with Bligh’s dad, Style Madris, who is from Peleliu, and he predicted this historic occasion. Read my piece in the Guam Daily Post here.

I know a lot of kids from Micronesia love baseball. I think it’s important for them to see people from their home islands performing at the highest levels of sport so they know it’s possible. Bligh isn’t just playing in the Majors, he’s absolutely crushing it.

… stories featuring Micronesia

• A new study offers insight into how our ancestors came to populate the islands in Micronesia. Researchers from Harvard and other universities worked on the study. This write up about the study stated:

  • The western Pacific Ocean islands that make up modern-day Micronesia appear to have been peopled through at least five main migration waves from islands in Southeast Asia, new genetic research suggests.

  • Click here to read the study.

• The Fourth Branch Micronesia has the most robust follow up package (that I’ve come across) to Grand Master Navigator’s Ali Haleyalur’s opinion piece. In his piece, published in the Pacific Island Times, Grand Master Navigator Haleyalur called attention to cultural appropriation of Micronesian navigation and seafaring knowledge, specifically calling on the Polynesian Voyaging Society and Nainoa Thompson “to stop perpetuating this immoral deceit of blatant cultural appropriation.”

  The Fourth Branch Micronesia nicely lays out all of the context in their follow-up package. Click here to read.

… grant opportunity for Pacific Islanders who own small businesses

• Finally, an opportunity for AAPI small businesses from National ACE and Reimagine Main Street:

  • “The #COVID19 pandemic hit Asian American and Pacific Islander American (#AAPI) business owners across the country hard. Now, as signs of recovery emerge, the long tail of COVID's economic impact on small businesses continues.
    
    To support AAPI business owners and entrepreneurs, Reimagine Main Street and National ACE – with financial support from Meta – are partnering with community organizations across the country to launch AAPISTRONG: Small Business Grants.
    
    The new initiative will provide $2 million in cash grants to help 100 AAPI business owners grow and thrive.
    
    Applications open on July 11, and interested entrepreneurs can sign up now to receive information as soon as applications go live! Sign up now to learn more: https://www.reimaginemainstreet.org/AAPISTRONG”

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You all have a nice long weekend. I’ll be in your inbox on Monday.

Thank you for reading!

Jasmine