When Roth IRAs Trend: How To Create Meaningful PR During A Groundbreaking Story From ProPublica

Photo Credit: Screenshot of article at ProPublica: “Lord of the Roths: How Tech Mogul Peter Thiel Turned a Retirement Account for the Middle Class Into a $5 Billion Tax-Free Piggy Bank”

“When Roth IRAs were trending in Twitter…” says no one over.

Except the phenomenon of the sleepy lifestyle topic - retirement planning - did take over Twitter when ProPublica published their article chronicling how the mega-tech-investor Peter Thiel (co-founder of PayPal, investor in Facebook, donor to Trump, among many other choices), used - very creatively - his Roth IRA to build and hold $5 billion tax free. Roth IRAs, according to ProPublica, were designed as retirement planning tools for the middle class, and have income restrictions.

The angle of ProPublica’s story - and the audience reaction - was how mega-wealthy investors with mindsets like Peter’s are using Roth IRAs that normal people have access to, in order to spike the way it grows money. While the first impression may be: “WOW, that’s a lot of money to shield from taxes….,” the next reaction of a Roth IRA holder might be: “Wait, how did he do that again? What am I not doing in my Roth IRA to grow it that big?”

And there you have the opportunity for a financial expert to step into this trending news story - while respecting its message of how people game a system - to help others actually pay attention to their Roth IRA, instead of letting their Roth IRA be dormant behind some login somewhere, languishing from no one paying attention to it, depositing any money into their Roth IRA, or tweaking its levers to grow that money on trees. Which is what IRAs were intended to do.

Roth IRA At Its Basic - And How Peter Blew It Up To $5 Billion

According to the ProPublica article, Peter deposited $2,000 into his Roth IRA in 1999 and grew it into $5 billion, “using stock deals unavailable to most people.” According to Vanguard, an investment management group, “A Roth IRA is an individual retirement account that offers tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals in retirement. Roth IRA rules dictate that as long as you've owned your account for 5 years* and you're age 59½ or older, you can withdraw your money when you want to and you won't owe any federal taxes.”

There are limits on the maximum you can put in, and that amount can change depending on who is the President of the United States. For instance, David Rae, CFP, wrote for Fortune magazine: “It is important to point out that the Roth IRA may become more valuable to you because of the new Trump Tax Plan. At least that has been the case for many people. Tax-free growth and tax-free income might be quite appealing to current and future retirees. At the same time, more money in your pocket to maximize today could be extremely tempting as well.”

How A Finance Expert Like You Can Perk The Interest Of A Reporter To Get Your Own PR

This was a trending news story. While attention may have moved on, the relevance is still there for a bit longer afterwards. Here’s how you can pitch yourself to a reporter who might be a good fit for this story:

• Set the Mood: Mention in 1 sentence the story and the article at ProPublica. You don’t need to link to it in your email. That may trigger spam filters, and you want to save your link for a link to your own website. But you’ll want to remind the reporter about the story, or inform them for the first time.

• Say What You’re Going To Do: Further the mood by telling the reporter what you are can inform them about, based on this article. The urgency here is that X number of Americans have a Roth IRA (bonus points for finding and including this statistic!) and don’t do anything with their Roth IRA. They are missing out on any free money, let alone $5 billion.

• Love The Bullet Lists: Put in a bullet list the topics you can speak to. For instance: Kids who can start Roth IRAs now and get that early financial education and growth; Why starting a Roth IRA as a 50 year old may still be a good idea; How to work it into your strategy if you are already retired; Best retirement strategies to take advantage of if you have a low income; How the gears of a Roth IRA churn - how does this thing work and how can people tweak the levers to grow more money from it?

You got this, Small Business Friend. Even if you run a huge business, these strategies will work for you. Use Tin Shingle’s Media Contact Idea Center to browse names for which reporters or producers would be a great fit for this story. Use Tin Shingle’s Google Group to test your pitch on us. It’s the group of Members who can see your pitch and submit feedback. Feeling a little shy? Hire one of our PR Pros (Katie, Beth or Olivia) to review your pitch in private during a Private Training Session (discounted 25% with membership).

All of this can be yours with a Tin Shingle Membership.

Whatever You Do:

• Don’t mass-pitch. Don’t send the email to a group of BCC emails. Now the media can see you are blanketing this pitch everywhere, and they may compete with each other for the same story angle.

• Do include the reporter’s name in your email pitch. Personalize it!

• Do change up points you are making to different reporters and producers. Their audiences are not the same. You need to do some work to make this pitch different.

• Tin Shingle wants to hear from you! We share financial insight with our small business readers. Do include us in your pitching! Our audience is a diverse group of old and young creative thinkers who turn ideas into action. Our crowd are business owners, communication directors working for them, and PR professionals seeking to further their education.

Good luck!

What To Pitch The Media This Month: July 2021

WHAT TO PITCH THE MEDIA THIS MONTH: JULY

HELLO!

We did this! We brought back Tin Shingle's monthly series, "What To Pitch The Media This Month: July 2021"

We went over ideas for national print magazines (6 months ahead), local (2-3 months ahead), and trending news stories right now. (HINT: This is the time for Holiday Gift Guide pitching! That coveted print space in November/December issues.)

This TuneUp is a menagerie of ideas. Not only did we go over monthly themes you could spin your business pitching into, but we also covered:

• Trending news stories you could latch onto.

• (ex: Refinery29's obsession with Mom Jeans- why?! why are they stealing our sexy?)

• How to make your own news.

• Did you participate in a protest? Tell someone about it - outside of your Instagram.

• Different ways to pitch.

• What to do when you get press coverage.

• Why Instagram isn't enough.

PS: This means Office Hours were closed, as we did the live, free, open to all TuneUp at 3pm instead.

PPS: If you couldn't make it to this free broadcast, Tin Shinglers with the Media Membership get 24/7 access to watch any TuneUp whenever they want. Activate your Tin Shingle membership today to get access!

HOW TO WATCH

Anyone can watch a Tin Shingle TuneUp from their computer, mobile phone or tablet. The process is different for premium members and the public.

MEMBERS OF TIN SHINGLE (FREE)

Stream any TuneUp Webinar anytime with your Tin Shingle membership. No need to purchase it, this TuneUp is ready to play from this page! When you are logged in, you will see a big screen.

NON-MEMBERS ($65)

Once you buy a TuneUp, you own it forever. The video or audio recording will appear on the TuneUp page that you just purchased from, and all you need to do is press play.

Office Hours TuneUp Today: Hey Hey Hey!

When: Wednesday, June 16th
Time: 1pm EST
Where:At your computer or on your phone.
How: Follow the directions on this page to get the registration link.
Or, if you're a Tin Shingle Member and are already logged in, click here to get the special registration link.
Required: Media Kit Membership with Tin Shingle. Join today.

Hey Hey Hey!

Let's hear your goals today, and form strategies on how you are going to tackle them.

Today is our chance to meet face-to-face in a group-style strategy session.

Here's what Katie's going to do: Push you to pitch!

Good ideas are flying around, and the next step is typing them up, and pressing SEND. Log it in your PR Planner & Tracker, and pitch to the next person.

Office Hours are available to members of Tin Shingle, who are invited to bring their special projects to the table.

These TuneUps are not recorded, as they are a safe space for members to speak freely. When possible, Katie will record a re-cap of general highlights and concepts covered during the meeting. When that happens, you'll be notified by email and the public will have a chance to listen to those concepts for free before the TuneUp video is placed behind the membership wall.

Tin Shingle Members can attend this TuneUp Office Hour session as a way to have a micro-brainstorming session on their own marketing needs. The time will be shared and moderated. Come join us if you haven't yet!

If you can't make this time, you can book a Private Training session for 25% off for a personal phone call.

Making The News: The Media Learns From You, Just As You Learn From The Media

In a college Ethics in the Media course, the question was asked:
"Is media mirroring society? Or is society mirroring the media?"

In Tin Shingle's opinion, the answer is both.

The #1 question we get at Tin Shingle is:
"How do I get featured in the media? I want someone to interview me!"

The way to get that interview is to tell the media what is going on in society as you know it. Believe it or not, reporters don't know everything. They may hardly know anything! With all of the topics they could write about, they may not know about your corner of the world.

That is why you must tell them. Telling them is called "pitching the media." You are telling them about something going on in your corner of the world - how you and your business are making a difference.

How Do I Create The News?

It's a liberating thought - you creating the news. You think you don't have control, but you do. Here are some places to start:

• If you are up against a challenge, tell the media about it. Spell it out on why it's a challenge - what's going on? Who are the players?

• If you are one of the only ones in your field or community doing this, make that very clear in how you present your accomplishments and what you got going on.

• Write these points in an email to a producer or writer that you have researched by reading that media, or skimming through Tin Shingle's Media Contact Idea Center.

Can I Control The Story? Will They Run It?

Two things you must understand about getting PR:

• Nothing is guaranteed. You might get interviewed for 30 minutes, and 1 sentence of what you said was used. If it was used at all!

• You can't control the narrative. A story may go in the opposite direction than you intended. That's OK. It's a wave you can ride. Talk to us in Tin Shingle's Community or book a Private Session should this happen, to see how you can ride with it.
  

Look At Homeschooling As An Example:

This article at Wired magazine provides a lot of stats on the rise in homeschooling this year, especially in Black families. The fact that it was covered at all with this positive spin is a surprise, as people of color have been homeschooling for some time for various reasons (bullying, religion, teacher/administration disagreements, etc.). Positioning it in this light is refreshing for homeschooling families.

The freedom to cultivate the curriculum was an appeal. As people stretch into their new normals and values after enduring the shutdown, the complexities of public schools, unions, charter schools, homeschooling, and the community around those options may be at the forefront of discussions.

Homeschooling has (or had) a reputation of being isolating and possibly elitist. Often snubbed by public schools for after school activities, will they now be accepted after families have pulled out to control the educational narrative at home, but want to benefit from tax-funded community events happening at public schools?

These are questions you can pose. Use examples of the past, and what is being asked for now. Use statistics and studies to back your claim, and provide names and links to those studies. Even if you have no studies, use voices from your community.

The Media Learns From You

Yes, it’s true! The media learns from you! Reporters are trained to hear topics that resonate with people; that will make a difference in their lives; or that their readers don’t know much about. You can inform the media about this. Even if you think a reporter knows about it already. They might not. Or, they may have heard about it, but don’t know how to approach it from a different angle - because they don’t know the different angle to come at it from.

You can pitch the ideas you wish the media would write about! Need help? Use Tin Shingle’s Pitch Whispering benefit that comes with your membership.

Homeschooling & Charter Schools Will Be In The News - Starting at Wired Magazine - Start Pitching!

This article at Wired magazine provides a lot of stats on the rise in homeschooling this year, especially in Black families. The freedom to cultivate the curriculum was an appeal. As people stretch into their new normals and values after enduring the shutdown, the complexities of public schools, unions, charter schools, homeschooling, and the community around those options may be at the forefront of discussions.

And I thought the Common Core debate was too complex for me to follow! Now is your time, homeschooling and charter school peeps, to pitch the media about what you got going on. Your pitch won’t just be a feature of your business or initiative. It will be informing the reporter, editor or producer about the problem you see in a certain area, and how your business or initiative addresses that. If you don’t have a business but are trying to change policy, same thing.

Have you wondered why these topics weren’t covered before? Were you silently seething at the media for not covering these things? Or covering them in a way that reflected poorly in the area you know so well, and could use some change? Here’s the thing: you can make that change. By pitching the media.

Yes, it’s true! The media learns from you! Reporters are trained to hear topics that resonate with people; that will make a difference in their lives; or that their readers don’t know much about. You can inform the media about this. Even if you think a reporter knows about it already. They might not. Or, they may have heard about it, but don’t know how to approach it from a different angle - because they don’t know the different angle to come at it from.

You can pitch the ideas you wish the media would write about! Need help? Use Tin Shingle’s Pitch Whispering benefit that comes with your membership.

February 2021 Editorial Calendar Haul!

OMG SO MANY, my keyboard melted 2 days ago, haha!

Here is the list of publications uploaded to our database since the beginning of February!

---

American Airlines - American Way
American Airlines - Celebrated Living
Backstage
Bake from Scratch
Bicycling
Bon Appetit
Boston Common
Boys' Life
Brooklyn Magazine
Cooking With Paula Deen
CRM Buyer
E-Commerce Times
Esquire
Forbes
Forbes Digital
Girl's Life
Hospital News
IDEA Fitness Journal
Inside Weddings
Linux Insider
Magnolia Journal
Midwest Living
National Wildlife Magazine
OK! Magazine
People
Pizza Today
Southern Cast Iron
Southern Home
Southern Lady
Southwest Magazine
Sunset
Taste of lIving
Taste of the South
Tea Time
Tech News World
The Cottage Journal
Travel + Leisure
Veranda
Victoria
Wired
Woman's Day
Yoga Journal

A Beaconite + Palestinian, Lena Rizkallah, Speaks In Newburgh, NY Of Her First Generation Palestinian American Experience

I first met Lena Rizkallah when she reached out to Tin Shingle back when I was designing and building a co-work space, to bring a physical dimension to the digital community that has always been offered here at Tin Shingle. Lena came in to the space, loved the vibe, and wanted to rent the space to host her financial seminars and work from the shared desks from time to time.

I closed up shop soon after because the building sold and I wasn’t a fit with the new landlord. All good, things happen for a reason. Lena, however, hung around Tin Shingle, following our content. She was committed during the pandemic, to offering financial advice as things kept changing.

“They built an apartheid wall—an ugly cement wall that separates families in the Occupied Territories from the rest of Palestine. Here’s the irony—on the Arab side, the wall looms big, ugly, grey, with graffiti scribbled all over it, trash at the base and barbed wire on top and watch towers poking out from which Israeli soldiers observe the prisoners-the Arabs. On the Israel side of the wall, you don’t even recognize it because they’ve pimped out the wall with cool landscaping, shrubs, flowers and a sidewalk. ”

— Lena Rizkallah

When I first published about Palestine, when I first became aware of their crushed existence on the territory that is now called Israel (land is always shifting), Lena was the first to “Like” and even “Comment.” I had been shot down by a former Tin Shingler, telling me that the subject matter was too “controversial” for a business publication to publish about. My own husband said to me: “Do you have to cover everything?”

Well, since then, the world erupted (and here too!) in favor of Palestine (hello, Bella Hadid!), and even President Biden had to shift in his decades long support for Benjamin Netanyahu.

We had to quickly make it past theories like “Being pro-Palestinian is not Anti-Semitic,” which sadly paralyzed supporters in years past, like Penelope Cruz who would be branded as that when she voiced support. Not so this year after the racial re-awakening in the United States and world, as people are hyper aware of who is being oppressed, and who is suffering under violence.

Back in my hometown of Beacon, NY, there was a march being organized across the Hudson River (that river was formerly called “Mahicantuck,” which means "the river that flows two ways." This name was from the Native American tribe called the Lenape, who populated what is now known as the Hudson Valley region) in Newburgh, NY.

I attended the march as a reporter for my local publication, A Little Beacon Blog. The march met in an open mic session at Rep. Sean Maloney’s regional office in Newburgh. That’s when I saw Lena walk up the steps and deliver her speech. This was totally unexpected, as I had no idea she was Palestinian, or vocal.

Such is the benefit from attending protest marches. I can tell you from experience of covering Black Lives Matter protests during 2020 for A Little Beacon Blog: anyone who quickly puts “protest” and “looting” in the same sentence within 5 minutes is living in denial and doesn’t have an interest in learning about anyone else’s lived experience. Attend a march. I promise you will learn from it.

Lena’s speech was direct and comprehensive. She gave Tin Shingle permission to republish in full. Please take a read to learn her perspective. The video of her speech has been published below as well.

Lena Rizkallah 5/22/2021

“For so many reasons, being a Palestinian of the diaspora and an American is disorienting.”

— Lena Rizkallah

I am a proud first generation Palestinian American and I’d like to share a couple thoughts with you all about the situation in Palestine. I want to start by telling you all a quick story.

One of my earliest memories was when I was a little girl, maybe 4 or 5—I was playing with my older brother and he took my toy and wouldn’t give it back. I ran to my mother crying and tried to explain the severity of the situation to her and ended by saying ‘it’s not fair!’. She kneeled down to face me, wiped my little tears, looked me straight in the face and said “ya Lena life is not fair. There is no justice.”

Now remember, I was 5. But this was my mother’s experience and there was no reason to sugarcoat anything, even to a 5 yr old. And I’ve never forgotten that moment and that truth and it’s resonated throughout my life.

And it’s awkward because I am Palestinian American. Being an American means living with the confidence that when I put my head down to sleep at night, the worst that might happen is I have a bad dream or the AC is too loud or my dog hogs the bed. Being an American means that I can travel freely throughout the US and the world. I can work, build a career, send my imaginary kids to any school that I can afford. As an American, I have an expectation-a right- to peace and equality and justice.

On the other hand, I am the daughter of the Palestinian diaspora.

My mother is a Palestinian refugee born in a small town about 20 minutes from Haifa, and my father was an immigrant from Ramallah. In 1948 when my mother was about 6 years old, she had to flee her hometown with her parents and 2 sisters because the Zionists had reached her village. My grandparents were planning to return but they never did.

For so many reasons, being a Palestinian of the diaspora and an American is disorienting. I grew up feeling very different from other kids at school—not just because of my Arab fro and unibrow, my hummus sandwiches and the fact that my dad picked me up from school wearing a dishdsheh. People I knew since kindergarten asked me where I was from and when I said Palestine it took me 20 minutes to explain why you can’t find it on a map.

I felt different because while I felt the security of America, it didn’t jive with the experiences of my parents and the history of my family in Palestine. From a young age, I understood that sure, everyone deserves freedom and justice-- but not everyone gets it.

I grew up over the last few decades watching the occupation unfold, the Israeli state broadening its control over the land and resources, and its power and influence expanding over the world. We watched as its ideologies infiltrated the media, education, churches, world history and culture.

We have watched helplessly, infuriated, as religious Jewish families from Brooklyn could move into a Palestinian’s 150 year old home and squat there, demand the Arab family to show an Israeli-court approved deed (which of course they don’t have because they’ve lived there since before Israel) and eventually have the Palestinian family evicted.

Watched settlers and soldiers bulldoze over centuries-old olive groves, destroying the livelihood of extended Palestinian families.

“ I have hope that we can make change happen for Palestinians. I have hope that the world will look at Palestinians not as the ‘freedom fighters’ of the 1980’s or the ‘guerrillas’ of the 1990’s or the ‘terrorists’ of post-9-11 or as what they call us today— “Hamas” —but as mothers and fathers and students and children and people with hopes and dreams like all of us have. ”

— Lena Rizkallah

How the State of Israel confiscates swaths of land all over the West Bank, turning our land into Area A, Area B, and the worst, Area C, and penning the people inside.

How Israel created separate roads for settlers to drive around the West Bank on their way to Jerusalem and Haifa and avoid Arab villages.

They built an apartheid wall—an ugly cement wall that separates families in the Occupied Territories from the rest of Palestine. Here’s the irony—on the Arab side, the wall looms big, ugly, grey, with graffiti scribbled all over it, trash at the base and barbed wire on top and watch towers poking out from which Israeli soldiers observe the prisoners-the Arabs. On the Israel side of the wall, you don’t even recognize it because they’ve pimped out the wall with cool landscaping, shrubs, flowers and a sidewalk. Israel’s apartheid wall is like a prostitute getting ready for her next customer, covering up her used and abused body with a distracting leopard print dress and cheap perfume.

If you are a Palestinian born and raised in the West Bank, your family has been there for generations—check this out— although the Mediterranean Sea is only a 45 minute’s drive from you, you have never seen it because you have to beg for a permit from Israel—which they are unlikely to issue. There is no freedom of movement for Palestinians, every place outside of a few West Bank villages means humiliating checkpoints and permits, including a hopeful visit to the sea.

But if you are a Jew born and raised in Sydney, Australia and decide to move to Israel into a settlement near Ramallah for example, the sky’s the limit. You can have coffee at Starbucks in Jerusalem, meet a friend for a sushi in Haifa and go clubbing Tel Aviv --no problem. If this isn’t apartheid I don’t know what is.

They have done an excellent job of manipulating the narrative and telling the occupation story their way, so that every time they bomb or bulldoze homes and land, they do it in ‘self-defense’, to ‘protect their existence.’ This affluent country with the 4th most powerful military and probably one of the best intelligence/spy machines in the world that receives billions of military aid from the US every year—has Americans convinced that:

• The Palestinian man in Bethlehem who has to apply for a permit to go to his chemotherapy appointment—he is the terrorist.

• Or the Palestinian woman who has to give birth in the taxi while waiting in line to cross the checkpoint to get to the hospital – she is the terrorist.

• Or the little boy from Gaza walking around with a bucket collecting whatever broken toys he can pick up from the rubble of his home - he is the terrorist.

The most successful and devastating thing that Israel has accomplished is this—the unapologetic belief that the existence of Israel is so critical that it trumps the dignity and humanity of Palestinian; they can drop bombs flagrantly over Palestinian homes and bodies with impunity because the existence of Israel and the Jewish people is more important than the existence of Palestinians. That is Israel’s message to the world, and with the unwavering support of the US, it has been successfully heard loud and clear.

But despite the lesson I learned from my mother when I was 4, or the decades watching Israel encroach on more Palestinian land, I HAVE HOPE. I am old enough to remember when the bricks came down from the Berlin Wall; I remember when South Africa decided to confront and disassemble their policy of apartheid. I recall last year’s summer of rage and people protesting in the streets after the world watched a Black man suffocate to death under the knee of a police officer.

Individual voices-collectively –make change happen. I have hope that we can make change happen for Palestinians. I have hope that the world will look at Palestinians not as the ‘freedom fighters’ of the 1980’s or the ‘guerrillas’ of the 1990’s or the ‘terrorists’ of post-9-11 or as what they call us today-- “Hamas” --but as mothers and fathers and students and children and people with hopes and dreams like all of us have. That we don’t deserve to be bombed and murdered as the world looks away.

3 ways to make your voices heard:

• Keep talking about Palestine. Post about it, don’t be afraid to have a conversation about it and most important don’t let the ‘it’s so complicated’ argument keep you silent. Ask yourself as a human being, how do I feel about watching people being evicted from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah just as countless Palestinians were evicted in Hebron years ago and all over Palestine? How do I feel about watching families annihilated by bombs in Gaza? That’s worth talking about.

• Make a donation to a Palestinian charity that will help those in need-my favorites are UNRWA, The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and Islamic Relief USA. The ADC and IMEU are great organizations that track American policy, law and media towards Arabs and Palestine and work towards making change.
  https://www.unrwa.org
  https://irusa.org
  https://imeu.org
  https://support.adc.org

• Get involved by calling your representative to support a bill introduced in the House of Reps by Rep McCullum—HR 2590 The Palestinian Children and Families Act. Keep the pressure on our elected leaders to come to their senses—to start leading with humanity.

This struggle has been real for 73 years and probably won’t let up for a while, but I am so encouraged by all of the support from around the world and all of your shining faces here today. I HOPE that we can keep this up so that they can hear our voices in Gaza and feel that they aren’t alone.

Thank you.

Following The Humanitarian Palestinian Crisis - Why Media Matters & Why Tin Shingle Is Covering It

Artist: hafandhaf

When I first started posting about the Palestinian crisis 6 days ago, it was with gentle uncertainty, as this region is known primarily for conflict, so why care now? Friends of mine were celebrating Ramadan, and usually during this time, they feed their socials with magical images of crescent moons and stars, what is inspiring their giving, and what food and cookies they will be eating to break fast that evening.

Six days ago, however, none of those images were shown. Instead, friends kept sending up signals of a neighborhood protest in a place called Sheikh Jarrah in Palestine. Families were marked to be evicted by Israeli police from their homes, and it sounded like these evictions were just a normal part of life for these Palestinians. People speaking of what some call “the conflict” were stressing how this eviction was not unique, and happens frequently. Muslim friends were imploring each other to direct their Duha (prayer) to Palenstine.

What was unique, however, was that Palestinians in that little neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, were protesting. The night was a Friday, the last Friday in Ramadan, which for Muslims, was the most exciting (Fridays are considered the holy day, much like Sundays are for Christians, and Saturdays are for Jews). Social media posts educating people about the area and the decades of colonialism by the UN, the US, who gave this land to the Jewish people after WWII in 1948, which is now called Israel, were flying across social media like the rockets launched that we see in the frightening images now on the national news.

Social media people were describing how their posts were being censored, and that the news media was not covering it. Granted, when news media does cover this, it is usually in a way that sounds like “Israel vs The Terrorists,” and then the news media moves along.

Personally, I grew up with all kinds of friends from different cultures, as I am sure you did as well. My friends were and are Jewish, and Arab, and African American, and Asian American, and Indian American. I went to bat mitzvas, and my closest families I babysat for were Jewish. I valued their love of community, nature and giving back very much, and wished I had been born into a Jewish family so that I could be surrounded in this.

My Arab friends brought to me the experience of living with the weekly ritual of making food like homemade yogurt for family with family each week. When they spoke in Arabic around the kitchen island, it was melodic and I was mesmerized. I learned words in Arabic for emotions I felt towards others, that did not necessarily exist in English. I listened to my friend’s love stories about her person in Syria, and we vowed I would write a novel about their story one day, which meant I needed to visit Syria with her in order to experience the land and their gardens.

Syria has since been destroyed, and I watched the destruction through my friend’s family’s heartache. The news media around it was the usual: “it’s complicated.” Talking about it with Americans really does not happen, as it’s not our subject or our war. And, “it’s complicated,“ so why bother. It will never end.

The benefit of growing up in the 1990s in a “colorless” time, which means that we were taught to love everyone despite the color of their skin, is that we did grow up loving people in different cultures. What maybe did not happen, however, was the next step of understanding their culture, and respecting it and holding it up. Maybe our children are at that level. But for my generation, we had the friends. Now what do we do when they are hurting?

Which brings us today. I’m a blogger now, and a business owner. I don’t write romance novels as I dreamt I would, but I do know how to translate a story through pictures and words. As the owner of Tin Shingle, I bring awareness to my readers about what the media is covering, and how they are covering it. Usually this falls into the lighter news stuff so that businesses, artists and makers can see how to spin their stories into trending news stories, and what might work 6 months from now.

When I started writing about the racial re-awakening in the United States, spurred by the Black Lives Matter movement, that was risky, but many people were interested. Every time I published, I thought: “This is it. They’re going to drop me now.” But most didn’t (some did).

When I posted about Palestine, a friend and supporter of my publishing of Black lives spoke up to tell me to stop writing about Palestine, that it was too complicated and “controversial.” Whew! If Black Lives Matter wasn’t controversial, I don’t know how Palestine isn’t the same caliber? But yes, she was probably very protective of Jewish culture and was personally feeling the affront as we all now talk about the holy land, and who did what when, and why all is justified on each other.

Mindful of my Jewish friends, what has emerged from covering this racial topic, is that some in the media, like Sean Hannity, are calling any defense of Palestine to be anti-Semitic. To speak about Palestine without using the word “terrorist” is very difficult for the traditional news media. So I started looking to other sources who live in Palestine, or who have family there, to seek out a different perspective. The issues feel very connected to military rule and power of individuals of other ruling countires, with emotions resulting from racism being manipulated to strengthen the conflict to get the end goal of real estate domination for money.

Tin Shingle is including this perspective in the coverage, which is very relevant to all of our lives. No, I don’t seek to cover wars, but we are in a time of racial reckoning. Racism throughout different races across the world is being touched and wiggled around, and is shown now through social media. The first to go in these racial wars is communication. In Myanmar, where the military has taken over after keeping their leader who won their election in house arrest has finally cut the social media as they started killing more civilian protesters, as reported by the BBC. Civilians are now taking up arms. Reporters are now not allowed in Gaza, as reported by NPR.

So we’re covering it. And in the process, learning about new media outlets and new artists. Some of the posts at Tin Shingle’s Instagram have been brought here to the blog, so that you don’t miss them in the infinate scroll of social media.

👋🏽 Hello!
Been following these censored post posts, and reading accounts from friends who read friends accounts of what is happening. It’s time to go to History class on Palestine as this crises has worsened right now. Wishing the media in USA would report on it to keep us informed/educated, since USA policies have to do with this. So we are reposting.

Repost from @reclamationmagazine
•
Social media is currently censoring posts standing in solidarity with Palestine — now more than ever, it’s crucial to amplify footage on the ground and share resources. Your silence does you no favors. We need to do the job the mainstream media fails to do.

“More than 170 Palestinians have been injured after Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque and dispersed worshippers elsewhere in occupied East Jerusalem, as weeks-long tensions between Israel and the Palestinians over Jerusalem soared again.

Earlier in the day, tens of thousands of Palestinian worshippers packed into the mosque on the final Friday of Ramadan and many stayed on to protest in support of Palestinians facing eviction from their homes on Israeli-occupied land claimed by Jewish settlers.

During the past week, residents of Sheikh Jarrah, as well as Palestinian and international solidarity activists, have attended nightly vigils to support the Palestinian families under threat of forced displacement.

Israeli border police and forces have attacked the sit-ins using skunk water, tear gas, rubber-coated bullets and shock grenades over the past few days. Dozens of Palestinians have been arrested.”

-Arwa Ibrahim for Al Jazeera, May 7, 2021

Artist: @hafandhaf

Including The Deaf Community In Your Instagram Posts - Turning On Captions In "Stories"

Businesses are becoming more and more comfortable with posting videos on Instagram, allowing their platform to reach users globally. What you may have noticed is that now viewers are reading captions in the videos, rather than listening to them, or while listening to them. This is a huge inclusionary step for the Deaf community, who otherwise could not access all of the content in the same way.

When you’re posting videos to Instagram, it is essential that you add captions to your videos, and here’s why…

Video Captions For Accessibility

First, accessibility! Some viewers may be Deaf or Hard of Hearing, and missing out on what you are saying. Mashable reported in 2019 how Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez used Captions, and how Deaf activist Nyle DiMarco tweeted his appreciation.

We checked in with Licensed Clinical Psychologist Jamiee Arnoff of BFF Therapy, who specializes in teens and young adults, including those in the Deaf community, to learn her perspective on this important and inclusive move. “I'm so glad that this is being talked about and that accessibility is highlighted. In terms of how captions impact the population, it is all about inclusivity. Captions allow for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals to engage in the content without issue, encouraging dialogue on the topic from the entire audience. It definitely does not go unnoticed when someone includes captions in their posts, taking the extra step to ensure the information provided is accessible.”

How To Turn Video Captioning On - It’s easy!

Finding the settings to turn your Captions on is a little tricky.

THE STEPS:
Go to Settings. This is behind the 3 bars in the top right of your screen..

Click “Account”

Click “Captions” and toggle on “Auto-Generated Captions”

You’re not done yet. You will need to set the Auto-Generated Captions for each IGTV Video.

That’s right - your video needs to be an IGTV Video right now, which means you’ll need to select that type of post when you’re posting.

The IGTV VIdeo needs to be at least 1 minute long.

When you’re posting the IGTV Video, before you post, scroll down to the Advance Settings tab. Click that, and make sure the Auto-Generated Caption is clicked on.

This guy, Alec Wilcock, made a super easy video about it to show you, which we have posted below.

PS: Dr. Jaimee gave additional guidance on how to speak to and about the Deaf Community. Her points center on capitalizing the D in Deaf, as well as the term “hearing impraired” that you may be used to, but is time for retirement. Dr. Jaimee says: “The term ‘hearing impaired,’ can be replaced with "Deaf or Hard of Hearing,’ as many Deaf individuals do not view themselves as having an impairment, and there is some long-standing resentments about the negative, medical tone of the word, being that it was coined by hearing people. There is also significant cultural meaning behind using a lowercase or capital (d) when writing out the word deaf (we know it terms of the "little d" and "big D" discussion).”

Thank you, Dr. Jaimee, for helping us speak to and about a community!

Today's Live TuneUp Office Hours: The "What To Pitch: May" Edition

Office Hours
Open Today

When: Wednesday, May 5th
Time: 1pm EST
Where: At your computer or on your phone.
How: Follow the directions on this page to get the registration link.
Or, if you're a Tin Shingle Member and are already logged in, click here to get the special registration link.
Required: Media Kit Membership with Tin Shingle. Join today.

Hello!

In the olden days, of the pre-pandemic era, the 1st week of the month meant one thing: "What To Pitch: May"

You got to listen to all of the relevant ideas that could work right now for pitching the news media for print coverage in magazines, and the digital media for blogs and digital editions.

Today, we are still running the weekly TuneUp in a Live Office Hours fashion that is for members to call in to to ask any of their burning questions, but the theme can be "What To Pitch: May"

HINT: Print magazines always are working 6 months out. For instance, an interior design magazine is shooting photography for their Fall issue and needs fall colors right now. As the purple lilacs bloom in May.

Use the PR Planner and Tracking Template. to help plot and track your media coverage. It is free for Members of Tin Shingle, and a cost for those who are curating their Tin Shingle tools.

Tin Shingle Members can attend this TuneUp Office Hour session as a way to have a micro-brainstorming session on their own marketing needs. The time will be shared and moderated. Come join us if you haven't yet! Private Training is always available with a discount to Tin Shingle Members, and group connections are always appreciated.

About TuneUp Office Hours

If you are a member of Tin Shingle, come on today's Members-Only TuneUp! These are closed sessions, and not open to the public. This is a safe space for Tin Shingle Members to come in with brainstorms to give and get feedback.

You can turn on your video camera to speak eye-to-eye, or just talk on the phone or through your computer speakers.

In this series, members of Tin Shingle with the Media Kit Membership can call in to workshop any need in their marketing campaign, including:

• Media Pitching: What a pitch to a certain media outlet should look like, and how it should read.

• Instagram: How to get sales and create PR opportunities from you posts.

• Facebook: How do you increase traffic from this platform?

• Website: The media will circle back to evaluate their website. What are they seeing, and is it clear?

• SEO: What's your game plan? Let's get one. You don't want to miss out on all that search traffic.

HOW IT WORKS:
Tin Shingle's owner Katie will moderate the call.

She will rotate through people on the call, and encourage each other to contribute to each person's challenge as a conversation.

CALL-IN DETAILS
When you are logged into your Media Kit Member account at Tin Shingle, you will be able to click this link in our Community section of the website to get the private link to call in details.

Once on the call, Katie will adjust your settings so that we can hear and/or see you. We love talking face-to-face, so turn your video on if you want. Otherwise, audio-only is fine.