Here are five things worth paying attention to this month. I recommend selecting one or two and jumping in over the next week.

1. I used to love talking and learning about politics. In this article Ben Judah highlights both my frustration and my hope.

2. If you are looking for your next good read, please start here.

3. Ever heard of Red Summer? Don’t worry, I hadn’t either. Now we know.

4. This seems mindboggling to me, but patriarchy has a way of outmaneuvering common sense.

5. Yoga has become a critical part of my self-exploration and self-care routine. If you feel the same, check out the work Melanie Klein is doing, and read her book.

Ben Tapper has a master’s degree in public affairs and an M.Div. He is a chaplain at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis, co-founder of the Hear Me Project and blogs at Invisible Truths.