#5SmartReads - March 30, 2022

This week’s #5SmartReads is sponsored by Blue Apron.

Taiwan sees lessons in Ukraine (Axios)

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is more than Ukraine’s continued battle for its sovereignty to be respected or Putin’s aspirations to rebuild the Soviet Union.

It also may very well be a blueprint for future conflicts between similar countries - such as China and Taiwan.

While Taiwan’s circumstances differ significantly from Ukraine’s - Taiwan lacks the global sovereignty recognition that Ukraine has, and 100 miles of water separate Taiwan from China instead of a long land border - a Chinese invasion of Taiwan may mirror what we’ve seen Russia do.

And I do hope that’s an if China invades, not when.

Will The Future Of Co-Working Spaces Rely On The Hospitality Industry? The Women Rebuilding The Riveter Think So (Forbes)

What my friend Amy has endured for the past 2 years is unbearable - and still, she rises.

How she has pivoted The Riveter - formerly a rapidly growing co-working and community startup - to a digital community, and now building the platform and spaces that every underestimated person needs to build a thriving business, and with a co-CEO.

I cannot see what’s next for The Riveter, and that Amy and her family get the justice they deserve.

How to fix the two-tier U.S. health payment system (STAT)

Before we can consider any new fixes to our healthcare system, we must first acknowledge that we have two very different healthcare systems in this country, and both are increasingly expensive and neither are providing the outcomes we deserve.

This op-ed does an excellent job of explaining where we are, how we got here, and where we should go next. I value how these recommendations are centered on equity in healthcare delivery first, and targeting factors that contribute to our actual health.

I finished the second season of Bridgerton somewhere around 8:30 pm last night, and found myself famished and unwilling to wait for takeout.

Thankfully, our Blue Apron box just arrived and so did these flautas. Within 40 minutes, I had a dinner as satisfying as the season of the show, and leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Having these meals in our fridge every week has been a lifesaver, for meal planning and evening cravings alike.

Want to give Blue Apron a try? Get $110 across your first 5 boxes and free shipping on your first box with this link.

How Cartier Built an Empire by Claiming Indian and Islamic Art as its Own (The Juggernaut)

My friend Sharon was the first to call my attention to Cartier’s adoption (with no credit) of Indian and Mughal-era designs in what has become iconic pieces of the brand. And I’m incredibly pleased to see it be thoughtfully unpacked and analyzed in this very smart piece.

While I recognize that there is a fine line between appreciation and appropriation, this season of Bridgerton and last week’s royal tour in the Caribbean has this very topic on my mind (as well as imagining a world where Africa and Asia colonized Europe, but that’s neither here nor there).

Colorado braces to become refuge for abortion access if 'Roe' is weakened (NPR)

Abortion access is just one example of our two healthcare systems in this country - and abortion is very much healthcare.

And as the Supreme Court prepares to rule this summer the way I predict, states like Colorado will be even more important for birthing people to get the healthcare that should be a right and based on their own decisions.