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We have a jam-packed edition today full of inspiring stories. Enjoy the newsletter and have a fantastic week!

–Kailyn

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s newsletter should be a ~3.06 minute read (815 words).

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What’s meant to be will always find a way

Reginald Dwayne Betts has loved books since he was a kid. In school, he got caught reading Sherlock Holmes in the back of class. At home, he watched speed-reading infomercials on repeat, determined to learn the trick—and eventually finding a how-to guide at his local library.

It would be the last book he checked out before going to prison.

Sixteen-year-old Reginald was sentenced to nine years behind bars for carjacking. Reading soon became his lifeline and biggest connection to the outside world, with Reginald turning to literature to keep his mind busy while in jail.

• And he quickly realized he wasn’t alone; fellow inmates had built an “underground library,” using torn bedsheets and a pulley system to pass books between their cells.

“We go to literature because we want to know ourselves better,” said Reginald, now 45. “Books offer a map to becoming.”

Reginald went on to become an award-winning poet following his release in 2005, while also earning a law degree from Yale and founding Freedom Reads, a nonprofit that installs handcrafted libraries inside prisons across the US.

Each “Freedom Library” holds 500 carefully chosen fiction and nonfiction titles, including Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Kurt Vonnegut. About 15% are in languages other than English.

• The number 500 is intentional: it’s how many books Sir Walter Raleigh used to write The History of the World while imprisoned.
• The message? You can lock up a body, but not a mind.

Above all else, the project’s guiding principle is joy. Freedom Reads also employs formerly incarcerated people to build the libraries, which are made of warm, solid wood and designed to invite conversation over literature.

To date, the nonprofit has installed 605 libraries across 60 prisons nationwide. Reginald says he receives letters from readers inside describing new perspectives, renewed hope, and, in one case, a mother who said her son finally sounded like himself again.

Medication can support weight loss, but lasting results depend on daily choices. That’s where Noom stands apart, pairing clinician-guided medication with psychology-backed tools to build healthier patterns around food, habits, and goals. Users lose 48% more weight with Noom Med than medication alone.*

You’ll get a personalized plan and simple tools like in-app check-ins and expert-led lessons on mindful eating and goal setting. Treatment options start at $129, for those who qualify. If prescribed, medication can be shipped to your door in as little as 7 days.

👆 The Portland International Airport has a couple of employees whose only task is to help de-stress travelers: Beni the llama, and Captain Jack the alpaca. 

These camel-adjacent cousins work at the airport every few weeks as part of its animal therapy program, bringing a welcome distraction to stressed travelers waiting to board their next flight.

☮️ Walk for Peace…A group of Buddhist monks has been walking across America since October in the name of peace, on a 2,300-mile trip from Texas to Washington D.C. Not even freezing temperatures and winter storms can stop the monks, who are just over their halfway point,

🦭 Finding Nemo IRL…A sea lion pup recently wandered 1.5 miles away from the water at a California farm before being rescued. The adventurous pup journeyed through a canal, across a road, and down a farm path before help arrived.

❄️ Love your neighbor… Brooklynites are coming together to form the Snow Patrol, a volunteer movement helping seniors in need shovel their sidewalks, and bringing a revived sense of community to NYC neighborhoods.

Today, we’re sharing some of the best ways to celebrate and support with intentionality:

1. ​Support Black-owned local business in your town
2. Watch a documentary about the Black experience
3. Learn about some lesser-known Black leaders from history
4. ​Read books written by Black authors
5. Create a playlist of Black musical artists (or search and listen to a pre-curated one)

Plus: 25 more ways to celebrate Black History Month​

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🍷 3rd night free in Santa Barbara… Golden hills, beach vibes, and everyday outdoor adventure. Book by 2/28 here.

✈️ Up to 70% off Business Class Flights… Luxury in the air to Europe, Asia, Africa, and more. Book by 2/9 here.

Welcome to my favorite part of the newsletter, What's Your Win, where we celebrate all of the good news happening right here within our Positive DONUT community.

❤️ Adam T. is proud of his hardworking wife…

• “My wife is an Assistant Principal and was recently recognized and gave a speech about the work she did last summer to upgrade the playground to make it accessible for kids with all abilities. I am just really proud of her and her hard work to make it all happen, and to have the courage to get in front of people to talk about it!”

🧠 Maggie M. from Watsonville, CA, is raising a little brainiac…

• “Our family is bilingual and we decided to teach our kids only Spanish at home. My oldest child, Victoria started kindergarten this year and we were nervous for her but she has been so brave about having to be alone at school, making friends, all without being able to communicate in English. This weekend, while I was washing dishes, she had come up to me to tell me about a fun activity she had learned at school that she wanted us to try. As I was responding to her and asking for more explanation, I realized that we were having a conversation completely in English. Watching her grow and learn has been the most rewarding experience.”

Even if you've been celebrated before, we'd love to keep receiving good news from you. Please don't hesitate to participate!

📰 While other newsletters put you to sleep, The Hustle wakes you up with growth stories, innovation insights, and tech trends that matter, all packed into a fun 5-minute read that 1.5M+ smart readers can't live without—join them today and subscribe for free.💡 

🎶 Bad Bunny made history on Sunday night, becoming the first Latin artist to ever win Album of the Year for his hit collection DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. If you haven’t heard the album yet, check it out here.

💡In partnership with our friends at The Hustle

1. Cats can recognize their own names, they just sometimes choose to ignore them.
2. Cats spend about one-third of their lives asleep.
3. Cats can make over 100 different vocal sounds.

(Keep scrolling for the answers)

There's always something to celebrate. Whether it be a new job, a heartwarming conversation with a loved one, crossing an item off your bucket list, or simply enjoying your day a little more than usual, we want to hear about it.

Share your day-to-day wins with us here to be featured in next week's newsletter. Who knows? Sharing the positivity in your life might inspire someone to recognize the good in theirs.🥰

Share your wins here.

1. True; Cats do recognize their names, they just weigh responding against vibes, comfort, and whether you’ve offended them recently.
2. False; Cats spend as much as two-thirds of their lives asleep, averaging around 12-16 hours/day.
3. True; Cats can make 100+ vocal sounds, while dogs top out around 10. Talkative queens.

Advertise with us: Want to reach other optimistic and engaged readers like you? Become a DONUT partner here.

*Disclaimer: Noom GLP-1Rx Program involves healthy diet, exercise and support. Individual results vary. Meds only available when clinically indicated. Not reviewed by FDA for safety, efficacy, or quality. Not available in all 50 US states. No affiliation with Novo Nordisk Inc., the only US source of FDA-approved semaglutide.

Based on retrospective study of self-reported data of active versus passive users who were offered the Noom program when being prescribed an early GLP-1

Initial 3 week subscription and 4 weeks of medication from $129 plus tax and $279 per month plus tax for 12 week subscription thereafter.