I’m gonna get a little more political in this opener than usual, so bear with me.

A few weeks ago, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb hosted a town hall to address the city’s recent move to end its consent decree. More than 11 years ago, the consent decree was put into place after the federal government found a pattern of unconstitutional – and racist – policing in Cleveland. Only a federal judge can lift it, and historically, the city struggled to make meaningful progress.

Despite the city’s efforts to reform the police, many argue that Cleveland is not ready to lose the checks and balances provided by federal oversight. For example, the city violated the consent decree when police deployed drones to surveil pro-Palestine protestors in 2024.

Between 2024 and 2025, police also arrested three New Era Cleveland activists on serious felony charges, including extortion. At a six-week jury trial in 2025, witness testimony and body camera footage revealed that the activists were all innocent. More specifically, a Cleveland police officer indicated that it was retaliation against the group’s leader, Antoine Tolbert, who had won a civil settlement for separate wrongful arrest in 2022.

So, how did the city get a passing grade less than a year after this happened? We’re still waiting on an answer, as Bibb and his team claimed not to be familiar with the case.

Things are wild, per usual, so it’s time to balance things out with some pop culture and a femme-forward weed event celebrating the planet.

Happy reading,
Dakotah

P.S. My birthday was yesterday, so feel free to drop an email or send $$ through Venmo or Cash app. I also love emails saying hey <3

If you aren’t familiar with the Bechdel Test, buckle up. It’s time for a quiz.

Just kidding.

This might be the most under-rated – or at least under-watched – Studio Ghibli movie.

I didn’t see Whisper of the Heart until more recently. Certainly well after gems such as My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and I could keep going.

Whisper of the Heart is basically about a boy (Seiji) and a girl (Shizuku) who slowly start to orbit one another. One day, Shizuku notices that Seiji’s name is written in each of the library books that she’s checked out at school.

He plays violin and dreams of making them someday. She sings and wants to be a writer. There’s magic, plus a stellar soundtrack that gives me a whole new appreciation for “Take Me Home, Country Roads” which was popularized in English by John Denver. 

I also must insist that if you watch it, watch it subtitled in Japanese. English dubs – especially with cartoons – sound hollow and you lose some of the beautiful sound quality. But that’s just me!

I haven’t seen the movie in years, and I’m so excited that it’s coming back to theaters for one night only, April 21.

Hacks is just funny, and thankfully, it’s back for another season. 

It’s a dark comedy starring Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart (HBO’s Watchmen and Designing Women) who are both funny in their own right. It’s fresh because it features two women in Hollywood – a writer and comedian – who now must rely on each other to rehabilitate their careers. This is a rare story about women and struggling to be a feminist, particularly across a generational divide.

Like I said, it’s just funny. You should watch it. I think we all need a hard laugh right about now.

If you’ve heard of Flyana Boss – a play on Diana Ross – then you probably heard their debut single, “You Wish.”

The side of the internet that I’m on made me feel like they were everywhere, and the music video features some pretty fun visuals. Their music is often instantly catchy and lyrics can get explicit, but it’s just a good bleeping time.

And while it’s a great song, I’m suggesting “Really Really” because the vibe is more important during these trying times.

Bring your lighters, grinders, or other items and rhinestone the crap out of them at Ninja City on April 22.

To celebrate Earth Day, two women-owned businesses — The Girls’ Joint and Rhinestoner — have teamed up to bring cannabis users a night of crafts at Ninja City in Detroit Shoreway on April 22.

The owners of The Girls’ Joint, Mandi Cavano and Judie Vegh, launched their business to cater to an under-served population in the cannabis market: women. (Note: Girls’ Joint doesn’t sell weed, but keep reading for recommendations on where to go.) 

“We’ve had this idea for a while, especially because dispensaries are throwing away so much single-use plastic,” Maryssa Sanelli, also known as the Rhinestoner, said. For example, in one year, about 500,000 vape cartridges are wasted every day, or nearly six per second, according to a recent study. 

Cavano and Vegh have been hosting pop-up events since they announced the storefronts temporary closure in February. The goal is to be more than “just” another smoke shop, but a community of people who share common interests. 

“Making friends as an adult is so hard. It’s an escape that just happens to be about weed and rhinestones,” Maryssa Sanelli, co-host and owner of Rhinestoner, said. “If that’s your vibe, come on out and make friends.” 

The Girls’ Joint also wants to help remove any leftover weed stigma. A lot of shops – especially dispensaries – typically have blackout windows, leaving curious customers with no clue on what to expect, Vegh said.

“Stoner stigma? That’s old news,” Vegh, said, referring to herself as a “sativa diva.”

In February, Girls’ Joint announced the temporary closure of its Detroit Shoreway storefront, roughly six months after opening day. The two hinted that they may be opening back up in the near future, but didn’t give an exact timeframe. 

Tickets are about $40 after fees and include the cost of supplies. If you can’t afford it, people will not be turned away for lack of funds, according to the hosts of the event. There will be extra items to rhinestone, too. The event runs from 6 to 8 p.m.

Looking for a place to buy weed? Girls’ Joint and the Rhinestoner recommend: The Forest (Lakewood), Roam Dispensary (Seven Hills), Mavuno (Cleveland) and Shangri-La Dispensary (Cleveland).

If you’re subscribed to my newsletter, hopefully you’re at least a little bit – if not a lot a bit – of a pop culture nerd. I recently found out about this website that is literally an animation showing characters' daily lives on the 796th floor of a space station. From Pikachu, Chef from South Park, Totally Spies, to even the Snow Queen herself, it’s a pretty fun way to get lost somewhere that feels like the “old internet.” 

Apparently, the creator adds new characters and rooms, which is also pretty cool.