We’re still recovering from the 10,000-word page-turner (heh, get it?) that we uncorked yesterday after days of hard work and a nail-biting all-nighter.
So this morning we just had energy to tell you about this message we received from Astra Woodcraft. Yes, that Astra Woodcraft, who helped change the way the media approached Scientology when, in 2008, she joined with Jenna Miscavige Hill and Kendra Wiseman to create exscientologykids.com and proposed the notion that covering the church meant more than learning the Xenu story.
Here’s what she sent us…
My daughter Kate is off to university this year to major in mathematics. You might remember she was in the videos that I did with the Lisa McPherson Trust soon after I left the Sea Org. She was about 2 then and now she is 17. How time flies!
AdvertisementKate applied for a $10,000 scholarship through an app that she has used for tutoring called Wyzant. It’s all based on how many votes she can get. We’ve shared it on Facebook but we’re trying to find ways to get more votes as she needs at least 800 to be in the running. Considering her dad is still in Scientology and he has never been in her life, and I have raised her as a single mom, every penny towards university helps!
The scholarship requires an essay about someone who inspires you. Kate wrote a pretty great essay about my escape from Scientology when I was pregnant with her.
Please go read this short essay about Astra, and kick in a vote if you’re of a mind to.
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Bonus items from our tipsters
Actual caption: “Robert Flores, State Director of LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) and President-Elect for the Association of Florida Colleges, and Gracia Bennish, President, United for Human Rights, meeting for Human Rights education discussion at the Fort Harrison Hotel’s premier restaurant, the Hibiscus.” Thanks, Legoland.
Another Scientology sieg heil, this time in Taiwan…
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Posted by Tony Ortega on April 12, 2016 at 07:00
E-mail tips and story ideas to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We post behind-the-scenes updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information about the book, and our 2015 book tour, can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts
Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | Scientology’s Private Dancer | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | Scientology boasts about assistance from Google | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Our Guide to Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear,’ and our pages about its principal figures…
Jason Beghe | Tom DeVocht | Sara Goldberg | Paul Haggis | Mark “Marty” Rathbun | Mike Rinder | Spanky Taylor | Hana Whitfield
