At a conference for writers, about 40 people crowded into a workshop on writing personal essays. The workshop leader wanted to get us off to a fast start by thinking about a topic that was easily relatable: hair. Hair? We...
An Open Letter to A Congressman, The Honorable Richard Neal December 11, 2018 Dear Congressman Neal: Today I am reliving the overwhelming sense of despair I felt on election night, when you won your bid for re-election. Let’s start with...
The migrant caravan that has arrived at the border between Mexico and the Unites States came to our attention back in early October. Back when thousands were walking across a bridge between Guatemala and Mexico....
No matter who you are, where you are from or what your life is like at this moment in time, “being here” and “being you” is a journey. Sometimes it’s a trek, a slog through challenging people and circumstances. Other...
On the day of the mid-term elections, I happened to see a tweet that said, “OK women. Get out there and vote. Grab a white woman on the way.” I think the writer wanted to encourage people like me to...
When a couple selects a name for their child, it’s usually a private matter. They might ask family members about using a family name. They might consult references for popular or historically significant names....
A lot of folks worked long and hard to make Indigenous Peoples’ Day happen. It’s a good thing, done....
At the 2017 World Economic Forum on Africa, participants studied the quality of life for women among various African cultures, as well as compared to cultures around the world. The question posed was, “How difficult is it to be a...
You might not know that prisoners in 17 states (that we know of) are on strike. While prisoners are hoping to create greater public awareness of conditions in our correctional facilities, prison officials have likely created a news blackout in...
In an age when newspapers rail against the nearly 50% of voters who did not vote in the last election, you might think I’m crazy to ask voters to do even more than that. But voter apathy has two facets....