I embroidered this sweatshirt with idle hands the day I learned Helen Reddy died. I remember my mother belting out I Am Woman in the wood-paneled basement of our split-level home where there was a built-in bar with vinyl barstools and the hilarious Mannequin Pis liquor dispenser … [Read more...] about Smashing & Rebuilding on International Women’s Day
equality
America is Still Burning.
To my sons, Bird and Deal, America is still burning. Do not look away. In less than a week's time we lost a Supreme Court Justice and our sense of justice. We are ruth-less in a world without Ruth Bader Ginsburg and we are ruthless in a world that took Breonna Taylor's … [Read more...] about America is Still Burning.
Shame.
I have done things I am ashamed of. I have a lot to learn, process, and remedy. I reflect on my own biases and experiences on this Juneteenth. I'm embarrassed that I only learned of Juneteenth in adulthood. Most of the history I learned was whitewashed and inaccurate, or just … [Read more...] about Shame.
Going for a Walk Isn’t Even Safe Anymore
I had a bumper sticker once that said, “Friendly neighborhood liberal.” I was harassed on the road on a stretch of I-40 just shy of Greensboro, presumably for said sticker. And someone flicked a cigarette butt on the hood of my car at a stop sign while my young sons were strapped … [Read more...] about Going for a Walk Isn’t Even Safe Anymore
My Friends are My Heroes
I don't want to wax about the state of the patriarchy. We're smashing it slowly, and I swear, if I listen rrrreeeeeeaaaalllllyyyy closely, I can hear the creak of glass ceilings cracking bit by bit. For now, I want to celebrate the women who are making a difference, fighting the … [Read more...] about My Friends are My Heroes
The Failure of Diversity
Platitudes prevail in America. Armchair activism. Social media. Memes. Retweets. Graphic T-shirts. Yard signs. We are quick to share our opinions but what are we actually doing to impart change? White supremacy and the patriarchy must be tumbled in order for a new … [Read more...] about The Failure of Diversity
Stop the Bans Aid
Why must we keep defending our humanity? “Women's rights are human rights” is more than a catchy hashtag; it's the truth supreme. Yet here we are. Again. In 2019. Women across the nation are up in arms and joining arms to fight misogyny once again as men try to legislate … [Read more...] about Stop the Bans Aid