Diane DeBella and I Am Subject: Women sharing their stories to become “subjects” in the 21st century
When she walked into the room, my first thought was, ‘How can all that fierce determination fit inside such a tiny young woman?’ She began to speak—slowly, deliberately, with patience, strength, and grace—and I sat transfixed, tears streaming down my face as I struggled with my own sense of shame and shared responsibility. I needed..
My fondest memories of the winter solstice were when my kids were young, and the cartoon Little Bear was popular. There was a winter solstice episode, and it was filled with love, family, food, joy, community, warmth, and the uplifting refrain, “Happy Winter Solstice!” It still makes me smile to think of it today. Yet..
Over the years, as a teacher of women writers, and as a woman writer myself, I have taught and written about countless women, their lives, and their works. I don’t shy away from a challenge. After all, I have taught Toni Morrison’s Beloved. I have examined the demons that pursued Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath,..
One of the messages I have consistently shared since putting my own story out into the world four years ago is that by sharing our truths, we can heal ourselves and help others. That is why I started the Healing Stories Project. Yesterday afternoon I was lucky enough to attend an extremely moving storytelling..
First came the shock. The stunned silence. The disbelief. Then came more anger and rage than I felt I was capable of holding within the confines of my body. Yet that quickly dissipated, leaving me a mere shell, empty of feeling, devoid of hope. I have been advocating for the rights..
Each week for 26 weeks, I am publishing a post about women who are not widely known but should be—women who can inspire us, teach us, and encourage us to get out of our comfort zones and reach for our dreams. Week 25 of my A to Z challenge introduces us to Yoshiko Uchida…
Each week for 26 weeks, I am publishing a post about women who are not widely known but should be—women who can inspire us, teach us, and encourage us to get out of our comfort zones and reach for our dreams. Week 14 of my A to Z challenge introduces us to Nadia Murad..
I recently shared with a friend that I felt irrelevant. What led to that conclusion was a year of tremendous upheaval. I left my university teaching job, sold my home, moved away from my community and friends, and sent my twins to college 14 hours away. All of the roles I had assumed for..
Each week for 26 weeks, I am publishing a post about women who are not widely known but should be—women who can inspire us, teach us, and encourage us to get out of our comfort zones and reach for our dreams. Week 3 of my A to Z challenge introduces us to the Comfort Women of WW..
As I was drinking my morning coffee while surfing the latest headlines, I paused mid-sip when I saw “Life Expectancy Drops for White Women” in health news from NPR. This is the first time since the Centers for Disease Control started tracking life expectancy that the lifespan of white women has declined (NPR). I wish..