If I were a black mama, there would be no end to my worry. I would worry every time my son left the house. I would worry because a black person is more likely than a white person to be illegally searched, to be arrested for a crime and if convicted of a crime, more likely to be incarcerated. According to Pew Research Center, The racial and ethnic makeup of U.S. prisons … [Read more...] about If I were a Black Mama I would worry
Making Change
Give Them Free-Range Play
Someone once told me that mammals learn through play. When children run and play they are also learning. They are using their creativity, developing their self-confidence, building resiliency, increasing physical prowess; learning how to work in groups, to share, negotiate, and resolve conflicts; and honing self-advocacy skills. Play is the work of children and it is through … [Read more...] about Give Them Free-Range Play
Lessons I Learned at Homeschool
It wasn’t until I was in college and read the book, Summerhill: A Radical Approach to Childrearing, that I began to believe—for the first time—that children, that people, can learn, do learn all the time, without coercion. In fact, learning that is self-directed is the best learning of all because it springs forth from the needs of the individual learner and it suggests that … [Read more...] about Lessons I Learned at Homeschool
Lessons: Living on the Land
A friend asked me this week, "What did you learn from living on the land that would help me cope if I'm stuck at home for two weeks with my children?" An interesting question. I, of course, immediately began trying to work that out. We moved off the grid in 1973 and raised most of our own food for many years. What did my children do for entertainment, and how did I keep … [Read more...] about Lessons: Living on the Land
4 Ways to Build a “We” Community
We live in a society that is all too often “every man or woman – or even child – for him or herself,” and these skewed values are shaping young generations. Do we really want to live in a world in which we can’t recognize that our neighbor’s triumphs and struggles are very much our own? What if, instead, we taught our children to embrace a “we” mentality as they grow and … [Read more...] about 4 Ways to Build a “We” Community
The Oscars and Representation
For his performance in Joker, Joaquin Phoenix has won the Best Actor award at the 2020 Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild and the BAFTAs. At his BAFTA acceptance speech, Phoenix said that he was conflicted about the award because so many of his fellow actors do not have the same privilege as he has. I think we send a very clear message to people of color, that you're not … [Read more...] about The Oscars and Representation
Freedom is a Constant Struggle
The tragedy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's assassination is embedded in our cultural fabric: another moral leader lost to us because of his revolutionary actions. We can honor his death by remembering his life and legacy. We've come far since Selma, but have much further to go to achieve racial equality in our society. As the North Carolina pastor, Reverend William Barber ll … [Read more...] about Freedom is a Constant Struggle
The Voices of Mothers Matter
We often ask ourselves, as women and mothers, what we can do to improve society. Those of us with young children rightly feel overwhelmed by the prospect of any more responsibilities beyond our everyday struggles. For those of us with older children, however, the timing could be right for making our voices heard outside or our own homes. And, while social action is important, … [Read more...] about The Voices of Mothers Matter
Be Part of Giving Tuesday
#Giving Tuesday was created eight years ago by a team from the Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact at the 92nd Street Y, a cultural center in New York City that has been bringing people together around the values of service and giving back since 1874. #GivingTuesday connects diverse groups of individuals, communities and organizations in order to celebrate and … [Read more...] about Be Part of Giving Tuesday
What is Ethical Shopping?
Black Friday shopping has already begun and special sales will be held on Thursday night, Thanksgiving. According to a recent poll, 62% of Americans think stores should stay closed on Thanksgiving so workers can have the day off. In fact, only 16% of those polled intend to shop on Black Friday. If you're wondering how to escape the consumerism of Black Friday and the holiday … [Read more...] about What is Ethical Shopping?