Archive for November 2023
Give Children Real Life
“This car climbed Mt. Washington.” This bumper sticker is commonly seen in New England and refers to the highest peak in the East. As implied, there is a winding road to the summit. These bumper stickers never fail to irritate, as the “achievement” is remarkably unremarkable. It’s rather like having a CD player with a…
Read MoreWhat’s all this about independence?
Starting at about age 18 months, my son’s favorite phrase became, “NO! By myself!” It didn’t matter what my request of him was–could I help going up the stairs, could I pick him up, could I help with a meal, could I help getting dressed? The answer was always the same, “NO! By myself!” While…
Read MoreIf You Prick Us
[Editor’s note: This is a speech delivered to high school students, parents, teachers, and school board on a day honoring new inductees into the Cum Laude Society, an organization that honors scholastic achievement at secondary schools, similar to the Phi Beta Kappa Society, which honors scholastic achievements at the university level. Although delivered in 2005,…
Read MoreWe need to talk about the real emotions of speaking up as a minority
“I thought doing the right things made you feel strong and proud not sad and angry.” This is a text I received from my mother after she confronted ignorance and xenophobic comments in the workplace. She told me that while she was in the break room, two women were having an offensive conversation, spewing false…
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