#RacistinRecovery 2018 is almost in the rear-view mirror. On that front, at least, I think I made some progress. Professionally, I attended a pre-conference workshop on dismantling institutional racism in libraries, and was able to do that beautiful fusion of personal and professional when I took a six-week class called “Unlearning Racism” at our local … Continue reading #RIR2018 exits stage left, chocolate cupcake flowers wave in the wind as #WJDisaggregation2019 makes its entrance
Category: Commentary
Remember when you were a little kid and your parents told you not to be a sore loser? What? Your parents never told you that? Or they did, and you blew them off? Well, hello there, Robin Vos, Joel Kleefisch, Alberta Darling, Scott Fitzgerald and all but three of your Republican colleagues in the Wisconsin legislature. … Continue reading Sore losers in need of history lesson: an open letter to the Wisconsin legislature
Back in October, I got to represent the library system I work for as a panelist for a League of Women Voters event. It was called "Truth, Trust & Democracy."I got the gig because a manager at one of our branches knew I'd been a reporter Back in the Day, still commit occasional Acts of … Continue reading Truth, Trust & Democracy or ‘Me, on a panel with four amazing women’
Dear Trevor Noah: I hope you are taking good care of yourself and feeling better. But I feel moved to inform you that rescheduling your November 9th Milwaukee show threw me into full-on “First-World White Lady Existential Crisis” mode Bruised vocal cords are no joke. So I’m glad you stayed home and took care of yourself. … Continue reading First World White Lady Problems: An Open Letter to Trevor Noah (with photos)
Five years ago, my pal Molly and her husband Richard flew in from New York to visit her parents, "Mel" (z"l) and "Sally." It was their first visit after M&S moved into "Old People Harvard," the independent and assisted-living community where Mom had been living for two years. It was a great gift to Mom … Continue reading Accidental landlording & purposeful librarianship: a dispatch from the busy zone with a reminder to VOTE TUESDAY!
File yesterday under “Days when you’re glad your mother and aunts are dead.” File yesterday under “This is why I grapple with knowing that I look and benefit from being white but don't ever feel entirely white.” File yesterday under “What part of their part in this do Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Chuck Grassley, Paul … Continue reading Whistle long enough, dogs show up: Best synagogue shooting response? Weep. Mourn. Vote.
Two weeks ago Sunday, two carloads of my Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom chapter drove down to Chicago for an afternoon of camaraderie and training in how to engage in thorny discussions. Along with the Wisconsin contingent (Milwaukee and Madison), women came from Illinois (Chicago and beyond) and Iowa (Quad Cities). Our facilitators did a great … Continue reading Together beneath the Abrahamic tree: Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom adventures
