Dear C and Dr. B; The issue of stereotypes and profiling has taken over the news – Black people and people of color are perceived as greater threats, wherever they are or whatever they are doing – and cops are feared by Black people and people of color as a matter of course. Then there are […]
“I get tired as soon as I see the mall over to the left of the highway. That’s when I feel it. Until then, I feel high as a kite. If it’s been a good night. If not, then I don’t. Then I’m happy to be home. But I’m still tired.” Every Friday at around […]
Since the death of George Floyd, protests and violence has erupted in waves across our country. On June 1 in Providence, we witnessed vandalism and looting, while in Minneapolis, NY, LA, Philadelphia and other cities, the burning, rioting and clashes between protesters and police rose to a frenzied pitch unabated. Under this cloud of tension […]
The toll that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on our economy has been as debilitating as the disease itself, and some of the hardest hit were those who worked in creative fields. As the shut downs began, performance artists watched bookings disappear, teaching artists saw workshops and residencies cancelled, galleries were forced to close their […]
She told me her friend asked her if she was scared to go to the protest. “I told her the truth. I told her I’m scared every day. That’s the truth. Now it’s like– I don’t know if I was always scared. I know I am. There are people sitting at home scared. If you’re […]
I am a white woman who has been blogging about race for eight years. It all started out of my pressing need to explore why, ever since I was a child, I cared so much about cross-racial connection, racism and exclusion of black people in “white life.” It was long before I would ever hear […]
The day after Providence saw swarms of people running through its downtown area, breaking windows and looting stores, the streets started to fill up again, but this time, it was with people looking to lend a hand. “The first thing I want to say to you is that I’m still hearing people say this was […]
“The shock of coronavirus has a lot of spiritual potential, leading us to ask, ‘What is real? Why did it happen? Does it matter why it happened? What is the reason for suffering?’” Shana Klinger poignantly stated via Zoom one quarantine afternoon. I asked if she would share a bit of her spiritual journey in […]
The creativity that some are displaying during the pandemic has been impressive. Baking a homemade loaf of bread, learning new languages or taking time to really deal with mental clarity are all up there on what people are doing to stay busy. A lot of people have also gotten creative in tweaking and modifying what […]
Note: This story features details about a physical assault that might be difficult for some readers. Please be advised. “It’s a good way to get to know a place. It’ll be one year here in October, but this is the first chance I’ve had to get out there and do it.” She arrived here for […]