Oppression’s Essential Guide to Nowhere: Poking Holes in the Roadmap to Success, Part 2

Ladder to Success

Models promoting the guarantee of middle class success (including the middle class’ guide to upper class status) typically work as follows:  You are in a boat with 100 other people trying to reach the same island.  They are… Read More

Oppression’s Essential Guide to Nowhere: Poking Holes in the Roadmap to Success, Part 1

Thumbs Up

I am lectured by my internalized oppression: “A writer?  Fool. Do you honestly believe that what you have to say matters or carries any importance in the world?  That anyone will want to hear it?  You speck.  You nothing. The… Read More

Reflections of a Biracial Sellout.

Sold Out

I look into the eyes of my friend whose crisp gaze synthesizes many ways of knowing- beyond the limits of the physical world, reading into me soul-to-soul.  Does she know that this is a power she carries?  This… Read More

Demystifying Monsters: A Piece of the Journey

Bare trees and blue sky reflecting on the surface of still water, photo by Luminouslens

A few weeks back, the women attending the Women of Color Writing Circle graciously agreed to workshop my blog piece “Forgiving” Men and Other Oppressors before I published the second part.  They were thoughtful and introspective, and one… Read More

“Forgiving” Men and Other Oppressors, Part II

Dim light peaking through gray clouds, photo by Eprom

For a few months now, I have been thinking about a conversation with Nicole Hurt- a gifted artist, community organizer, and social justice trainer here in Colorado.  In that conversation, Nicole described to me the consequences of dubbing… Read More

“Forgiving” Men and Other Oppressors, Part I

Stern metal sign featuring a skull and crossbones composed of electricity, German wording underneath, photo by Tuncay Demir

Not long ago I shared tea with a friend of mine who is deeply concerned about what he believes to be his beloved’s painful and overly contentious relationship to white people.  My friend (who we will dub “Jay”)… Read More

Reflections on “Normal,” Part 2

Classic corporate black leather office chair with a chrome base and wheels, photo by Vadym Nechyporenko

As Veronica and I left the conference room and made our way back down to the parking lot, my mind flitted over the gendered, raced, and classed nature of the interview in the same intangible way that I… Read More

Reflections on “Normal,” Part 1

Corporate conference room featuring a large black conference table surrounded by beige cloth chairs, photo by Aaron Kohr

A while back, Veronica LaCrue (also known as the Business Doctor) and I submitted a proposal in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP) from a local organization.  The RFP requested a facilitator for a large-scale, ongoing inclusiveness… Read More