The time is always right...

Multiracial families: Counted but still misunderstood

In the past couple of years, I have noticed a certain complacency that I never noticed before, in my eleven years of leading Swirl. The same passion and the same excitement around building multiracial communities had faded a bit. In the one year leading up to the Presidential election, we launched five new chapters (the norm had been a chapter every year or every other year). People were excited by the energy created by Obama's campaign, and they were motivated and eager to be a part of creating supportive and inclusive multiracial communities.

A life of meaning and worth...

One of my heroes passed away yesterday - Derrick Bell, a law professor and civil rights advocate. Years ago, when I read and resonated with his book, Ethical Ambition, I wrote him a note to thank him. I felt inspired by his choices and his courage to stand up for what he believed in, even when personally risky. I didn't necessarily think that I would hear back, but it was important for me to let him know the impact his writing had on me.

A new year...for community

How often do we truly feel seen by others? A part of a community that will hold us in the good times and the bad? I have been reflecting on how rare that feeling has been for me - of true love and acceptance from a community.

I see montages

Sometimes while I am on the subway listening to music, I come across the perfect song to which I can set my montage.

Sunday dinner

Sunday family dinner is great because:
My dad's lo mein is the best
I get my fill of mom news - her version of what's important via newspaper clippings
I laugh a lot

No more tug of war

One thing that I'm finally learning is to walk away from the tug of war.

You want someone to do something and so you pull with all of your might.
The person looks you deep in the eyes from across the pit of mud, holding onto the other end of the rope.

Just write.

Seth Godin is a business/marketing guru and I subscribe to his blog. Today's post stuck with me and I'm going to try a little harder to write every single day.

From invincible to in tune

Today - this weekend - a lot of us are spending time thinking back to our lives and where we were when the Twin Towers fell. It's hard to believe that it was ten years ago, many of us say. It seems like we were gathered in the streets staring up at the sky, mouths agape, just yesterday. And then again, it seems that it has taken ten years to come to grips with what happened.

Good grief

For the last couple of weeks I have been grieving. Fuzzy passed away on August 1st. He was my grandfather, but more than that, one of my closest childhood friends, my greatest critic and supporter rolled into one, my favorite grouchy senior.

Practice makes progress

In my years of diversity work, I am pretty sure about one thing. The people who are "good" at talking about race issues are those who have practiced.

As a participant in discussions about race, I have heard certain white individuals (not all) lament, "I just don't know how to talk about this stuff." And then I have heard some people of color (not all) in turn, say, "I am tired of talking about this stuff every day."