Lessons on the Road to Peace won the Minnesota Book Awards for best general non-fiction earlier this month. It was a wonderful affirmation of our 2-½ years on the road gathering stories from across the country and the daunting pace of writing and producing a 304-page book during most of 2023. It was also a welcome recognition of the power of the stories that people … Continue reading Winning
This photo feels different today. It’s part of a series we did in Minneapolis in 2020 after George Floyd was killed by police. We asked the community, “What do you want to say?” This woman simply replied, “Am I next?” So here we are. Two years after #GeorgeFloyd. One week after #Buffalo. The morning after #Texas. I read a statistic the other day that 75% … Continue reading Am I next?
Donald Dow, was the first person to get a new home in Blue River, Oregon after the Holiday Farm Fire destroyed the entire community in late summer of 2020. I interviewed Don the day after his home showed up, ten months after his last home burned. “I’m stronger than I gave myself credit for.” “Back on September 6th or 7th, we had a major wildfire … Continue reading Donald Dow
Melanie Stanley lost her home and business in Blue River, Oregon in the Holiday Farm Fire of 2020. The Meyers General Store and Liquor Shop had been in her family for 29 years. I interviewed her on the cement slab that remained. We talked about the fire that devastated the town of Blue River, her commitment to rebuild and both her dreams and fears about … Continue reading Melanie Stanley
Jackie Herman is a retired hair dresser from Brooklyn, New York. I met Jackie in Mackenzie bridge, Oregon, where he was spending time with his daughter, Kelly, after losing his wife of 59 years. We talked about his first date with Sheila, the business they ran together, and his journey of learning how to live without her. Fair warning, if the f-word bothers you, it … Continue reading Jackie Herman
Darcelle is the oldest working drag queen in the world, at 92 years of age. Also the owner of Darcelle XV Showplace in Portland, Oregon, Darcelle’s entertainment career has spanned more than five decades. “If you’re not happy with your family, with your friends, with your job, where you live, the city you’re in, move on. Find the place where it all works for you. … Continue reading Darcelle
Charlene Wicks is a snowbird. Originally from Eugene, Oregon, she has spent the past 23 years at the Gila Mountain RV Resort in Yuma, Arizona, and now she works there part time. She was working the front desk when I checked in. She said, “Come on…hop in the golf cart and I’ll show you where your spot is. But don’t tell your wife you’re on … Continue reading Charlene Wicks
There was a part of me that wanted to forgo the typical end of year review. 2020 has been hard. Our programming was cancelled. Our income went away. We worried about the health of our loved ones. We missed our friends. We lost our beloved pup, Bailey. As challenging as it’s been for us, we recognize it has been downright devastating for others. A part … Continue reading It’s been a year…
We’ve set some big wheels in motion. And now it’s our job to run fast enough to keep up with them. We expect to have the house on the market by the end of the month. Lord help us. Like a lot of people, we’ve been using COVID time to make some home improvements and catch up on overdue upgrades. But now we are ramping … Continue reading Letting go
Benita Alioth moved back to her childhood home just before Christmas 2007 to care for her aging mother. On October 22, 2008, she woke to her mother’s call for help. The house was on fire. When Benita tried to pick up her mom, they both fell to the floor and were engulfed in flames. She wasn’t able to save her mother. Benita was in a … Continue reading Benita Alioth
