Earlier in June, after months of intense revision, I finally updated my commitment statement. It was a long time coming, as I returned to southern Appalachia and newly to Asheville—Cherokee Land in Western North Carolina (WNC)—back in 2024, ten weeks before Hurricane Helene hit. My writing has been coming slower since the move partly because of recovery and healing from the storm. Partly because of the time involved in putting down roots, building community, and ... Read more ...
gratitude
Writing Process Support: Supporting Postdoctoral Fellows as Writers
As writers, we need support not only for our products—what we are creating—but also for our processes—the how, when, where, who, and why of writing.This spring, Candace Epps-Robertson (of Full Circle Writing) and I have been offering a program that addresses these fuller needs and offers writing process support to postdoctoral fellows at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Briana Mohan, Program Director in Research Education & Training, invited us ... Read more ...
Notes from the Early Days of Bereavement
After several months in hospice care, my mom passed on March 25th, and life rearranged itself once again. I write in these early days of bereavement to share initial reflections and enormous gratitude. I am so appreciative for many forms of support not only in these past few weeks but also (and especially) in the intense months before mom’s passing and in these times when everyday and systemic violence necessitate many forms of protection, nurturance, and guidance. ... Read more ...
Oat and Bean Burgers: Quick 5-Ingredient Veggie Burgers
When I started blogging in 2016—wow, that’s a decade ago!—I knew I wanted to share recipes and talk about food, because it’s so central to everyday life. Literally, food is the fuel of everyday living and striving toward justice. Over the years, I’ve pulled back on recipes and “why vegan?” posts not because they’re less important but because life is pulling me in many directions. Over time, I’ve shifted toward more whole food plant based (WFPB) eating, still working on ... Read more ...
This Valentine’s Day, Here Are Questions to Hold with Care
This Valentine's Day, I want to share gratitude and say again that I'm making it through these times because of community care and creative interventions, including many small affirmations that add up to being here, breathing in and out, writing little by little, and taking it truly day by day.In these times, gifting feels more important than ever, so for the coming months (in my newsletter, via social media, and through YouTube), I'll be offering more prompts and ... Read more ...
Weathering Storms with Words and Images: From the Holler to the Sea (An Anthology)
Having just weathered a winter storm—and knowing that we all are weathering storms within the cruel conditions of ICE and ice, of empire and climate crises—I want to share a local publication from the fall, from the one-year anniversary of Helene, a storm that shapes my understanding of storms to come. From the Holler to the Sea I am grateful to Rednecks Rising and Dandelion Scribes and editors Cheyanne Leonardo and Chelsea White-Hoglen for assembling the ... Read more ...
Reflections on Helene: Sharing a Poem “In Gratitude” from Dandelion Scribes
I am so grateful to have a poem included in the collection “From the Holler to the Sea: Hurricane Helene Survivors Speak Out”—a collaboration of the Appalachian poetry space Dandelion Scribes and local organizing collective Rednecks Rising. Through reading the collection, I am really appreciating the opportunity to reflect on experiences with and changed lives from Hurricane Helene. The framing around “solidarity amidst ongoing global polycrisis” serves as another ... Read more ...
A Well of Capacity Comes from Community
Today I want to share as many hugs as possible and remember the well of capacity that comes from community. I feel such deep gratitude for people reaching out and connecting. I feel such deep longing to be in community ~ both locally (back in Asheville + Appalachia) and with beloved community (across space + time). I feel such deep grief over what seems to be the choice of an especially brutal route toward empire collapse. In the midst of these many feelings, I am ... Read more ...
Deep Gratitude Following Helene and Support for These Times
I write with deep gratitude for the outpouring of support that has buoyed me these past few weeks since Helene hit Southern Appalachia, resulting in catastrophic loss and continuing recovery for my new hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. I’ve felt such support, as many of you have reached out and even helped make connections toward a short-term housing situation. I am especially grateful for my Agnes Scott College network: for the next few weeks, I'll be in a familiar ... Read more ...
Gratitude for Journals and Other Spaces for Self-Work
This blog post shares part of my email newsletter, which can be found in full here. This week I completed another journal and started a new one, my eighth since the start of the pandemic. So much of my recent writing has been personal, filling the pages of these journals and not ready to share ... just yet ... But I do have a piece coming out in Inside Higher Ed (I'll be sure to share soon!). And I have several blog posts in-process. And I'm hoping for good reception of ... Read more ...
