When death makes you an unqualified expert.
Author: Lady Words
The Incident
by Kirsten Krick Donahoe Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash As the days begin to grow longer, I am reminded of a particular spring morning just a couple of years ago. My family and I were pet sitting our friends’ dog, and I left early before work to a small local park where the dog… Continue reading The Incident
Villains, Saviors, Bystanders and the White Women Ruining Everything
By A Liberal White Woman Photo by Lindsey LaMont on Unsplash Alone in the car on Saturday night, driving to a friend’s house for a porch-side champagne toast, I ugly-cried big tears punctuated by syncopated hysterical gulps, sobs, and laughter. The relief was physical. I felt tension drain away that I had not realized I’d been holding in… Continue reading Villains, Saviors, Bystanders and the White Women Ruining Everything
When an Entitled Nation Won’t Help Itself
By Lady Words Contributor Maybe the only way America will defeat Covid-19 will be by force, not military, but something much more fundamental. If two of the institutions that American's wave as flags of our freedoms were to turn their mighty weight on those making funding and policy decisions, maybe the pressure would come to… Continue reading When an Entitled Nation Won’t Help Itself
To the Planning Department and Back Again
By Lady Words Contributor I’m writing to inform you that your property has been deemed haunted by the Agency for City Planning and Obstruction. Some administrators may refer to it as bedeviled. Depending on your belief system, you may find demons, ghosts, spirits, open portals, or bad vibes on the land. The prognosis is not… Continue reading To the Planning Department and Back Again
Interview with Nikki Thomas, PhD, Researcher and Data Analyst
What is your field/job? I manage research and data at a child advocacy nonprofit. We focus on policies and systems that affect children, especially those in poverty and children of color. I gather and analyze data to track child well-being in different regions and for various groups of children throughout the state, share research… Continue reading Interview with Nikki Thomas, PhD, Researcher and Data Analyst
Interview with Suzanne McCormick, MPH, Director of Institutional Research
What is your field/job? Director of Institutional Effectiveness for a small, private college. Institutional research largely consists of data analysis of student outcomes to evaluate program effectiveness in a college or university. What lead you to that field/job? In college, I took all the pre-med classes because I thought I might want to be… Continue reading Interview with Suzanne McCormick, MPH, Director of Institutional Research
Interview with Dr. Kirsten Krick, Veterinarian
What is your field/job? I am a veterinarian. What lead you to that field/job? When I first started college I thought I would become a human doctor. There are many doctors and nurses in my family and though it was never overtly discussed, I felt like becoming a doctor was expected of me. But the… Continue reading Interview with Dr. Kirsten Krick, Veterinarian
Credit Where Credit Might Not Be Due
September 17, 2017 By Lady Words Contributing Writer “How does Chris do in school?” It’s an awkward question for casual conversation but I don’t know this person that well so... I grimace and answer the question. I don’t know why I don’t just say “Good, thanks.” Instead, I over-share, as a general rule. “Academically, he… Continue reading Credit Where Credit Might Not Be Due
Don’t Water the Weed
January 30, 2019 By AR Erickson The child’s name has been changed to protect his privacy. “Don’t water the weed”is what the therapist told me when we first started talking about Finn and his drug use. “The Garden of Finn is full of beautiful flowers. They are all being blocked out by the weed, which… Continue reading Don’t Water the Weed
Lady Words 