How schools teach us to see only from a white perspective — Let’s have some fun, shall we? Answer these questions as fast as you can: How many states are there in the United States? Who was Christopher Columbus? Who were the pilgrims? In which historic U.S. document can you find the following text: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain…

Her presence helped me with my own mother’s passing. — (This story was adapted from an earlier version I wrote many years ago.) At one week old, her life was already halfway over. She never said a word to me, but of all the hospice patients I’ve had the honor of meeting in my 10 years as a volunteer, she…

Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Truth? — Cancel me this. Cancel me that. Just don’t cancel if it promotes my beliefs, please. Fuck political correctness! That is, of course, unless you’re talking about America’s founding fathers and foundations, which have no place for 21st-century judgment. Tout, don’t criticize, America hater. …

Dispelling the most annoying stereotype Hispanic Heritage Month conjures — “Annette, look at her legs,” one of the adult women said to another while pointing at my little 9-year-old legs. “Oh, you f***in’ b***h,” Annette said to me, “You don’t ever have to worry about wearing pantyhose!” I looked down at my legs, confused. I did not understand how my…

Didn’t she learn anything from Trump? — I live in Colorado. Nowhere near the 3rd district of Colorado that Congresswoman Lauren Boebert represents, but close enough to not be surprised by her recent behavior during a live performance of the musical “Beetlejuice.” At best Boebert was being an inconsiderate asshole. As most of us know by now…

When overkill kills the message. (Is the Right on to something?) — I admit it — the hype sucked me in. The buzz surrounding Barbie, a reportedly genius movie that sticks it to patriarchy and uplifts feminism directed by Greta Gerwig, took me from the comfort of my home to a dark movie theater. I don’t know who presented a more compelling…

Mouthy Columnists and Hispanic Caricature Overload — In attempting to “woo a Latin star,” silver-tongued NY Times columnist Maureen Dowd managed to alienate at least one Hispanic reader — this one. For reasons unknown, Dowd tried to lure actor John Leguizamo back to New York Times fandom by meeting with him in person, as she discussed in…

A poem — Poem inspired by NPR’s prompt “I would like to” about restorative naps. Here’s to my recurring dreams about tigers! I would like to nuzzle a tiger Wrap my arms around her neck and move as she moves Body undulating over muscular limbs I would like to clutch a tiger Until her mass becomes my own Until my eyes can pinpoint A jackal’s breath, its twitching chest a mile away Until my ears can sense a twig snap

The art of taking criticism. — No one likes to be publicly called out. No one wants a spotlight piercing down on whatever mistakes they made or points they missed. Everyone wants people to love them and shower them with effusive compliments. And hey, I dole out compliments as easily as I dole out slices of…