Weekly Wins: Sunrise, Sunset

At least three victories and triumphs of the previous week or so. Paramount or minuscule, a win’s a win! In both of the history courses I've been teaching, the last two weeks are set aside for student presentations of research projects on topics of their choice. This is my favorite part of the semester: the chickens …

Weekly Wins: Peonies & Hyacinths

At least three victories and triumphs of the previous week or so. Paramount or minuscule, a win’s a win! I told him [insert affirming head contortion and accompanying finger snaps]. I was curt, harsh, direct, perhaps even insulting. The tone and the content was years in the making. I stand by it.* I am now 37. On my …

SPECIAL: First Peer-Reviewed Published Piece!

TRAUE Special Issue on #BlackLivesMatter Spring 2017: Conversations Across Educational and Community Spaces "Assumptions 101: The True Confessions of a White, Newbie Professor “Teaching” PoC Youth that Black Lives Matter" Lydia Shestopalova

Weekly Wins: Not A Drop

Weekly Wins: “That Really Helps!”

New thing: one post per week, summing up at least three victories and triumphs of the previous week or so. Paramount or minuscule, a win's a win! Can I can keep it up for one year, starting now? Well, I can start now. In fact, I am starting now. Since May 8th, I've met with …

Eliciting Étiquette, or Minding Manners

"Where did you learn how to eat properly?"

“Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans” ~Allen Saunders. Or explaining why we can’t

...if we do manage to find the extensive time to detail what we can't do ~ like explaining blow-by-blow just how we're too busy, with what, and with whom ~ how dare we waste it on impeding, cancelling, and annulling?

“Is it safe?” ~ Indigenous Peoples Day post

By definition, a tourist always leaves. Back home to safety, so to speak. But if it is not safe for the very people of this land, why should it be for me and you?

An Open Letter to Our Soviet Jewish Immigrant Families about Black Lives Matter

This letter is inspired by An Open Letter to Our Asian American Families about Black Lives Matter and the powerful project it has spawned. It is also a response to my own sense of duty and responsibility as a beneficiary of white privilege, as part of a non-black immigrant community, and as a member of …