No puedo mencionar su nombre porque es una niña. Tenía doce años en ese momento, era demasiado joven para trabajar legalmente, pero no demasiado joven para ser obligada a ser madre. Era mi alumna, y recuerdo que, hace unos años, jugaba al puente con ella. Se reía con deleite infinito mientras yo sostenía sus pies … Continue reading
There is a magical relationship between writers that have never met. It has something to do with shared experience and solidarity and a common cause, and what happens when poetic minds join. Toni Morrison captured one such relationship so perfectly, in this tiny story: Two-Minute Seduction I took my heart out and gave it to … Continue reading
I’ve set a goal to read 40 novels or fiction/prose works (eg poetry, memoirs) by oppressed people by the end of this year (1 a week). This includes books by authors in thirdworld countries, women, sexually diverse authors, workers, indigenous peoples, people who face systemic racism, poor people, refugees and more. These people are, in … Continue reading
The first pages of the Butterfly Prison: Who made the story rules? Once, stories had been an oral tradition, a way to teach. Then they were stolen, canned, and sold. But now and then people tried to reclaim stories. They told them in order to redefine corrupted ideas and to name injustice. They broke the … Continue reading
To new tiny person, New being, seed of human, bundle of questions with a whole world to get to know, remember to delight in falling over. Babies are wonderful at getting up again. Keep that. Remember that imagination is your strength. Wonder keeps you alive. Ask as many questions as you can, always. Play until … Continue reading
It was a year since Chavez had died. The opposition violence had started around 3 weeks ago, with blockades set up right outside our barrio, at the main intersection on our side heading to work, and along most of the main roads. They threatened people, often at gun point, if you tried to go past, … Continue reading
Every year, chemical pesticides kill no fewer than three million farmers. Every day, workplace accidents kill no fewer than ten thousand workers. Every minute, poverty kills no fewer than ten children. These crimes do not show up on the news. They are, like wars, normal acts of cannibalism. The criminals are on the loose. No … Continue reading
