Running for Office Helped Me Find My Voice
A neurological condition affected her speech, but one woman found the courage to run for office so she could be a voice for her community.
First Person
Women Firefighters Are Battling More Than Flames
For elite women firefighters on mostly male crews, harassment, and the expectation to keep it secret, is a danger as real as burning wildlands and toxic smoke.
“Civility” Does Not Lead to Equality
Discrimination is being kicked out of a restaurant for being transgender. Not for enabling policies that discriminate against being transgender.
My Father, His Gun, and Me
It wasn’t her dad's firearm that terrified the author when she was growing up. It was the realization that a weapon could never protect her from the palpable violence.
The Realities of Parenting a Black Son
Motherhood is full of joy and heartbreak. But for a Black mother in America, it also means fiercely protecting her child by fending off an unrelenting onslaught of racism and ignorance.
The Golden State Killer in My Backyard
Reflecting on her childhood fear of the serial rapist-murderer, who was recently arrested in her hometown, the actress and writer wonders how her parents were able to ultimately make her feel safe.
Single Parents Can’t Survive On Unpaid Child Support
Laws are set up to allow non-custodial parents to owe billions in missed payments with little consequence, putting some single mothers and their children at risk of poverty.
Protecting My Son From the Ableist Public
The mother of a child with a rare genetic anomaly is constantly asked by strangers what's "wrong" with her son. Does she owe them an answer?
Telling the Stories of the Unclaimed Dead
A longtime child welfare advocate uses her skills to locate next of kin for unsolved cases, bringing closure to grieving families, and making peace with her own painful past.
Don’t Tell Me to Speak Up When I Can’t Even Say His Name
It takes a lot for women to recount their stories of assault and harassment. But as this author reminds us, lingering trauma can make coming forward all but impossible.