Of course, I remember where I was on September 11, 2001. I was home with my five-week-old son, and as the day ticked on, I became more and more afraid for his future. We now call this day Patriot Day. A patriot is defined as one who loves and supports their country. I've always loved … Continue reading Never Forget, But Also Pay Attention
We're all tired these days, all fatigued, worn out, worn down by the constant barrage of injury and outrage and negligence and injustice that comes at us hour by hour, minute by minute, turning small days into long years. There is no one among us who doesn't feel the need for a break from literally … Continue reading Rest and Return
I'm sitting under a blanket on a purple love seat. A purple anything is a luxury, a privilege, the freedom to be able to purchase an object in a color that is conspicuous, that is difficult to match to the many objects created from the intention of easy coordination. I am from a place of … Continue reading The Privilege of Purple
As a writer of creative nonfiction, it’s imperative that I think about my own role in anything I write. Am I a participant or an observer? Or am I writing from the “hazy territory between insider and outsider perspectives,” as Gabe Montesanti describes in her essay “Inside, Outside, In Between” (Creative Nonfiction, issue 72). This … Continue reading How Not To Write About Racism
These quarantine months for me have been slow, filled with quiet, sprinkled with fear. I make no plans because what even is a plan when no reliable future can be predicted? This is a new way of living, turned inward, simplified. We are changing without meaning to. We are noticing small things, and we are … Continue reading These Days
Karen Pickell: Between 