In my line of work, I get to move through a lot of different spaces. Not only geographically, but socio-economically as well. I spend time with folks who are quite wealthy, and folks who are extremely poor, people of various skin tones, political persuasions, identities, nationalities, orientations, abilities, and challenges. I treasure that, and I […]
One Southerner’s Thoughts on the Rebel Flag
Today the rebel flag will be removed from the Capitol grounds of South Carolina. The South Carolina House and Senate, by overwhelming majorities in both houses, voted to take it down this week, and Governor Haley signed the bill yesterday. I’m a Southerner. My father’s father’s father’s father was one Thomas Jefferson Talley LaMotte, who […]
What I Learned From Pete Seeger
It’s late Monday night and I’m staying up by the wood stove trying to catch up on some work. Or at least I was. My plans for the night just changed. A few minutes ago I received a note from my friend Laura saying that Pete Seeger left us about an hour ago. Apparently the […]
Why I Am Changing My Vacation Plans
August 26, 2013 Dear Columbia City Council Members, I am writing to tell you why I am changing my vacation plans this week. I brought my son Mason, not quite five, to the EdVenture Museum in Columbia last year on an afternoon road trip to the coast. He’s young (and was even younger then), and […]
News from Guatemala
Antigua, Guatemala 8AM Monday, Feb. 11, 2013 I’m waking up this morning in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala (also known as Xela), realizing that it has suddenly been a week since I arrived. The time is going quickly, and it has been a whirlwind. Here are a handful of highlights from the last week: Camino Seguro — After […]
Interview on peacemaking and activism
David Dault recently interviewed me for his podcast ‘Things Not Seen.’ It was a delightful conversation, and the edited version is here. I hope you will enjoy it. To listen, simply click here.
2013 — Looky!
January 1, 2013, Chapel Hill, NC Last night Deanna and I celebrated New Year’s Eve at home, talking and laughing and trying to strengthen each other for what will be a challenging new year for us in some ways. We and Mason had not-so-gracefully showed up at a New Year’s party that afternoon—a full day […]
What I Want For Christmas…
…really comes down to five or ten minutes of your time. And a stamp. And an envelope and a piece of paper. And a decision to spend those minutes in a way that could take a step toward righting a wrong. Ed Chapman is a friend of mine. I’ve written about him before on my […]
A Zoo Story…
On Saturday, I took my son Mason to the zoo in Asheboro. It was a gorgeous day, but there were very few people there. When I stopped into the gift shop to rent a stroller (Mason hurt his foot this week and wasn’t quite up to all the walking), I asked the bored teenager behind […]
Very More Awesome
It has now been three weeks since my Guatemalan friends returned to El Tejar, and I’m just beginning to gain the perspective that a bit of distance provides. Our time together in North Carolina was rich, dense and fulfilling, and I know that I am not the only one who was deeply moved by it. […]