Family Matters (with a little help from mother-wit)
Is there a woman anywhere who hasn’t heard: “the older you get, the more you become like your mother”? Typically, these words are intended as a warning or an indictment, not a compliment. How then do we explain that annual rite of spring, committed to exorbitant displays of devotion and no small investment of dollars […]
Lift Every Voice (or Towards a Spirituality of Hope)
It’s 2018, and you might think that headlines such as these would be uncommon. Florida Middle School Teacher Hosts White Nationalist Podcast Report Finds US Civil Rights Gains Stalled or Reversed Police Officer Fired for Stomping Handcuffed Man Is Reinstated Terror on Doorsteps: Blasts Unnerve Austin African-American Historic Site on Nantucket Defaced by Racist […]
Awakening from the Trance of Fear (or Toward a Spirituality of Hope for 2018)
Fear moves in mystifying ways. Although we hardly ever call it by name, it is deeply insinuated in our stories of reality. One such story is captured in Mississippi Burning, a movie about the FBI investigation of the murder of civil rights activists. The scene I have in mind starts with a conversation between two […]
By the Waters of Babylon (or Toward a Spirituality of Hope)
Part of the legacy of growing up in a scripture-rich environment is that I sometimes find myself totally captivated by a vivid image. As I was reflecting on the past year, it was this image that came to mind: “By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down, and we wept when we remembered […]
Yes, It Does Takes a Village
Yes, It Does Take a Village It happens whenever small groups of justice-conscious people find themselves in casual spaces discussing serious social problems. As the conversation nears closure, someone will invariably say, “It takes a village”. We have all heard it and possibly said ourselves that it takes a village to raise a child. […]
After Justine, What’s Next?
Just a few weeks ago, we were all pulled into yet another heartbreaking headline about the senseless death of an Australian woman, killed by a person who had been sworn to serve and protect her. It has been almost 20 years since unarmed Amadou Diallo was shot 41 times by police. Since that time, but […]
Giving Voice to Love
Watching weather forecasts should in most cases be a fairly mundane activity. However, even weather channels must turn a profit. I guess it makes sense then that the on-air talent must simulate the equivalent of 24/7 “breaking news” by reporting feature stories. One such story was about thousands of Atlanta residents who in line stood […]
The Truth About Empathy: It’s More Than A Feeling
Anyone who drives in urban traffic can probably understand why the morning commute to my Cambridge office is not my favorite way to start the day. Rituals help: I’ve found that a little retro R&B music and a quick stop in Starbucks can temper my irritation with those “other” drivers – all of whom I […]
Re-thinking Self-Esteem (Article)
If there is one notion that’s likely to receive nearly unanimous validation in contemporary culture, it’s that self-esteem is a good thing. While there may not be agreement on what is it or how to do it, its elevated placement in Maslow’s hierarchy has led to the notion that it is something we should all […]
Getting to the Truths About Race (Video Series)
In this colloquium, Getting to the Truths About Race: Reflections on the politics of connecting in The Help, award-winning journalists Christina Robb and Callie Crossley and psychologist-scholar Maureen Walker, Ph.D. discussed The Help and relationships between African American and white women. Learn more about the Jean Baker Miller Training Institute at www.jbmti.org/ and Wellesley Centers […]