lara simmons

Be a Snowflake

2026-01-19T06:38:00.000-08:00

"Tell me the weight of a snowflake," a coal-mouse asked a wild dove.

"Nothing more than nothing," was the answer.

"In that case I must tell you a marvelous story," the coal-mouse said. I sat on a branch of a fir, close to its trunk, when it began to snow, not heavily, not in a giant blizzard, no, just like in a dream, without any violence. Since I didn't have anything better to do, I counted the snowflakes settling on the twigs and needles of my branch. Their number was exactly 3,741,952. When the next snowflake dropped onto the branch--nothing more than nothing as you say--the branch broke off."

Having said that, the coal-mouse flew away. The dove, since Noah's time an authority on the matter, thought about the story for a while and finally said to herself: "Perhaps there is only one person's voice lacking for peace to come about in the world."

--From New Fables Thus Spoke, "The Carabou," by Kurt Kauter, republished in PEACEMAKING: Day by Day, by Pax Christi USA, the National Catholic Peace Movement

The Paris Anniversary Marathon Day 4: Miles 21.5-26.2

2023-06-26T14:30:00.001-07:00

Our last walking day! (Whew!) only around 5 miles to go today, yet somehow, we walked 25,000+ steps (our second longest day). Here’s the rundown for today:

Starting at Rue de la Pompe metro station…

We made our way to the Bois de Boulogne, another place Lara had never been before in Paris.

The entrances aren’t nearly as pleasant as the Bois de Vincennes.

But once inside the park, it was quite lovely with a lake…

…bridges…

…waterfalls…and more.

After exiting the Bois, we continued up Ave Foch…

…to the Arc de Triomphe.

So close to the end and feeling triumphant ;)

We ended our marathon with a walk down Les Champs-Elysees.

Then enjoyed a victory lunch at the very old school Paris cafe, Le Victory.

For our anniversary celebration, we booked a dinner cruise on the Seine. The evening started by taking the metro to my favorite train station in Paris: Franklin D Roosevelt.

When I lived in Paris, this train station always had a distinctive smell that just said “Paris” to me - a combination of engine oil, slightly burning rubber and very subtle perfume. I always try and travel through here at least once, so was glad to make it here on our last night.

Rather than spend the evening taking photos, we just enjoyed the views, but I couldn’t resist this shot of Paris’ Statue of Liberty with La Tour Eiffel lit up in the background.

Exiting our Bateaux Mouche at the end of the night.

And the map!

The Paris Anniversary Marathon Day 3: Miles 13.5-21.5

2023-06-25T11:30:00.001-07:00

For Day 3 (8 miles) we decided to follow the third leg of the Paris marathon route backwards in order to avoid crowds of tourists at La Tour Eiffel later in the day.

From our Airbnb, we took the Metro to Trocadero to start the day with this beautiful lady.

From there, we made our way to the Seine, walking along the river, and crossing over from time to time based on what we wanted to see.

Memorial of the Algerian War 1952-62

Crossing under Pont de l’Alma

The Grande Palais, part of the 1889 World’s Fair exhibition.

A statue of Lafayette, given by the school children of the United States in gratitude for his service in the American Revolution.

Pont Alexandre III, a rather elaborate bridge.

La Tour from a distance, just as beautiful.

French National Assembly.

The Musee D’Orsay, once a train station, now home to a wonderful collection of impressionist and other art.

A view from the banks of the Seine.

A rather odd fellow hanging out on Pont Neuf, the oldest of the Seine’s 37 bridges.

A view from Pont Neuf.

A partial shot of Notre Dame, currently undergoing construction from a fire that struck in April of 2019.

After a quick stop at an old school Bar/Tabac for croissants and cafe au lait, we are back on the march.

The Arena de Lutece (the original name for Paris) built in the 1st century and once home to gladiator fights and dramatic performances, today was hosting a Bocce (Petanique in France) tournament.

One of the most beautiful parks in Paris, we took a quick stroll here…

in the Jardin des Plantes.

Before heading above ground in the 12th arrondissement to the Promenade Plantee.

A raised garden path built on an old train trestle.

This path was one of the places Jesse and Celine walked in “Before Sunset.”

How cool for the residents to have this garden path instead of trains going by.

One day to go! Here’s the map of the day:

The Paris Anniversary Marathon Day 2: Miles 6-13.5

2023-06-24T08:03:00.002-07:00

Section two of the Paris Marathon is all about the Bois de Vincennes, Paris’ largest park, located in the 12th arrondissement. Rather than try and follow the route exactly, we just wandered around the park for 7 miles then found the closest Metro station and headed home.

Entrance to the Bois de Vincennes closest to the Port Doree Metro station. This park reminded us a lot of Seattle parks in that it connects to the neighborhood around it via many different streets and entrances and also has a lot of different things happening in the park: lakes, baseball and soccer fields, biking paths, horseback-riding trails, even a Buddhist Temple (which, unfortunately, was closed today).

Boats available for rent on Lac Daumesnil.

Temple of Love (on the left) above the grotto of Lac Daumesnil.

Mark in the grotto.

Waterfall in the grotto.

Another view of the lake.

A Buddhist statue in the park.

This lovely bright green plant covered lots of the streams running throughout the park.

Finally reached the Chateau de Vincennes right around 7 miles. It was open for tours, but we were wiped out, so put that on our list for next time.

The Chateau is known for two things: its chapel (above) featuring “flamboyant gothic architecture” and its keep (below), the tallest in Europe.

Two exhausted travelers, headed for home.

Map of the walk:

BONUS: We spent the rest of the afternoon watching and listening to Paris’ Pride Parade, which crossed right outside our windows for the rest of the afternoon.

The Paris Anniversary Marathon Day 1: Miles 1-6

2023-06-23T10:52:00.001-07:00

The Paris Anniversary Marathon Day 1: We set off from our Airbnb with the bright red door a bit later than we hoped, but still early enough that we avoided the worst of the heat.

Hopping on the Metro at Filles du Calvaire, we came out at Place de la Concorde, the start of the actual Paris Marathon.

Walking through the Jardin des Tuileries instead of alongside it, added a few steps to our route right up front. It also became apparent that following the turn-for-turn directions of the Paris marathon website was not as easy as it sounded. Taking what we learned in London, we improvised the route, while still hitting the highlights.

Place Vendome. The column commemorates Napoleon I’s victory in the Battle of Austerlitz. Now home to upscale designer stores like Dior.

Palais Garnier, Paris’s National Opera House.

Next stop, Musee du Louvre where Mark almost fell for a charity scam, but was saved by a heroic young Frenchman.

From the Louvre, a brief stroll along the Seine.

Then past the Tour Saint-Jacques, the remains of a 16th C church destroyed during the French Revolution.

The Hotel de Ville (City Hall), site of Robert Doisneau’s famous kiss.

A brief detour from the route takes us past Centre Pompidou and its collection of modern European art.

The Pompidou Center was designed by Richard Rogers, the same architect who designed the Lloyd’s of London building from Day 1 of the London Anniversary Marathon, and one of Mark’s favorite architects.

Another detour to rest for a moment at Place des Vosges, Paris’ oldest planned square, in the Marais. Victor Hugo lived on this square at one time.

Finally, Place de la Bastille, monument to the French Revolution, and the end of the planned route for today.

We added a walk along the Canal St. Martin, taking the route from 5 to 6 miles.

The Bastille as seen from Canal St. Martin.

Finally, we stopped for a well-earned respite at a bistro near the Canal St. Martin.

And today’s map…

Love from Paris

2023-06-22T13:30:00.001-07:00

6/22/23

I am grateful…for an uneventful trip to Paris on the Eurostar…that we eventually got the door, wifi, stove, fans and washing machine in our Paris Airbnb to work…for a delicious (healthy) dinner of Greek couscous salad, shredded carrots and cubes beets.

The London Anniversary Marathon Day 4: Miles 23.2-26.2

2023-06-21T13:30:00.001-07:00

With only 3 miles to go today, we were feeling good, so we took a short detour to ride the new Elizabeth Line from St. Pancras to Farringdon and then onto Green Park.

The only other place we saw full barriers was at the Westminster tube station (the one closest to Parliament), but all of the Elizabeth line stations seemed to have them. That and AC!

Back to Green Park for Day 4.

A quick stop at Buckingham Palace, where we just happened upon the changing of the guard.

The changing of the guard at Buck Palace.

The Mall that leads to - or in this case away from - Buckingham Palace.

Trafalgar Square.

Piccadilly Circus - London’s Times Square.

London’s China Town. Sadly Lee Ho Fook’s no longer exists, but on the plus side, we spotted no werewolves. However, Mark does claim to have seen a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vick’s.

Covent Garden. Where we hit 26.2 miles and turned off the Garmin. Mission #1 accomplished.

To celebrate, we had afternoon tea in the lobby of our hotel….

Then went for a visit with the big guy….

Ending the day with drinks on the terrace at the Houses of Parliament with our favorite Labour MP. (Also, the only one we know.)

Map of the Day:

The London Anniversary Marathon Day 3: Miles 18-23.2

2023-06-20T13:30:00.003-07:00

Taking what we learned on Day 2 with us into Day 3, we got a slower start this morning and took things a bit easier - only 6 miles (plus that pesky 0.2) walked today. Starting at our hotel, we made our way towards “the flat” in the City of Westminster where Mark lived from 1991-1994. Happening upon a few things along the way…

This is either the Houston Church or the Euston Church, two churches right next door to each other that look confusingly similar. At first we thought “Houston” was a typo for Euston, but nope, there are two of them. If you know which one this is, let us know.

The Telecom Tower.

The flat in New Cavendish St where Mark once lived thanks to Sister Christine.

Turns out Mark is not the only VIP to have lived in the flat. Wilkie Collins, father of the police procedural, was born here in 1824.

Dry British wit on display at the local coffee house.

A thumb drive of tech bros (our made-up collective pronoun of the day - to see more fabulous collective pronouns, click here).

The Marble Arch.

Hyde Park, though not the corner.

The Albert Memorial. He must have been quite a guy because his memorial is fit for a Buddha.

The Albert Hall, where Lara saw Billy Joel in concert in 1990. Still a highlight of her year abroad.

The Wellington Arch, also known as Green Park Arch, with Nike atop was our end point for today.

After a day of walking, Mark’s old gang met us at the Betjeman Arms pub at St. Pancras for dinner and drinks. Day 3 in the books.

The London Anniversary Marathon Day 2: Miles 9-18

2023-06-19T11:37:00.027-07:00

Yep, we did 9 miles today and it was a bit much in the summer heat. Round about mile 8 the wheels came off the bus and we had to make some adjustments, but we ended the day strong - and even went for a short walk later that evening after dinner.

The St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel at Kings Cross/St. Pancras station, our new home base.

A beautiful old hotel that was once a gem for rail travelers, in the 80’s it was run-down and full of rats, but has been nicely redone and is a great place to stay in central London if you’re splurging on a vacation.

Our first destination for Day 2 was the Barbican, but we saw a few interesting things along the way….

Cool old London building with a black cab just happening by.

An old horse trough repurposed as a flower bed.

The Barbican, an area of the city that was bombed during WWII was reimagined as an arts and cultural center. Originally not embraced for its brutalist architecture, it’s grown on Londoners in the past forty-some years. A one bedroom flat in the Barbican can be yours for around £900.000.

Right-on toilets at The Barbican.

A scale model of the Barbican project.

The library at the Barbican. The site also includes a theater, cinema, conservatory, art gallery, bars, restaurants, shops, etc., etc. Was once home to the Royal Shakespeare Company, which has now moved back to the site of the original Globe Theater.

A Barbican Tower.

Your intrepid walkers at the Barbican, before getting lost and trying to find their way out. Assuming people who live here full time eventually figure it out.

Next stop: St. Paul’s - the Notre Dame of London - where they charge you 22 quid (£22!) to go inside - more than it costs to see great modern art at the Tate (free!).

Another view of St. Paul’s.

Our one and only picture with one of the ubiquitous - and quite unattractive, but for a good cause - Morphs.

Inside St. Mary Le Bow.

St. Mary Le Bow, a church in the east end of London. If you are born within the range of its ringing bells, you are a true cockney.

A walk across the Millennium Bridge, aka “the wobbly bridge” because when it opened so many people went to walk across it, it started wobbling dangerously and almost tipped into the Thames.

The Tate Modern, a free and fabulous repository of modern art. We chose one gallery at random, then laid down on the lawn for a quick respite before walking on.

<3 <3 <3 at the Tate.

The tide was low, so we made it onto the bank of the Thames.

The Rose and Crown. The very first pub Mark went to when he moved to London in the 80’s. (Also the site of the very first fight on the marriage marathon.)

The British Library - home to early editions of Shakespeare, Beatles lyrics written on Jude’s first birthday card, and the Magna Carta, along with other great works of literature. Also happens to be the view from our window at the St. Pancras, so this photo means we are almost done for the day!

Map of the day: (Includes a tube ride, but doesn’t include the first half of the day. Close enough.)

Believe

2023-06-18T05:30:00.000-07:00

The real-life pub that is called The Crown and Anchor in Ted Lasso

6/18/23

I am grateful…for a lovely afternoon with Cathy in Richmond (aka Ted Lasso country)…for a delicious Indian curry for dinner…for some downtime with the Great British Bake-off.

For Ted Lasso fans, a few additional shots from Richmond :)

The alley where Ted and Beard live.

The famous square with the red phone boxes.

The alley where Ted and Beard often meet on the way to work after grabbing a coffee.

The inside of the pub.

The London Anniversary Marathon Day 1: Miles 1-8

2023-06-17T11:30:00.002-07:00

To celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in late June 2023, my husband and I decided to walk a marathon in London (his favorite city, after Seattle, of course) and Paris (my favorite city, sorry Seattle). We started in London, with our friends’ house in Walthamstow and the St. Pancras Renaissance at St. Pancras/Kings Cross as our home bases.

On Day 1 we completed 8 miles, taking the overground train from Walthamstow Central to Liverpool St. Station (after a fabulous breakfast at a new breakfast/lunch/dinner/coffee spot in Walthamstow - Hayati Gardens).

Hayati Gardens, our favorite breakfast spot in Walthamstow.

Walthamstow Central on the Victoria Line, a great place from which to explore the city of London.

Liverpool St. station, which is currently undergoing renovation and was rather difficult to navigate in these tourists’ opinion. (Nope, we haven’t started walking yet…)

Now we’re on our way. First stop, the City of London (the original walled city, now the financial and banking district) and some of its eclectic architecture. The modern, oval-shaped building above is affectionately known as “the gherkin.”

The Lloyd’s of London building, one of the earliest modern structures in “the city,” this was the coolest building in the area in the 80’s when Mark lived in London, and, in his humble opinion, still is.

Known as “the Monument,” this tower

commemorates the Great Fire of London in 1666. In the plaque below, the Catholics who refuse to relinquish their “popish frenzy” are blamed for the fire, which Mark’s mom - a cradle Catholic - got a real kick out of when she visited the Monument in the 80’s.

Leaving the city, we walked over London Bridge, to get an up close and personal look at the modern structure affectionately known as “the shard” (seen below on the left).

The Shard in and amongst some of the older buildings in this part of London.

Unfortunately, the observation deck was closed, so this selfie had to suffice.

A nice shot of the Tower of London from London Bridge.

After a wander around the Embankment, and some lunch, we made our way back to Liverpool St. station via Tower Bridge.

Mark trying to make heads or tails of the timetables at Liverpool St. station. We did eventually find our train and make it back to Walthamstow Central. Whew!

Here are maps of the first day:

Gare du Nord a London St. Pancras

2023-06-16T06:30:00.003-07:00

6/16/23

I am grateful…for an easy journey to London on the Eurostar…for reconnecting with my husband and having a great chat…for a lovely meal at Nando’s.

The Power of Words

2023-06-15T06:30:00.001-07:00

6/15/23

I am grateful…to have stumbled upon a free art exhibit in The Orangerie of the Parc du Luxembourg…for the consciousness to remember that one negative interaction with one rude Frenchman does not define a people or an experience…for the book “The Paris Library,” which has filled my empty hours over the past couple of days.

To Sleep, To Read, To Be

2023-06-14T06:30:00.001-07:00

6/14/23

I am grateful…for two fabulous naps, one in the morning and one after lunch…for time spent on the streets of Paris and reading in the park…that my husband made it safely to London, where I will meet him shortly.

So much depends upon

2023-06-13T06:30:00.001-07:00

6/13/23

I am grateful….for finding a new English-language bookstore in Paris (and a great new book!), The Red Wheelbarrow…for a long walk in Luxembourg Gardens…for a delicious croissant - my first since arriving! 🇫🇷

On the Other Side

2023-06-12T06:30:00.004-07:00

6/12/23

Today I am grateful to have my body back from sickness…for a walk outside in the fresh air at Montparnasse Cemetery…for a healthy meal of sweet potatoes and rice.

🤢🤢🤢

2023-06-11T05:30:00.003-07:00

6/11/23

Today I am grateful for Gin Gins ginger chews, Nuun electrolyte tablets, and the ginger turmeric tea which have helped get me through this day with a stomach bug. I am grateful for hours and hours of sleep. I am grateful for a good book to keep me company as I rest (“The Kunstler’s in Paradise” by Cathleen Schine) and Glen Harrold’s meditations to soothe me to sleep and help heal my body.

Paris Encore!

2023-06-10T05:30:00.003-07:00

6/10/23

Today I am grateful that my spiritual tools continued to work through train closures and reroutings, hard to work appliances, and stubbed feet. I am grateful that within mere hours of arrival in Paris I was mistaken for a native Parisian! I am grateful to be in Paris again!

SEA to CDG

2023-06-09T13:30:00.001-07:00

6/9/23

Today I am grateful for the mental and spiritual tools I have cultivated over the past 21 years which helped me to deal with a 2+ hour plane delay while sitting (and walking and doing yoga) on the tarmac. I am grateful that I packed enough food to make the above more comfortable. I am grateful for good sleep on the plane so far. I am also grateful for an early morning run and this view from “the spot” near my home.

And Yet the Spark Remains

2022-01-03T16:17:00.002-08:00

"...[B]e not afraid." --Luke 1:30, Mace New Testament

As someone who is "spiritual, but not religious," I don't usually quote the Bible, but this is what the guides want me to tell you today: Be. Not. Afraid.

There seems to be so much fear in our world today, but is it really more than we have lived with every day of our lives? Illness, disease and death have always been a part of our world. Death is all around us, especially at this time of the year. The trees have shed their leaves and only the evergreens remain alive to decorate our world. The many colors of life - red, yellow, pink, purple! - have been replaced by only a few: blue, green, white, gray. That sameness can feel like death, like the flatness that sometimes accompanies grief. And yet we know that underneath it all, the colors of life still exist. They wait for the day when yellow fills the sky and shines down on all below, lightening and brightening our world once again.

Some of us may feel flat and dull this time of year. Dead, without energy or inspiration. And yet, those same colors, that same brightness, lives on inside of us. When you feel down, low energy, like life is not worth living, pause for a moment and turn your attention inside. Take a deep breath. Look for the spark of life that lives inside of you. The spark of light that causes life, that brightens and inspires. It is always there. You need only look.

I leave you today with this quote from "A Course in Miracles:"

The power of one mind can shine into another, because all the lamps of God were lit by the same spark. It is everywhere and it is eternal. In many only the spark remains, for the Great Rays are obscured. Yet God has kept the spark alive so that the Rays can never be completely forgotten. If you but see the little spark you will learn of the greater light, for the rays are there unseen. Perceiving the spark will heal, but knowing the light will create. Yet in the returning the little light must be acknowledged first, for the separation was a descent from magnitude to littleness. But the spark is still as pure as the Great Light, because it is the remaining call of creation. Put all your faith in it, and God Himself will answer you. (T-10.IV.7&8)

If you are not feeling the spark today, put all your faith in it anyway. Know that it is there, inside of yourself, inside of others. Trust that it is there and soon it will reveal itself.

Sending love and light to you today and always.

P.S. If you are looking for guidance in these dark times and would like to ask a question of your guides, please send me an email at: lara(dot)g(dot)simmons(at)gmail(dot)com. An email Akashic Records reading is on a sliding scale from $25 - $50 for up to three questions.

Announcing Two New Meditation Groups!

2021-09-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

"When in doubt MEDITATE." --Monk who taught a meditation class I attended at Whistler many years ago

Good Morning One and All! Today I would like to let you know about two new meditation Meetup groups I am starting this fall. If you are interested in meeting with others to meditate as we approach the dark days of winter, please join us!

The first is a Violet Flame Meditation Group. I have talked about the Violet Flame Meditation before on this blog (see post here), but briefly, the Violet Flame Meditation was gifted to the world by Ascended Master Saint Germain for the purpose of transmuting negative energies. We will be meeting bi-weekly on Wednesday evenings (7:00 PM Pacific Time) to practice this meditation and to support each other in releasing any negativity we are experiencing in our lives. For more information or to join our Meetup Group, please click here.

The second group is the Being & Becoming Women's Meditation Circle and will also meet on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM Pacific Time on weeks when the Violet Flame Meditation group is not meeting. This group will follow the basic flow of a peace-making circle, with a meditation at its center, and will allow for sharing and connecting around meditation and spiritual practice. For more information or or join our Meetup group, please click here.

If you would like more information, please send me a message through Meetup.

2021-08-26T08:24:00.004-07:00

"Do your best and leave the rest." --Lord Krishna from the Bhagavad Gita

I have been thinking about this quote A LOT this week as I move through (another) time of confusion and uncertainty. It is from the Geeta Girl podcast, whose mission is to help their listeners use the wisdom in the Bhagavad Gita to improve their lives.

One of the things they point out specifically is that "the Geeta" is not only a holy book or a fabulous story, but is actually a practical handbook that we can use to increase our life skills and improve our actions, thereby improving our lives.

So often it can feel as though we are victims of circumstance or that the events in our lives are outside of our control, and often this is true (Hello Global Pandemic!), however, if we can learn to act more skillfully (notice they don't say "rightly" or "correctly"), we can improve our lives and the situations and lives of those around us, and have some control over how things go on a day-to-day basis.

I love this idea of constantly developing our skills and it is what my blog, my books, my work and this page is all about, Being AND Becoming. Embracing who we are now and where we are now, while also evolving and growing into the next version of ourselves.

If you are interested in gathering some more tools for your spiritual toolbox, I highly recommend checking out this podcast. If you do, let me know what you think!

2021-08-17T12:02:00.002-07:00

"The only way to enhance one's power in the world is by increasing one's integrity, understanding, and capacity for compassion."

--David R. Hawkins, MD, PhD

I have been thinking a lot about INTEGRITY today because we are trying to buy a home in a super-hot real estate market and we seem to be running into a LOT of greed and not a lot of integrity. It's disheartening.

The temptation is to play "the game" along with everyone else; make promises you know you won't keep, make offers you have no intention of honoring, throw a little BS of your own onto the pile. But it just doesn't FEEL RIGHT. So we aren't. We are staying in our integrity, being honest about who we are and what we are willing to do and hoping...that our integrity attracts the right and perfect home for us.

Either way, I am finding that there is a certain power in doing the right thing, even if it doesn't yield the result you want. It's an internal power that feels almost holy and I think it's what Dr. Hawkins is talking about here.

The world would tell us to "take" power or "grab" power, but true power only manifests when we decide to BE power, not in the world's definition, but in God's and in our own.

I invite you to BE the power today. Wield your integrity in the world as the powerful weapon that it is.

52 Weeks of Anti-Racist Action (#52weeksofantiracistaction)

2020-07-24T13:16:00.025-07:00

One year. It has been such a positive experience for me to focus on becoming more anti-racist this year. In many ways it was the perfect year. Teaching online gave me time to reflect on how to be culturally responsive every day with all my students; being quarantined at home gave me more time for reading and listening and paying attention to the racist and anti-racist events happening around the world; being alone much of the time gave me a chance to reflect on my own thoughts and experiences and failures in the areas of racism and anti-racism. Thanks to those who have come along with me on this journey, and especially to those who have joined me on it, given me an idea, shared a podcast or article, drank coffee with me at a BIPOC-owned business, etc. The idea of sharing this journey on Facebook came from Dana Spindler Cavin. Thanks Dana! I hope it has landed as intended, as a way to hold myself accountable and share resources for becoming more anti-racist. It was not meant to be performative and I hope it didn’t appear that way. If it did, my apologies. I will still be posting things I think are important to share, but it probably won’t be every week. I will be out here however, trying to learn, grow, lead and love in as anti-racist a way as I can. I hope you will too.

Week 52: Our racial justice group’s assembly presentation is being shown during Community Time at school this week. I was hoping to be able to share it here, but as it includes student names, I can’t. It was pretty cool to see how it all came together and I feel hopeful that this generation will do better than mine did at making progress towards racial justice.

Week 51: In honor of Asian American Heritage Month, taught a lesson centered around the poem “Peaches” by Adrienne Su. One of the activities was to identify how the poem is a WINDOW into another person’s experience or a MIRROR for your own experience. It was cool to see how students answered this question and made connections. If you read the poem I’d love to know how it is a window or a mirror (or both) for you.

Week 50: Worked with students in our racial justice group to plan an assembly in June to educate our school about racial justice. This is going to include singing on Zoom - singing! - something I haven’t done publicly (is Zoom considered “public?”) since high school.

Week 49: Donated to the Equal Justice Initiative in honor of the birthday of my friend Christy who has taught me a lot about how to be anti-racist and more inclusive through the example she sets in how she lives and in her posts here on the Facebook.

Week 48: Started to plan a lesson for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. For the first time I am trying to include students in the planning. I have always meant to do this for Black History Month, Native American Heritage Month, Pride Month, etc., but never “had the time,” so I am finally trying to walk the walk. So far, “crickets” from the students, but I will persist.

Week 47: Modified some curriculum this week to make it more culturally responsive and less biased. It’s very satisfying to “un-whitewash” something.

Week 46: Signed a petition sponsored by Black Lives Matter to ask President Biden to end 1033, a federal program that sells military-grade weapons to law enforcement, including school and campus police. To read more on this issue and sign, see below: https://blacklivesmatter.com/demilitarize-our-neighborhoods/?fbclid=IwAR2TZ8p5dhhy98x9AwVldUrhZWCZ-fVPCDvshb3mhobYJkGebjcn1_UNnPY

Week 45: Welcomed back one of my favorite podcasts, “Still Processing,” on which two NY Times culture writers (Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris) offer their perspective on many aspects of American culture. Always interesting and intelligent, they often share a perspective I might not hear elsewhere and that challenges me to expand my thinking.

https://www.nytimes.com/column/still-processing-podcast?fbclid=IwAR0d6obFi8YJpMmYbqDyA0iIMsJM171VpP2-0bBAQEkef2xLxrqE9ZKi9uc

Week 44: Binged “Insecure” starring the amazing Issa Rae. Instantly went to the top of my COVID-19 Top 5 binges (Ted Lasso, CB Strike, Schitt’s Creek, and Grey’s Anatomy are the other four). Funny, heart-breaking, well-written, well-acted show that was also educational for this white woman. Spoiler alert: My heart is still aching for Issa and Lawrence. Can’t wait for season 5!

https://www.hbo.com/insecure?fbclid=IwAR0A3Y7t915feHaqaXkAit92gsu0wB1e2iRvlMw2fpnNeNb96wB1tUpH1AQ

Week 43: Donated to the political campaign of Marcus Flowers. He is running against Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Week 42: Attended my racial justice group meeting this week and listened while teachers and students of color shared their experiences of living through the past two weeks and all the weeks and years before that.

https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co/?fbclid=IwAR00Ip1NZmxNFdvGbz7A8sf5yKta95GA2Xcb3SyySGkeSkYo9CKTq5MpZjk

Week 41: Made a donation to #hateisavirus. Found this organization on a list of resources to help stop the violence against Asians. (With thanks to Yoga With Adriene for sharing this list).

Week 40: Two excellent podcast episodes (#3 and #4) from Scene on Radio’s series on Men with co-hosts Celeste Headlee and John Biewen. They do such a great job of exploring race and feminism at the same time. I learned something new about the Montgomery Bus Boycott and they speak eloquently about why we must listen to Black women as we try and change our world. Highly recommend.

http://www.sceneonradio.org/men/?fbclid=IwAR0Z4Hkiqv1SFwhGm2pSxnc7DhM0VOlWYS7LzxGPoNgXqmuV2QN7BtMiPk0

Week 39: “We can’t simply believe in equality...we have to create it.” —From the UNCF website

This week I made my monthly donation to UNCF. I started this before #52weeksofantiracistaction, around the time of the 2016 election aftermath, but I’m keeping it going as a part of my anti-racist efforts.

It’s not just about money, but a large part of the systemic inequalities that exist in the US were specifically designed to keep rich white people rich and everyone else less rich. To address the inequalities is going to mean sharing the wealth as well as other resources.

If you want to donate the the UNCF, follow this link: https://uncf.org/?fbclid=IwAR0wDIJqaLgeSmnreBjhoOOYUTi9sgoB3SzqEZT5wyv5e8Vdti-QHOW-u9Q

Week 38: Listened to an episode of the podcast “This is Love,” about Shirley and Bernard Kinsey who met and fell in love while protesting to integrate movie theaters in Tallahassee. After their son was born they wanted him to know about his history, so they began collecting art, historical documents and artifacts about the Black experience in America, amassing a collection which eventually travelled to museums all over the country. They have also written a book (with their son), documenting the collection, “The Kinsey Collection: Shared Treasures of Bernard and Shirley Kinsey,” which is available on their website (http://www.thekinseycollection.com/shop-2/), and which I am excited to receive in the mail soon!

Week 37: Listened to three episodes of the podcast Reply All on issues of race. Sharing this felt a bit problematic when this Friday two of the producers of the show (one a regular host and one a host of the series on race) stepped down because they actively blocked unionization efforts at Gimlet, efforts which were being led by people of color. A good example of, “If you spot it, you got it” (Oprah Winfrey), I guess and also a good reminder to me that I, as a white person, must always be willing to interrogate my actions and motivations.

Week 36: Started reading “We Were Eight Years in Power” by Ta-Nehisi Coates, a series of essays about the Obama years.

https://bookshop.org/books/we-were-eight-years-in-power-an-american-tragedy/9780399590573?fbclid=IwAR0CbWiJ35zn0m9cggI88KzfYnb6IE8HpngDbukZxZ_dlCi6eEAbrWHGySY

Week 35: In honor of Black History Month, my running group is supporting local Black-owned businesses on our runs. Last weekend we ended our run at Black Coffee Northwest. The coffee and pastries were delicious and due to “dine-in” restrictions, they have turned the eating area into a venue for artists of color to display their work. I met two fabulous young artists you might want to check out: @gfaulks and @easleytribe, both on Instagram. This weekend Poindexter Coffee - with thanks to Mouse for the idea!

Week 34: Joined my school’s newly-forming racial justice group for staff and students. Excited to start working with others to make our school community a more just and equitable place for all.

Week 33: Recorded a (possibly? potentially?) inspirational video to be shared with students at the MLK Jr Day assembly this past week. I talked about this project and asked them to take some action against systemic racism.

Week 32: Finished the “Seeing White” series of the podcast Scene on Radio. It ended with the host sharing two basic premises that he believes need to be embraced if we are to make headway against systemic racism: 1) Race was constructed by white people 2) It was constructed for the express purpose of justifying exploitation of those who were deemed “non-white.”

Week 31: Listened to the podcast Scene on Radio this week. In season two (called “Seeing White”) the host, John Biewen, with the help of his friend Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika and many other thought leaders on the issue of race, investigates whiteness. He explores how whiteness was created, the exploitation that created it (Ibrahim Kendi argues that exploitation came first and the codification of exploitation came later), and all that this creation has wrought. The idea behind the podcast is that when white people spend time thinking about race, they generally don’t think about whiteness and in order to understand systemic racism white people must understand their role in it. I am finding it to be a difficult, and very valuable, listen.

https://www.sceneonradio.org/seeing-white/?fbclid=IwAR2gT0Q1dinPME8BLeBO0VJQbLqQ76R-_74QBhCl2kc7mzOWv9MMaZUKjx4

Week 30: Chose something from the Black Lives Matter collection on Netflix for my binge this week. Thanks Robyn Riley for the recommendation.

https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/pose?fbclid=IwAR00Ip1NZmxNFdvGbz7A8sf5yKta95GA2Xcb3SyySGkeSkYo9CKTq5MpZjk

Week 29: Watched the Red Table Talk episode where Jada Pinkett Smith, her mom Adrienne Banfield Norris and daughter Willow Smith interview Olivia Jade. It was interesting to note that my head was with Banfield Norris, but my heart and my gut were in knots as I watched Olivia Jade go full “dear-in-the-headlights” in response to Banfield Norris’ pushback. Having been a twenty-something privileged white girl, my body sided with her automatically, or so it seemed. I felt her shame and I wanted to go into defensive mode. But I didn’t. I just stayed with the uncomfortable feelings and let them subside.

Week 28: Was schooled by a student about the death of Angel Haynes, a trans woman of color who was murdered in October. He asked me to sign this petition -

https://www.change.org/p/alex-azar-transgender-rights - which I did. I am posting here in case you would like to sign as well.

The text explaining the petition includes this quote, which I love:

“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.”

--Mark Twain

Week 27: Finally listened to the final episode/interview for the “In the Dark” podcast. Heartbreaking. Hopeful. Inspiring. If you think systematic racism doesn’t exist, listen to this podcast.

https://www.clarionledger.com/videos/news/2020/10/13/curtis-flowers-talks-apm-reports-dark-podcast/5976320002/?fbclid=IwAR3g9c5grh2qfHuV3Rhf075Lwsjd6ImuMvHlRolqVCgXvqWsVhy_X67dYsU

Week 26: This week I listened to a fabulous TED Talk on deconstructing racism, one headline at a time. It’s funny and serious and contains, I think, some important insights for white people.

With gratitude to Cat Saunders for sharing. This post comes with an invitation to share in the comments of any of my #52weeksofantiracistaction posts anything you think I might enjoy/benefit from/learn from, etc. in this area. I can’t guarantee that I will read/watch/do it, but I will consider it. Thanks in advance.

https://www.ted.com/talks/baratunde_thurston_how_to_deconstruct_racism_one_headline_at_a_time?fbclid=IwAR1vaRifGu8VoCbren0Hs8FiPbD15tPCF-2QBpDJPlouWWzPDj2yKxC8CCY

Week 25: This week, in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, I read some Thanksgiving perspective pieces written by Native Americans. This is one of my favorites for its combination of truth-telling and hope.

https://time.com/5457183/thanksgiving-native-american-holiday/

Week 24: This week I supported a young activist who is petitioning our future VP to pave the way for people of color to tell their stories about the racism they have experienced in this country. Also listened to a podcast about racism in the classroom and reflected on my own.

Week 23: This week I supported a black-owned business, purchasing this t-shirt from a company whose mission is “to inspire others, uplift women and celebrate black culture.”

https://mahoganymommies.com/collections/t-shirt/T-Shirt

Week 22: Made donations to the ACLU and the SPLC. Enough said.

https://www.aclu.org

https://www.splcenter.org

Week 21: This week my action is to ask all of you to take action. If you are so inclined, please spend an hour sometime this week praying, meditating, holding space, setting an intention, taking political action or whatever your preferred expression is, to change our country for the better. We need all the positive vibes we can get for a decisive and fair election and for a peaceful transition to the next phase in the life of our country. For the protection of those who are most vulnerable based on the outcome of the election, and that our flawed democracy may continue on the path towards greater freedom, greater safety for all, greater peace and greater inclusivity.

If you do something, post it in the comments to inspire the rest of us. And, if you feel so inclined, ask others in your network to do the same. Sending love and peace to you all during these tumultuous times.

Week 20: VOTED

Week 19: I continue to make my way - slowly, because spare time for reading is in short supply these days - through the book “A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America.” This week I read about the theft of the California territory from the Mexicans. We are not, nor have we ever been, who we say we are or want to be.

The men who configured this nation and wrote our constitution had seemingly high ideals, but only for RICH WHITE STRAIGHT ABLE-BODIED CIS CHRISTIAN MEN. Those men were allowed to pursue their life, liberty and happiness at any cost to everyone else. Lying, cheating, and outright theft were tactics they used frequently to pursue their “high ideals.” That left a whole lot of people SOL. And it still does.

Saying this out loud on Facebook is my action for the week. I believe we must be willing to face the truth about our past before we can move toward a different future.

Week 18: This week I spoke up twice in ways that felt scary about racism and white privilege in front of “audiences” I wasn’t sure would welcome the message.

Week 17: Like many, I was disheartened at the outcome in the case of the police who killed Breonna Taylor, so I took action as requested by groups I follow (Black Lives Matter, Color of Change). What gives me hope is the hope of the leaders of these groups. They have just begun to fight. I stand with them.

Week 16: Spent time on the site posted below, examining the phases of racism and my own place on it. I found it really enlightening and am sharing it as my action this week. I believe in the power of heightened self-awareness to lead to action and change.

https://racismscale.weebly.com/?fbclid=IwAR0P5j1UdTgYaUVUkVnvWmVJTpgggfRsKhv2o73mKuJ2PgNOJWS8SjgxPPs

Week 15: Post a bit late, but action completed. Attended another session of PD which included Race & Equity training. Planned a lesson for my 7th graders based around this TED Talk for our storytelling unit: https://www.ted.com/talk/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?fbclid=IwAR259441D5PqiJ6gTEaa2LQSO7nV5Tva4mjZ3T7CtDTNUUqdYRptyucrzw4

Week 14: This week I signed up to make a micro donation every time DT tweets. Money goes to BIPOC organizers in swing states. If you have the resources/inclination, please join us. Defeat by tweet!

https://defeatbytweet.org

Week 13: It’s been a busy week. I attended a teacher training on race and equity, listened to multiple podcasts featuring/about Kamala Harris, and made a donation to fight voter suppression by our government. Here’s a link to a great episode of NPRs Code Switch about varying opinions of Kamala Harris among Black Democrats and the political power of Black women in the Party.

https://www.npr.org/2020/07/13/890416712/kamala-joe-and-the-fissures-in-the-base?fbclid=IwAR2yI3QOx3vB8dl5scfZhwu3HefUvxtJrEKO35YpXqFbI1C0VhXRev8u0rg

Week 12: This week I attended a seminar for teachers on how to make our grading practices more equitable. My anti-racist action step this week is to make changes to my grading policy to make it more equitable.

Week 11: This week my anti-racist action was to continue to binge Grey’s Anatomy, which has been my go-to show since the pandemic began. This may, at first, seem lame and self-serving, but Grey’s Anatomy is a great example of representation in action. The show consistently features actors of all races, creeds, social and economic backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, size, ability, etc. It routinely features actors who do not meet traditional “Hollywood” beauty and attractiveness standards (to be fair, it also features many actors who do). It gives these actors central roles and meaty plot lines rather than just bit parts. It deals often and directly with important and timely issues like police brutality towards and murder of black and brown people, implicit bias and sexual harassment in the workplace and the harmful outcomes that result, dismissive attitudes towards women and people of color in the medical community, etc. It is a show I am proud to support with my time and entertainment dollars. We wield more power than we realize with these two commodities, our time and our money. Using them to support businesses that advance our stated ideals can be a powerful step toward a different world.

Week 10: Listened to the first three episodes of the (controversial) podcast Nice White Parents this week. I have to admit I saw myself as an elementary school parent in the well-meaning - but unthinking - parents in episode one. Oof. I have been feeling lately that there isn’t quite enough action in my weekly action. Educating oneself is important, but change requires ACTION. This week I am committing to fill out parent surveys from my sons’ schools not just with what’s best for them in mind, but to educate myself before filling them out about what is best for students who may not have the advantages and privilege my sons have and to use my “vote” to advocate for those decisions.

Week 9: This week I started a book I have been meaning to read for a long time, “A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America.” Although I know the history I learned in school was whitewashed, reading the truth about the “founding” of our country is still hard. We have always - and continue to - fall FAR short of our stated ideals. I hope that we can one day live up to who we say we want to be.

Week 8: I have listened to this episode of The Moth featuring Boots Riley before, but this week I listened to it again with my family. It is a powerful first-hand account of an encounter with law enforcement. Keep listening after the main story for a second one that is also powerful.

Week 7: This week I read Trevor Noah's book, "Born a Crime," an informative - and often hilarious - exploration of how racism is constructed and carried out. https://bookshop.org/books/born-a-crime-stories-from-a-south-african-childhood/9780399588198

Week 6: This week I continued my anti-racist education via Ijeoma Oluo, reading an article she wrote for The Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/28/confronting-racism-is-not-about-the-needs-and-feelings-of-white-people - about talking with white people about racism. It made me think about something my counselor taught me about conflict.

In any conflict between two people, both people are usually hurting, but in order for there to be movement and resolution, the feelings of the person who is hurting at the deepest level must be recognized, honored and healed first. She recommends using the chakra system (the energy centers in the human body) to identify who is hurting at the deepest level. The deepest level of hurt is at the level of the root chakra, which is about survival, matters of life and death. Emotions that may come up based on a hurt at this level are terror or fear. This chakra is located at the base of the spinal cord, around the area of the perineum. Further up the body is the third chakra, around the area of the stomach. This chakra is about confidence and self-worth. Emotions that may come up based on a hurt at this level are shame or self-doubt. Therefore, if two people are in conflict and one person is experiencing survival-level hurts while the other person is experiencing hurts at the level of their confidence in themselves as a person, the person who is experiencing the survival level hurt needs to have their hurt addressed first because it is a hurt at a deeper level.

I believe this may help explain why white people and people of color experience such a disconnect when discussing matters of race. The vast history of murder of Black people at the hands of white people for simply living their lives makes it clear that for people of color racism is - and always has been - a matter of life and death. It is a first chakra hurt. As such, it must be recognized, honored and healed before the hurt that racism has done to white people, which I would argue for most of us is a hurt at the third chakra or above, can be addressed. I believe the failure of white people to recognize this "hierarchy of hurts" may explain why, when racism is discussed in mixed-race groups, the process is often messy, hurtful and often ends with things seeming worse than they were before.

If progress is going to be made, I believe that white people need to recognize the deep level of hurt that is experienced by people of color because of racism and must be willing to put their own feelings of hurt on the back burner until the survival-level hurts of Black people and other people of color have been healed. This is likely going to take a long time. It will probably not happen in my lifetime. It may not happen in my children's lifetime. It took more than 400 years to get to where we are today and it is going to take time for these hurts to heal, especially when that healing must, of course, include lack of further harm.

I believe that white people must make a conscious choice to put aside their own feelings of hurt and empathize with the deep level of hurt that people of color experience. It doesn't mean we aren't hurting and that we can't give each other comfort at those times, but we cannot - and should not - expect people of color to confront our hurt until their deeper level hurts have been healed.

[Much of what I know about the chakra system I learned from Anodea Judith's book, "Wheels of Life, https://bookshop.org/books/wheels-of-life-a-user-s-guide-to-the-chakra-system-rev-and-expanded/9780875423203. If you are looking for a kick-ass counselor, I highly recommend Dr. Cat, https://www.drcat.org/]

Week 5: After being called out on Facebook last week, I went back and read the "Checking Your Privilege" chapter in "So you want to talk about race," by Ijeoma Oluo. She recommends making a list of all the areas of life in which you have privilege, so I did this and spent a lot of time this week thinking about how that has played out in my life and how it may have adversely affected others. [This post is a little bit late due to an online seminar I was attending this week. Week 6 post coming soon.]

Week 4: This week I read the book I bought in week 2. A much-needed book that gives people of all races tools for participating in conversations around race. If anyone wants to read it, ping me in the comments and I will share it with you. https://bookshop.org/books/so-you-want-to-talk-about-race/9781580058827

Week 3: Made a political contribution to a Black candidate for Congress. Systemic racism is baked into our Democracy. In order to change it we need voices of color in positions of leadership. Here are some candidates you can support this year: https://www.ebony.com/news/meet-the-18-black-women-running-for-a-seat-in-congress/

Week 2: This week I put my money where my mouth is and bought a book for everyone in the house by a Black author in support of black publishing power. It’s not too late to support the movement! It also might be a great time to purchase a copy of “Black Widow” by my friend Leslie Streeter! https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/leslie-gray-streeter/black-widow/9780316490726/

Week 1: A friend posted this on her Facebook page recently: "The past few weeks have led to a lot of conversations about racism – How did we get here? What is my responsibility? What can I do? Should I be protesting? etc. I know that many of you have been having these same conversations. Maybe you have been protesting, listening more to Black people, reading, calling your representatives, posting on social media, donating, etc. Suddenly, it seems like there are so many things that we must do…and we need to do them now. How can we make this sustainable? How do we make anti-racism a way of living? During my teaching program, I started the uncomfortable work to understand and address systemic racism AND to evaluate my own privilege. I learned that this must be ongoing work. I cannot read one book and be anti-racist. I cannot simply celebrate diversity in my classroom and be an anti-racist teacher. I am going to commit to 52 weeks of action. Each week, I am going to do one thing that I will post it to FB so that you can hold me accountable." I have decided to join her. 52 weeks. 52 action steps toward a less racist, more sustainable world for all. Will you join us? #52weeksofantiracistaction

Travel and Kinship

2020-04-17T11:31:00.002-07:00

"It is a cliché to say that we are all kin, but it is true. Even if we hail from different clans, travel makes you certain that kinship is true not only in sentiment but in fact." --James O'Reilly

Hopefully this pandemic is doing the same thing. It has the potential to anyway. I see people everyday supporting neighbors, friends and strangers in this time of crisis.

Travel is something many of us may be missing, so today I want to know where you would go if you had the ability to safely teleport to another location for an afternoon?