Upheaval
Yesterday I wrapped up another class about disaster and displacement. Lessons learned by those whose lives have been washed/bombed/burned away. One of the deepest realities: we’re all vulnerable creatures on a common journey. Upheaval is a part of the journey. War or weather. Loss of health or wealth. This ain’t heaven. It’s earth. We’re all […]
Flooded Again

So many of my friends homes are flooded. Again. I feel sick with dread. Weeks of misery. Months of mold. You’d think we would grow some sort of thicker skin (scales) to deal with all of this but we haven’t yet. It’s just so heartbreaking to see people trying to continue a way of life […]
SHELTER – checking in. Checking out. Moving on
No one wants a shelter to be a permanent home. No matter how hard we work to welcome people, to treat them with dignity, a shelter is not a home. So, the most important work in a shelter – beyond the most basic elements – is to listen when people tell you what they need […]
Same Boat

I have spent almost two decades in outspoken support of immigrants and refugees -advocating for immigration reform, for compassionate and generous responses to those that fling themselves on the water in search of a better life. Migration makes us strong and more connected and I believe the future belongs to the most connected countries and […]