Dear President Trump, This morning I read another well-intentioned article about the scourge of slavery in the WP and was following along nodding and sighing when I came upon a reference to how in 1870 the 15th Amendment afforded African Americans the right to vote (byline: Michael Ruane). There was no reality check about how … Continue reading How about also undoing sexism?
Activism
A long letter about “undoing” rather than “dismantling” racism
Dear President Trump, I was so wrong – we aren’t catching a break at all. Even while on vacation you are quite capable of keeping the horror reels coming. I know your destructive little minions have been working long and hard on both the new rules about the types of social services immigrants will be … Continue reading A long letter about “undoing” rather than “dismantling” racism
Caring is risky and hard
Dear President Trump, It’s one of those Sunday evenings when it feels like I’ve been up for two days straight. I slept in until 8 this morning and got plenty of sleep so it’s really not an exhaustion that makes logical sense, but it’s real. My feet hurt and that “please don’t look at me … Continue reading Caring is risky and hard
Mental health projects
Dear President Trump, A few days ago a very large, very heavy box was delivered to our door containing the makings of an 8-drawer wooden bureau that will hold my messiest art materials – the hundreds of dried leaves, flowers, crumpled paper, and random bits of cardboard that I use for printing. All this messy … Continue reading Mental health projects
This American context
Dear President Trump, How about those lists I sent you yesterday? You might have noticed that the lists of things people of color like about being part of their groups had lots of references to food, language, and culture, both generally and with regards to some specifics. Did you catch that the white people’s list … Continue reading This American context
We need to cut the crap and get real about racism
Dear President Trump, Towards the end of the first day of the Undoing Racism workshop last Thursday the group was asked to define racism and after about 15 or 20 minutes of listing lots of different ideas, we were given the People’s Institute’s understanding of racism. Here’s their definition: “Racism = Racial Prejudice + Power” … Continue reading We need to cut the crap and get real about racism
“Welcome home Ilhan!”
Dear President Trump, There is a minute or so clip that circulated on Twitter and in the mainstream media of Ilhan Omar’s recent arrival at the airport in Minneapolis. The images are blurry and the filming is pretty amateur with lots of herky-jerky movements, as though the person filming is being jostled the entire time, … Continue reading “Welcome home Ilhan!”
A good news break
Dear President Trump, As I left work today I was mentally fishing around for a topic for today’s letter and decided to look out for acts of kindness on my way home to tell you about. Usually there are at least a few instances where someone is clearly patient and/or generous with another driver so … Continue reading A good news break
Hungry for inspiration
Dear President Trump, Yesterday I told you about the conversation we had with the tiny girl running around like a jackrabbit in rain boots and how her “it’s only girls” comment about her new soccer team left me feeling deflated after the US team’s World Cup win. I see the exchange as a bit of … Continue reading Hungry for inspiration
Proud postures
Dear President Trump, Well, I think it’s a safe bet that you didn’t give over any of your golf time this morning to watch the World Cup. Surely you’ve seen by now, though, that the US won 2-0 and that Megan Rapinoe won the tournament Golden Boot and the Golden Ball trophies. And maybe you … Continue reading Proud postures
Daily Trump Letters 