"...As a writer, I have been feeling full of emotion and have felt challenged to write. So many feelings and instead of spilling out, they are waterfalling inside of me with seemingly no end. And I am discovering that somehow I am still grateful to be alive and be apart of this movement work, this healing journey, this surrender into sweetness and abundance for Black life...I want to end the lie that something about Blackness is inferior or troubled..."

“This pandemic has been hard. But, we can and have done hard things. We welcomed our fourth son and he is the brightest spot on this dark and stormy season. I am so thankful he’s here.”

* Photo courtesy of Kaytee Crawford, by Gather Birth Minnesota.

"...Justice Ginsburg's decisions are the first ones I ever read where I felt like I was the subject and not the object of the decision...for women lawyers especially, her legacy is one that we deserve to be in all places where decisions are being made, and that we could do that while parenting and working and bringing our whole selves to both..."

"...I spent almost ten years in the Army Reserve, including a couple trips to Iraq. That service has given me a pretty deep well to draw from in the COVID environment...as a combat vet, having Blackhawks flying over my house all night and being able to hear and smell what was happening on Lake Street brought back some feelings I never expected to feel in my own house..."

"I've been on quarantine for a week and a half since I was exposed during my first week of school. I still have to stay home from work another half a week but I am continuing to do all my lessons on Zoom, teaching a full day from my house with my students in my classroom in the school building."

* Photo courtesy of Tommy Murray

"...The pandemic has hit different industries in different ways, including advertising...throw in an unexpected stage IV cancer diagnosis, and all bets are off..."

"...There's a tension...I think many teachers are struggling with anxiety about getting back in the classroom and making sure that we can still do the job AND maintain the health and safety standards that we feel are necessary to keep people from getting sick. My job is prioritizing student learning and I know being with them physically maximizes the potential students have for learning..."

"...We know our local business community needs support more than ever right now so we're getting creative... what we're planning to do moving forward is thanks to so many community members who've made a renewed commitment to shopping local... As a POC who's benefited from an immense amount of privilege growing up, there's a lot more that I should be doing to combat injustices, racism, and systemic inequities in my own community..."