“Your English is great for an immigrant. You don’t have that thick African accent.” This is a statement I heard recently that is one of the microaggressions we hear in our everyday lives. It hurts when Mainers think they should put their dogs in the basement when I visit. Or not bring red and white […]
American Journal Opinion
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Battle lines are being drawn and it’s time to fight back
One of the best things I have ever done in my adult life was to become a notary public. I know what you’re thinking, and yes, I do love the little stamp. But no, that’s not the reason why I love being a notary. It’s the weddings! Being a preacher’s daughter, I’ve seen a lot […]
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Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Life Unwound: Out of the mouths of babes comes love and acceptance
I know some kids who know some things. I know kids who have not forgotten their in-born innocence, boys who play with dolls and girls who rule their own lives. I know a 9-year-old who played while her dad was at work. When dad came home, he high-fived her and said, “You were awesome today.” […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Through My Lens: Biden needs to keep his promise to refugees
June 20 was World Refugee Day, but unlike the past few years, the number of displaced people surpassed 100 million this year, meaning 1 in 78 people on Earth has been forced to flee their homes. It’s a dramatic milestone that few could have expected a decade ago. President Joe Biden committed to resettling 125,000 […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: No words to describe opposition to pride crosswalk
It’s the irony of it all, the massive, overwhelming, elephant in the room-sized irony of it all, that just baffles me. I am speaking, of course, about the furor and uproar surrounding the intended-to-be-joyous celebration of Pride Month. The voices of opposition say their concern over the pride crosswalk in Brunswick “isn’t homophobia,” it is […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Let kids discover the true magic of summer
My social media is flooded with photos of kids I knew as babies, grinning from ear to ear beneath their tasseled caps, ready to leap into what’s next. Graduation season also heralds the arrival of that most anticipated moment – the last day of school. Is there any feeling so wonderful as the possibility of […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Life Unwound: Then and now, father always knows best
Dad. He was right. Maybe 40 years ago, as I trained for a marathon, my right hip started to ache. But I said, “I must run 10 miles this week, 12 coming up soon. I must push on.” Mid-run, my body would burn to quit. But no. My mind insisted: “Go. Take aspirin. Ignore the […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Proud to be an ally of the LGBTQ+ community
It put a grin on my face to see the rainbow crosswalk appear in downtown Brunswick just in time for Pride Month, which is celebrated in June each year. What a joyful way to make clear that our community is a welcoming space. Anticipating some of the letters that are about to head my way, […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Through My Lens: The conversation about gun violence should begin at home
It is time parents start talking to their kids about gun violence by using examples from parents in war-torn countries. I grew up during the civil war in Somalia. Weapons were everywhere – all kinds of them, easily available for young men like myself. Yet, guns were never allowed at home; we were not permitted […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Dam removal allows fish to go with the flow
Before we moved to this neck of the woods, my kids and I lived a few hours up the coast in the town of Surry. It is where my kids were born, where they grew up, where their deepest friendships were forged. Mine, too. We love living down here, but in many ways, when we […]