All in COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT

COVID 19 - The Vital Need for Community

“Communities are tough to come by in this isolated quarantined world. They provide a common space and activities for their members. Throughout good and bad, small collectives provide support nets for us. But, with the Covid-19 outbreak, we’ve struggled to maintain close communities and it feels like the groups I’ve helped lead and strengthen are weakening. Humans are social creatures and depriving us of meeting others is criminal. Still, these times are temporary, and for the greater good, we must maintain our focus on spending time with others.”

Marijuana. Good? Bad?

“Welcome to 2020: Marijuana is becoming legalized state after state. Right now, you can use marijuana recreationally in eleven states and with a doctor's recommendation in 33 states. Strangely enough, Marijuana is still technically illegal under federal law, but then, the FDA has approved cannabinoid derived medications, like Marinol, Cesamet and Epidiolex. As Weed becomes legal across the country, you are going to see and hear more about it. How do you filter the good, the bad, and the ugly about marijuana? Well, that’s where this series on recreational drugs comes in.”

Laughs: Counseling and Abrasive Adolescents

“At the main office, the teacher thanked me for coming and stated with vigor, “He’s the most oppositional and disrespectful kid I’ve ever seen. His parents are monsters and I can never finish anything in my classroom with him around!” I ensured the teacher that this was not my first crisis call and that I was well prepared to deal with a 6-year old. Eh, maybe he was 5. It doesn’t matter. I only ever took one childhood development class in college, so 5 or 6, who cares?” [646 words]

The Holidays are Coming: Should you give your racist family the time of day?

“Their crime is hardly in daily microaggressions or misgendering, but in empowering nationalist bigots like Stephen Miller and Miller’s erection for white nationalism, who has actively worked to create policies to harm and create second class citizens of minority populations. Your relatives allowed this to happen and made a grave error. When you make mistakes, there are repercussions.” [444 words]

Devil May Care: All Together

This is my story of moving to Los Angeles. [3300 words]

“We passed Joshua Tree National Park where I would head with a former partner 2 years later. The Salton Sea was about an hour southeast of Joshua Tree. I’d make a trip to the Salton Sea and Salvation Mountain with another wonderful person in 2017. We’d explore the bizarre anarchism of Slab City and navigate the East Jesus art gallery in the empty yet serene desert”