Social justice never goes out of fashion. In our cover story this month, Yonkers Historian Mary Hoar writes about Tuskegee Airman Ivan McRae. Dr. Peter Corning’s Antidote for Lies and Liars is reminiscent of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter. Tim Girvin assembles a touching and artistically brilliant tribute to his mother, the artist Lila Lee Shaw Girvin. Going back to basics is a good thing. In The Many Faces of Our People, I’ve noted what our mission was fourteen years ago and what it is today: We want you to be inspired and we want you to fall in love with the beautiful diversity of humanity. – Patricia Vaccarino
Ivan McRae: Yonkers Tuskegee Airman by Mary Hoar Yonkers Historian Mary Hoar writes about Tuskegee Airman Ivan McRae, who made a lifelong commitment to community service. Ivan McRae believed in the non-violent tradition of the American Civil Rights movement. His brave actions helped to forever change the history of the American Armed Forces.
Death Comes Home | Creativity, Motherhood and Lila Lee Shaw Girvin by Tim Girvin Everyone has a powerful connection to their mothers. My mother, Lila Lee Shaw Girvin, died this past week. And it called into contemplation all of the things that one thinks about in death—of anyone near. You’re thinking, “They were here, now they’re gone. Forever.”
The Many Faces of Our People by Patricia Vaccarino We are completely self-funded and publish stories our stories for the good of the people. Through the years we have covered the full range of humanity regardless of color, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, age, religion, class, economics or politics.
We are in Uncharted Waters by Annie Searle Even after three weeks, it is hard to accept the startling changes in the world flooding from the Trump administration. If more citizens had read Project 2025, would that have changed their votes and the outcome of the last election? Did we mistake the playbook as less consequential than it has turned out to be?
A Conversation with Presidential Historian Rick Shenkman Robin Lindley recently interviewed Presidential Historian Rick Shenkman who discusses the close election and how voters chose a populist demagogue, Donald Trump. Rick is also an award-winning political journalist and founder of the revered History News Network.
An Antidote for Lies and Liars by Dr. Peter Corning Lies have significantly influenced the course of human history – sometimes for the better, but very often only for personal/political advantage. In fact, lying is not even a uniquely human trait, although we are the masters and the most prolific practitioners.
Words Matter by Kim Rosenberg Sometimes we ignore the differences between us because we’re afraid of saying the wrong thing. We are fearful and suspicious of differences when we don’t know people who aren’t like us. We allow those differences to separate us from each other and we lose a powerful force for change.
I Will Resist, Will You? By Di Wax The 45th President, his cronies taking positions of authority in his Cabinet/administration, and the majority of Republicans in Congress are a real/active threat to me, my way of life/most people I love. DiWax offers tools for resistance.
From My Bookshelf Aside from writing my own books, articles and essays, I review books I read. This month, I am sharing three books that give us greater insight into what it means to be a human being. – Patricia Vaccarino
Book Review: Children in Prison by Jerome Gold Jerome Gold’s earlier book, Paranoia and Heartbreak: Fifteen Years in a Juvenile Facility (New York: Seven Stories Press, 2009), captures his experience of working with juvenile offenders. Ten years later, his book Children in Prison: Six Profiles Before, During and After Incarceration offers greater context, shedding light on the children whose lives have been stunted, short circuited, and hardwired to fail. Jerome Gold gives a voice to children who yearn to be heard. – Patricia Vaccarino
Book Review: The Overstory by Richard Powers The Overstory is not an ordinary environmental tale. Author Richard Powers has architected a powerful message that could only have been crafted by a master writer. This is an important book that will stand the test of time, hopefully for all eternity if we, trees and humans, are able to soldier on. – Patricia Vaccarino
Book Review: hearing voices poems by Barbara Ruth Saunders Barbara Ruth Saunders’ debut poetry collection is a shining example of the small things that sustain us. Saunders is at her best when she takes what might seem small and ordinary to explain the thread in humanity that ennobles us all. – Patricia Vaccarino