Portfolio
AARP - The Girlfriend
My Teen And His Partner Broke Up
Why am I also grieving?
Motherwell
Here’s to hope, and hugging my grown son this year
I wonder if this is the year I’ll get to invite my son inside. I think of the vaccine.. It’s the only thing that gives me hope.
Pacific Standard
ARE ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILLS HARMING MORE THAN THEY'RE HELPING?
Some teachers have reported being shot with pellet guns and experiencing ongoing trauma after the drills, yet the effectiveness of the training is unproven.
AARP - The Girlfriend
My Teen And His Partner Broke Up
Why am I also grieving?
Motherwell
Here’s to hope, and hugging my grown son this year
I wonder if this is the year I’ll get to invite my son inside. I think of the vaccine.. It’s the only thing that gives me hope.
Talk Poverty
Fining Poor People for Walking Won’t Stop Pedestrian Fatalities
Ticketing pedestrians is the height of car-centricity and classism.
CityLab
Why Cities, Not Individuals, Should Clear Snow From Sidewalks
Most U.S. cities leave the responsibility of sidewalk snow removal to homeowners, landlords, and businesses. The result: endangered pedestrians.
Talk Poverty
For D.C. Parents, School Chaperoning Is Pay to Play
School policies requiring parents to pay for background checks to volunteer create barriers for low-income families and reduce their involvement in their children's education.
Pacific Standard
HOW MEN'S RIGHTS GROUPS USE THE RHETORIC OF ‘EQUALITY' TO PUNISH WOMEN
True justice is served by fixing institutions and policies—not by making policy equally harmful to all genders.
Pacific Standard
WHAT VIRAL REUNIFICATION VIDEOS REVEAL ABOUT THE TRAUMA OF SEPARATED IMMIGRANT CHILDREN
The consequences of family separation will likely be lifelong. What we are seeing now is only the beginning.
ESPN
How Ultimate Frisbee helped me connect with my teen
Kathi Valeii shied away from team sports until she saw her son playing Ultimate Frisbee. She was drawn to the game's camaraderie, but never expected it would bring her closer to her family.
Pacific Standard
Driver's ed is becoming harder for poor kids to afford
Shondaland
What We're Still Not Saying When We Talk About Postpartum Depression
Teresa Wong's graphic memoir, "Dear Scarlet: The Story of My Postpartum Depression," examines the stigma at the intersection of parenthood and mental illness
Today's Parent
Am I giving my kids enough hugs?
How one mom learned to connect with her teens when she couldn't rack up enough hugs.
Talk Poverty
Your ultrasound isn't a car. Why are you told to shop like it is?
Telling people to “shop around” for health care like it’s a used car ignores how difficult it is to find information about costs, especially when under pressure.
The Freelancer
#MediaTransparency and Why Freelancers Should Share Their Rates
Freelancers explain why they shared their 2018 writing accomplishments as well as their rates at the end of last year.
Huffington Post
My Kid’s School Bus Was Attacked. His Reaction Surprised Me.
Our kids have been conditioned to think anything less than a real shooting is no big deal.
The Outline
Michigan's Water Crisis is Rapidly Extending Beyond Flint
Miss Michigan used her pageant airtime to speak up for Flint, as well as several other water crises in the state.
The Outline
These are the political organizations firing up young voters
They’ve supported candidates like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, but can others count on youth registration and engagement this mid-term election cycle?
Vice / Tonic
People Who Want Home Births Have to Jump Through All Kinds of Hoops
While giving birth at home is legal in all 50 states, midwifery regulations in some states limit families’ access to skilled birth attendants.
ParentMap
Dear Dog Owners: Quit Letting Your Dogs Run Loose
To leash or not to leash? There's only one answer to that question
ParentMap
A Key Message for Parents From the ‘Stranger Things’ S3 Finale
Hopper’s final words to Eleven capture the wisdom of raising teens
The Outline
Plenty of people are pro-abortion
It is a necessary health care procedure that saves lives.
ParentMap
Why It's Not Okay to Call Your Kid an A$$hole
The unfunny consequences of ‘humorous’ statements that denigrate children.
Shondaland
In Some States, You Can Still Be Criminally Prosecuted for Ending Your Own Pregnancy
And Jill Adams is determined to change that.
The Outline
LGBTQ students suffer when schools leave gender out of sex education
Sex ed is bad across America, but LGBTQ youth are made more vulnerable by schools that ignore gender identity.
Upworthy
These gun owners support stricter gun control
GOOD
Ultimate Frisbee Faces A Growing Gender Battle
As Ultimate Frisbee grows in popularity, the sport grapples with gender equity and representation in professional leagues and competition formats.
Upworthy
This group of friends made an amazing cross-country relay to reunite a mom with her kids.
A heartwarming story of how a community came together to help reunite a family separated by distance and circumstances.
Upworthy
Her kids are throwing a fit about guns. A mom's message for all adults is a must-read.
A powerful perspective on how children are processing gun violence and what adults can learn from their reactions.
Upworthy
This mom had little money for prom, but she still made her kids feel like a million bucks.
An inspiring story about a mother's creativity and determination to give her children a memorable prom experience despite financial constraints.
Tonic
Owning Your Fear of Flying Could Help You Conquer It
Understanding and acknowledging your fear of flying might be the first step to overcoming it, according to experts.
Tonic
One Bad Medical Experience Can Scar You For Life
A negative healthcare experience can have lasting impacts on a person's willingness to seek medical care in the future.
Broadly
Maria Bamford's mom on being the butt of her daughter's jokes
An intimate interview with comedian Maria Bamford's mother about being featured in her daughter's comedy and their relationship.
Parent.co
The Beginning of the End
A reflection on the bittersweet moments of watching your children grow up and become more independent.
SheKnows
The Scary Truth About School Lunch That Has Nothing to do With the Food
An investigation into the social and emotional aspects of school lunch time that can impact children's well-being beyond nutrition.
Second Wave Media
Reporting methods mask the high lead levels of children in Kalamazoo's core city neighborhoods
An investigation into how statistical reporting methods may be obscuring the true extent of lead exposure in Kalamazoo's urban neighborhoods.
Healthline
Why Are Baby Boomers More Prone to Hep C?
Exploring the factors that make the Baby Boomer generation particularly susceptible to Hepatitis C infection.
Healthline
3 Mothers Share How They Dealt with Their Children's Severe Pain
Personal stories from mothers dealing with their children's migraines, offering insights and coping strategies for other parents.
Second Wave Media
Kalamazoo's first Tiny Home: a three-decade long dream in the making
The story of how Kalamazoo's first tiny home came to be, representing years of planning and community effort.
Second Wave Media
The debate about Native mascots gets heated in Paw Paw
Coverage of the contentious debate over Native American mascots in a Michigan school district and its impact on the community.
Second Wave Media
Infant mortality disparities in Kalamazoo – a diagnosed sickness and a hopeful treatment
An examination of the racial and socioeconomic disparities in infant mortality rates in Kalamazoo and potential solutions.
Techwalla
The Great Phone Switch: A Cautionary Tale About Teens and Smartphones
A personal account of the challenges and lessons learned when transitioning teenagers to smartphone use.