The Barbie Movie feels a bit like real life, except for the happy ending. I keep thinking about the part where the accomplished Barbies ride around town rounding up all the Barbies that have been brainwashed by the Kens in Barbie Land and trying to reprogram them to remember who they were before Ken discovered…
Category: Real Talk
We Need More Humans in Human Services
My neighbor told me that if it wasn’t for Medicaid, he would have to pay over $2k for his lifesaving medication. He’s a veteran and very much retired, and Medicaid is his saving grace. The federal budget’s recent draft is calling for over 700 million in cuts to Medicaid in exchange for tax breaks for…
Black Women Lead Even When It Hurts
Black People have been leading the movement for change for decades and the change has always intentionally included everyone else, but if this election taught us anything, it taught us that everyone doesn’t have that same “everyone” mentality.
Unapologetically Black, Undeniably Erased: The History They Tried to Give Us
The Impatient Optimist A Quarter History “My mother told me Christopher Columbus didn’t discover America,” I remember telling my teacher during a whole American History High School Course. I say whole because I remember signing up for an African American History Course and was quickly let down to learn that only half of the course…
The Failed Nippon/US Steel Deal Gives “Buddy I Hope You Find Your Dad” Vibes.
Finding out that one of the last things Biden chose to do while in office was to block the Nippon/US Steel Deal gives me “Buddy I hope you find your dad,” vibes. It may feel blindly optimistic that someone domestic will buy US Steel. Still, the intentions behind the purchase won’t make as much sense…
Why I Traded Vision Boards for Bingo Boards: A Goal-Getter’s Journey
A look back at my 2024 Bingo Board and what’s up for 2025.
Unwrapped and Unemployed: How Past Holiday Layoffs Changed My Perspective
The holiday season may be filled with joy and corporate holiday bonuses but for some reason, corporations lay off employees a lot during the holiday season. I’m employed now but being laid off in the past helped me align my purpose. Right after college, I stayed to work at said college but it was also…
The Art of Not Knowing: Why an Undefined Career Path Can Open New Doors
I got the opportunity to guest lecture at the University of Pittsburgh’s Leadership Course and it was energizing. I got to share with them about how not knowing what they wanted to be when they grow up is their biggest asset. How many people know right now what it is that they want to do…
Permanent Stability and Other Fairytales We Tell Ourselves
Permanent Stability Can Be Achieved? Being laid off at my first job out of college was the biggest blessing. I appreciate it in hindsight because it taught me that it was impossible to have life figured out and to accept that as fact not feeling. This helped me rewire my brain to no longer associate…
Politicians Are Politicizing the Mon Valley’s Poverty
Yesterday I spoke in front of approximately 300 US Steel workers and supporters to give insight on what a three billion dollar investment deal would mean to the Mon Valley, and specifically my neighborhood. I also spoke about what a decrease in investment in the neighborhood cost and it’s about more than jobs. People are…
OMG It's Just Daé 