by Wanda Frenchman I was raised in a non-Christian, indigenous home by my Lakota mother and grandparents. We didn’t attend church. We did practice the Lakota ceremony, and I was taught at an early age about Tunkasila (tunkashila) or Grandfather the Creator. We prayed to Tunkasila and gave gratitude for food, family, good weather, good health, […]
by Wanda Frenchman The National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools in the United States is Monday, September 30. It originated in Canada as the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in 2021 when the Government of Canada passed Bill C-5, making it a federal holiday. Canada has done work in healing its Indigenous […]
by Meredith Harber “Hi, do you have a rewards card with us?” This simple question from a store employee can feel like a question of welcome and inclusion when I can respond “YES!” Yet it can feel like a point of exclusion when I say “no.” Every time I’ve moved to a new place, I […]
Content warning: Suicide is mentioned in this issue. If you or someone you know is in crisis or at risk for suicide, call or text 988 or chat online at 988lifeline.org. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, 24 hours a day, […]
by Amy Waelchli One night, I quietly struggled to make it all fit in the small cupboard. On my hands and knees, matching each lid with the corresponding container, I marveled at the amount of reusable plastic butter containers, etc. I saved. Arranging them to be organized and accessible, I huffed and puffed my way […]
by Karris Golden A well-lived life includes difficult times. Each of us could make lists of horrible things we have endured. But I’m mad at myself when I give in to self-pity. Even in the worst times, I still have a lot of reasons to be happy. And I have learned that nothing productive comes […]
by Dr. Crystal L. Hall Here’s how you know this article is for you: You’re telling yourself that if you read your emails but don’t respond to them on your day off, you’re not “really working.” You tell yourself that if you take your vacation, you’ll be behind when you return, and it won’t have […]
by Melissa Woeppel I live in Lindsborg, Kan., a small city of just under 4,000 people. The city is affectionately known to many as “Little Sweden, USA.” In the late 1800s, Lindsborg was settled by immigrants from Sweden, a history and heritage that continues today. Each year, the city hosts a Midsummer’s Festival in June, […]
by Sarah Carson It all started as any typical day does in my household. I woke up around 5 a.m. and made myself a pot of coffee. I spent some time in the living room reading and writing (on this day: Thomas Lynch’s wonderful book of new and selected poems, Bone Rosary, which I highly […]
by: Ralen M. Robinson The hymnist sings with a raspy timber, “Oh, freedom, Oh, freedom Oh freedom over me And before I’d be a slave I’d be buried in my grave And go home to my Lord and be free Oh, freedom” These soulful words reverberated throughout the civil rights movement and through generations as […]