Sep 26, 2023 | Culture, Featured
The threads connecting nature and culture are sewn deeply into my life experience. My childhood summer vacations to the Philippines often coincided with the rainy season. Instead of considering it a hardship, we’d treasure the rain that refreshed us and gave us relief...
May 26, 2023 | Culture, Featured
Every night I read my son Cristian a set of bedtime stories. Even at one year old, he loves books and can pick his favorites. One book that always makes the stack is Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn & Rosalind Beardshaw. It is a short and sweet book about a...
Apr 13, 2023 | Culture, Faith, Featured
Twenty-five years ago, we took a train from Madrid to Nice on France’s Côte d’Azur. We, my friend Sarah and I, left our study abroad classmates behind for a holiday trip around Europe. The train was delayed in Marseille, and our basic French didn’t quite help us...
Jan 10, 2023 | Culture, Featured
One of the hardest things for me to do as an (extroverted) introvert is starting a conversation with a stranger. Whether it’s a room full of high-powered leaders, folks with a common interest, or even little kids, gatherings can be anxiety-inducing for me. It makes it...
Sep 16, 2022 | Culture, Faith, Featured
Growing up in the 80s and 90s in the Midwest, everyone wanted golden tan skin. My friends and I went to tanning beds to get a “base tan” so that we could then slather on baby oil and lay out on the beach during Spring Break and over the summer. With my Filipina...
Aug 26, 2022 | Culture, Faith, Peacemaker
My earliest memories are framed by my mother’s love of two larger-than-life figures, Elvis and Jesus. I remember getting off the school bus in front of our house and hearing Elvis’ voice all the way down the driveway, crooning from the record player inside. Loud...
