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For sure, progress is being made to address sexual violence and other harassment on many college campuses. Yet amidst the commotion of new regulations, official promises, and the occasional push back against victims, one thing remains clear: Stop your noisemaking and listen first to the survivors. Andrea Pino was sexually assaulted twice at the University…
Read MoreSometimes as we keep grinding away, it’s easy to loose sight of the big picture. For any of us whose loved ones or friends have been impacted by cancer — in this case, ovarian cancer — here is a reminder of real progress underway, another touchstone of hope. My mother Joan’s oncologist, Dr. Ursula Matulonis,…
Read MoreJay Winuk, who lost his brother Glenn 13 years ago at the World Trade Center, spent last weekend with his son visiting colleges in Washington, D.C. Among Justin Winuk’s prospects is George Washington University. His father was asked to speak there during freshmen orientation, and Jay’s topic was one that he’s pursued with a distinct…
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Finding a new purpose after unspeakable loss In the predawn hours of November 15, 2002, every parent’s worst nightmare strikes journalist and aspiring teacher Ken Brack, who along with his wife learns that his son has died in a car crash. Trying to make sense of the unspeakable, he sets out to find how people…
Read MoreSo many of us find it hard to step out of the whirl and go beyond ourselves. In an age of Instagrams and streaming Twitter updates, people seem too busy to call even when something’s gone terribly wrong. They might text instead. It becomes harder to pause, and finding solace eludes us. At least…
Read More“In such a world of conflict, a world of victims and executioners, it is the job of thinking people, as Albert Camus suggested, not to be on the side of the executioners.” — Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States: 1492 to Present The killing of six college students a week ago…
Read MoreAcross the home of the Bean, if not much of the country, the Boston Marathon bombings’ anniversary sparked much reflection on the responses of many people. Yes, a showing of the “strong” among bystanders and many first responders — and something else, perhaps a little less visible than those repeated images, but no less real.…
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Celebrating the life of Alice Herz-Sommer, a 110-year-old Holocaust survivor and concert pianist whose unflinching embrace of humanity continues to inspire many. Sommer died Sunday in London. Her story is portrayed in the Oscar- nominated film, “The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life,” which can also be downloaded here. Born in Prague, Herz-Sommer,…
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