Spaces That Shape Us

The Enduring Power of Women’s Colleges In October, I had the chance to return to my alma mater, Cedar Crest College, to be inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside JoAnn Wilchek Basist, Ann Bieber, Virginia Mihalik, and Helen J. Streubert Scotch. The five of us had a chance to...

Celebrating Culture in a Tense Political Climate

Hispanic Heritage celebrations as resistance, joy, and community-building Every September 15 to October 15, Hispanic Heritage Month gives us a chance to honor the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. It began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage...

A Lifetime with Public Media

Why trusted, non-commercial media still matters, and what we risk without it Long before I understood what “public media” meant, Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, and The Electric Company were teaching me what it meant to learn, care, and belong. And as I’ve grown older, I’ve seen those same values echoed...

Great Futures Are a Collective Promise

On kids, community, and becoming In November, I’ll have the honor of being this year’s honoree at the Boys & Girls Club of Allentown’s Great Futures Celebration. It’s a deeply humbling moment, but one that is much bigger than me. It’s a celebration, yes! But, not of any one person,...

The Promise of Media Literacy in this Moment

Ahead of NAMLE 2025 This month, educators, researchers, creators, and advocates from across the country and the world will gather virtually for the 2025 National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) Conference — the largest professional development conference in the U.S. dedicated to media literacy education, and a space for...

Myths of Neutrality

“Let’s not make this political.” It’s a line I’ve heard in classrooms, in meetings, in community spaces, on social media and in response to real harm. Most of the people who say it believe they are doing so with good intentions in an effort to keep things calm, focused, and...

What This Blog Is, and What It’s Not

I’ve spent much of my personal and professional life thinking deeply about communication: how it works, who gets heard, and what is left unsaid. I’ve also spent years unpacking systems of inequity and misrepresentation, especially where race, gender, class, sexuality and other identities intersect. This blog is where I hope...