Blog
The Darkest Place on Earth
Nearly a year ago, I had the outrageous privilege, thanks to an assignment from Outside magazine, to travel deep into the Arctic during the phenomenon of polar night. In Wiseman, Alaska (population: 12), residents say goodbye to the sun in late November and don't see it again until January 9. For years, I had been curious about the frigid darkness at the end of the earth. And last winter, I got the chance to experience it for myself—on the solstice no less. I won't spoil…
Is This Land Your Land?
Sometimes stories gestate for years before taking form. This one bloomed from deep curiosity rooted in a sense of personal responsibility. I realized that my understanding of the land upon which I live was incomplete and imbalanced. While I of course knew about the people who have lived here since time immemorial and had a schoolbook understanding of the history of European colonization in the region, I didn’t live day-to-day with an embodied knowledge of the ongoing impact of these histories and traumas. I vowed…
Character Study
This past fall, I had the good fortune to be able to travel to Denver to report on a very happy development: The City of Denver officially recognized La Alma Lincoln Park as a Historic Cultural District, one of the first in the country celebrating Chicano history. The neighborhood of trim late 19th century homes is rich with stories from the 1970s Chicano Movement and famed for the nationally significant contributions of its Raza, mestizo, Hispano, Mexican American, Mexican, Latino and Chicano residents. Read the…