Among other aspects of my identity, I am a Christian and a Social Worker. Both of these pieces of my identity help me make values based decisions, including my thoughts on capital punishment. I have utmost empathy for victims of violent crime and for their surviving family members. I cannot imagine the pain they haveContinue reading “Social Work, People of Faith, and the Death Penalty”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Tennessee and policy violence
Yesterday was my day to read the Psalm reading at church, and to offer the prayer that follows. I read Psalm 11 in its entirety, but the section I personally held onto was Verse 4 and Verse 5: The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne.He observes everyone onContinue reading “Tennessee and policy violence”
Invisible Work
Today (Labor Day, 2026) I went out for a walk, in the middle of the day, which is not the brightest thing to do because of the heat wave we have been experiencing here in Tennessee. I really just wanted to move, and see the sun, though….so off I went. I came back about anContinue reading “Invisible Work”
Birthday truth-telling
It’s almost your birthday, 48 Contiguous States plus Alaska and Hawaii. I would say “Happy birthday America” but some years ago I learned that there are other Americas. (It is a lesson I should have learned earlier.) I would say “Happy Birthday to the US” but we don’t seem to be united. (And when thereContinue reading “Birthday truth-telling”
Meeting people where they are
In social work we talk a lot about “meeting people where they are”. We mean it in the sense of beginning the work where the client is, not where we (or they) wish they were. We mean it in the sense of being non-judgemental, and of prioritizing client voice and choice. Below I reflect onContinue reading “Meeting people where they are”
Ponderings of an academic in early summer + resources for self care and mindfulness
A week ago we had graduation, and earlier this week I turned in my final grades. I have been alternating going through piles of paper, a slew of emails, and attending meetings. I have also done a couple of walks and enjoyed not feeling like my hair was on fair. As graduation is more inContinue reading “Ponderings of an academic in early summer + resources for self care and mindfulness”
Voting rights and redistricting
Almost 61 years ago the Voting Rights Act was passed, thanks in totality to the blood, sweat, and tears of civil rights activists. (If you aren’t familiar with Bloody Sunday in Alabama, read this for the history that happened immediately leading up to the passage of the Voting Rights Act.) The Act was passed toContinue reading “Voting rights and redistricting”
Environmental Impacts of AI
I hate AI on principle because of the impacts on the environment. It is profoundly, negatively affecting our environment, of which we only have one. As a professor, I reaaaaallllly hate AI because it has made my work harder. (Harder in the frustrating sense, not harder in the sense of “I am struggling but learning”Continue reading “Environmental Impacts of AI”
Social Prescriptions, Loneliness, and Isolation
A few weeks ago I learned that it was “Social Prescription Day”, celebrated annually on March 26. I learned of this in the evening of March 26, of course, kind of too late to prescribe myself, or anyone else, something social to do. (If you are new to the term, social prescriptions are “a systematicContinue reading “Social Prescriptions, Loneliness, and Isolation”
Render unto Caesar + Sources for helping people understand federal spending
As 1/2 of “married filing jointly” household that just paid their tax bill the day before it was due, I am a little salty. Hear me clearly: I would cheerfully pay my current taxes (and pay more) if we had less income and wealth inequality in our country, and if we were taking progressive measuresContinue reading “Render unto Caesar + Sources for helping people understand federal spending”
