Of course Aretha ‎Franklin deserves the title "Queen of Soul." She was the first female inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She won numerous Grammys. She topped the charts spanning multiple generations. But these well-deserved honors understate her depth as an artist, and they fail to recognize the political and social importance of her career. Fi‎rst, her artistry. On several occasions she performed opera to standing ovations. Opera singers generally cannot cross over to pop music,

Conclusion. The end. Resolution. Finale. Blah-blah-blah. I prefer this word: denouement. Means the same thing — but on a grander scale. A beautiful word for a beautiful moment. It’s a word that’s threaded into every book, movie, play or narrative that tells a story. It’s that moment when everything comes together. When you get the message. When the plot untwists. Suddenly the story has meaning and purpose, even if the purpose is just for fun. Sometimes I see the denouement as the ah-ha moment,

"You're the enemy of the people, and we're going to kill every f--- ing one of you,” said Robert Chain, now free on $50,000 bond for making threats against the Boston Globe Newspaper. When Chain was asked why he was calling, Chain replied, "Because you are the enemy of the people.” Chain further stated he was motivated to attack the media because of the way they covered Trump. Newsprint is the life blood of a free society – the first amendment was established to protect dissent. When the moral

So I saw a Confederate battle flag hanging on my carpenter’s wall, and the tenor of the entire exchange, relationship, changed. What must this man think of us? He knew we were Black and coming to his home but offered no caution horse. My mind went to the fullest extent of dread and loathing. Not without reason though. The Confederate battle flag is a symbol of inhumanity, violence, and racism, for I have grown up seeing countless images of that symbol proudly displayed behind the strange fruit

Have you ever found yourself struggling with your values? Being an African American social justice educator, I often explore the theme of replacing judgment with curiosity and humanizing others, no matter what. Saying those values is always easier than living them. Not long ago my wife and I decided to buy a kitchen island and we wanted to have one handmade, something both personal and contributing to the local economy. Through social media, we found a local carpenter. He quoted a very

Not long after I moved to Geneva, a red fox took up residence on my deck. I hoped she wasn’t sick or hungry and thinking I shouldn’t intervene, I didn’t provide any food or water. Maybe I should have. It was winter and she made a nest in the snow. I felt a sense of calm and grace from her, and seeing her curled up, I was surprised at how cat-like she appeared, even though the fox is part of the Canidae, or dog family. That winter I had several fox sightings around my neighborhood -- one

Fox News commentator Laura Ingraham is bothered by immigration. Really bothered. According to her, "The America we know and love doesn't exist anymore." I would like to remind her -- and others who think like her -- that there was a time in this country when "broads" could not vote, a "papist" could not be elected president, and "the darkies" knew their place. Thank goodness that America does NOT exist anymore. Years ago, while on playground duty at an elementary school, I watched a very young

Driving home from Florida in mid-August we pulled over for gas in Normal, IL. As I pulled up to the gas station I noticed a gentlemen watering flowers in planters by each of the pumps. I stepped out of my truck, stretched, and proceeded to fill my tank. We had just spent a week on a huge Royal Caribbean cruise boat where we visited three countries, ate wonderful meals, relaxed by the pool, read, and enjoyed shows. Throughout we were treated with smiles as all our needs were catered to as we

Farm-to-table eating emerged as a trend years ago and remains popular today. It involves locally grown items that are sold to area restaurants or directly to consumers. The trend is a bit amusing to me, because I’ve been eating locally grown foods most of my life, and I’m now 56. My parents weren’t foodies by today’s definition, but they liked to eat, and they always made sure their eight children enjoyed nutritious meals, which wasn’t easy, considering six of those kids were boys and each one

You know how, when you see a thing you haven’t seen for a long time, suddenly you see it everywhere? Recently my wife Breja and I came upon a yellow garden spider near the Peace Trail in Afton, Wisc. If you spot a big orb weaver with a gorgeous yellow and black abdomen, that’s a garden spider. Breja and I both grew up on gravel roads, and we often shared childhood stories of feeding grasshoppers to these beauties. But we hadn’t seen one in years. "Why not?" we wondered. Pesticides, probably .