As you probably know, child adoption has been my life’s work for the past three or more decades. Recently, I was invited to submit a chapter for the anthology RELATIVE STRANGERS: Inheritance, Identity, and the Meaning of Kinship, edited by B.K. Jackson, titled “Coming Home.” Written in 2nd person, the essay detailed what it was like […]
Books, Conversations, and Podcasts
It’s been a while since I’ve written a post, mainly because I’ve been meeting deadlines! Here are some events to keep in mind, if you like YA books, are interested in conversations of historical connections, or like podcasts that reveal the inside experiences of a person (me). Today (First, my YA fiction story, “Shawl Dance”, […]
When Race, History, and Policy Collide – Why ICWA is important
I am so honored to have been invited to be a presenter at this year’s Speaking of the Children Conference in LaVista, Nebraska. This conference is heavily attended by people in all aspects of child welfare, including social workers, law enforcement, mental health specialists, lawyers and now a cultural anthropologist! Historical events and policies, designed […]
Panelist – James Welch Inaugural Native American Literary Festival
I am so honored to be part of James Welch Native Lit Festival, where important conversations of what it means to be Indigenous will be held in Missoula Montana July 28, 29, and 30th. To be amid such notable colleagues as Louise Erdrich, Tommy Orange, Debra Earling, and so many others is definintely heady and […]
Working Within the Religious Community for Child Placement reform and Social Justice
We never know where our paths will take us. We just know we are going on a direction, many times, we are being led. For me, it is deeper into the forest. Now, that forest isn’t scary, but it is relatively unexplored. That forest is American Indian child placement. I was in my 40s when […]
Bitterroot – Winner of 2 High Plains Book Awards and a framework for reflection
Bitterroot: A Salish Memoir of Transracial Adoption took home two awards from the 2019 High Plains Book Awards – Indigenous Writer and Creative Nonfiction. It was indeed a humbling moment, because, like any event, it doesn’t sit alone and isolated, but is mixed and kneaded with so many life-changing events around it. One such event […]
TEDxMileHigh is a wrap! Now, let’s talk…
Ok, I just gotta say this: being a speaker at TEDxMileHigh is a (terrifying) rush! And for me, a relative introvert, it overwhelmed my senses. After preparing for this moment for almost 2 months, complete with several intense and interesting trainings, Rick and I walked down the hall and toward the dressing room. One of […]
Exciting events coming up and changes to the website!
Unless you are Stephen King, publishing is like graduating from college – people aren’t knocking down your door asking you to work for them, or in this case, talking about your book. At least not until you get your name out there. And that can take a bit of time, a lot of patience, and […]