Amber

This is my beautiful and talented daughter, Amber, at her latest author's talk. Of course she did an awesome job. 

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T shirts

These are shirts some other people decorated. I can't wait to see them all displayed and people reading their messages. 

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T shirts

This is the one I decorated. 

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Be The Light (picture book)

     When I think back on the activists I esteemed most highly in my early adult years in the twentieth century they form a trinity: Angela Davis, Shirley Chisholm, and the Black Panthers. One of the greatest disappointments of my life to date has being being unable to vote for Shirley Chisholm the first year I was old enough to vote. So when I learned about Daria Peoples' Be The Light: How She Became Angela Davis I sent off for a copy by inter library loan, curious to see how she would be portrayed in a children's book. 

     I was quite pleased by both the text and the illustrations. The book begins with a rich description of her childhood and the tribulations she endured while quite young: living in a neighborhood called Dynamite Hill because of how often houses of Black families were bombed and being unable to go so many places,  even the public library,  because of segregation. And it shows how her mother cultivated in her the faith that a better future was possible. 

       Her knowledge that things were bad, her belief that they could get better, and her conviction that she could be part of the change making fueled the adult roles she took on. 

     The focus of the vivid illustrations is the emotions expressed by people's facial expressions and stances. In a picture where Angela is carrying a moving box the whites watching are in a state of virulent hatred. 

     If I had any grandchildren I'd run right out and buy copies of Be The Light for them.

On a purrrsonal note, yesterday I had a chance to decorate a tee shirt for the clothesline project. The shirt decorating happens every year. The tee shirts with messages related  to rape are displayed to support survivors and enlighten everyone. As a rape survivor, I find it very powerful. 

Then today I went to Amber's latest author's talk at the Old Town Public Library. Amber did really well and made me proud to be her mother. The library provided a lovely nutritious and delicious lunch with diet from hell compliant food--most notably salad veggies and beautiful blueberries. 

A great big shout out goes out to the people running the clothesline project and the Old Town Public Library librarians. 

Jules Hathaway 

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Road trip

This is my new denim jacket for the next decorating denim event on campus. I believe in being prepared. 

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Road trip

These are my new 2 lb weights. I'm adding lifting to my aerobics. No disrespecting on the size. I'm starting small and building up. As for aerobics I've done at least 1/2 hour a day without missing a day 197 days in a row. That's 210 minutes a week. 

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Road trip

These are the three shirts and the adorable Squishmallow Eugene bought me. I'm wearing one of the shirts today along with my Hello Kitty saddle shoes and (of course) my Hello Kitty tattoo. You might say I'm repping the fine feline!

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