These photos accompany episode 13 of the Ready to Be Strong podcast, Swing State Stories. Listen on your favorite podcast platform to hear what I learned when I talked with, and listened to, voters in Hazleton, PA. In mid-October, I found myself in Pennsylvania after a speaking engagement. I made a last-minute decision to stick […]
I recently returned to my hometown for my 40th high school reunion. My trip to Charlottesville was sandwiched between speaking engagements about navigating political division, and I arrived in the midst of the contentious 2024 election season. Growing up in Charlottesville set the stage for my work on bridging divides. As a bi-racial, Chinese, Jewish
I arrive at the studio ready to go. Having narrated the audiobook of my first book, I had learned a thing or two. I know to wear soft clothing and avoid jangly jewelry. I am equipped with throat lozenges and tea. And I am well rested — this will take a lot of energy. This
Growing up in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Gordon Avenue public library was a few blocks from my elementary school. Some days, rather than taking the bus home, I would hang out at the library until my parents could pick me up. I perused the shelves, discovering books and authors, and settling into a comfy chair to