I love Ay Tjoe’s colour range, the depth of her analysis, the complexity of her images and how they evoke movement emotion and connection in a carefully considered and meticulous yet somehow seemingly organic and spontaneous way.
Category Archives: Education
Weekend Read: Be authentic, now more than ever
We do not have a lot of control right now. But you can choose how to spend the little moments, and the little moments of course add up to the big picture. It’s also more than OK to push all of the positives aside sometimes and just be sad and scared. There is a lot of joy in this world, right now we just have to try a little harder to find it.
Book Review: Honeybee by Craig Silvey
Silvey holds the pace for the reader in a terribly skilled way. You are never overwhelmed by this story, but you are constantly invested.
Grace Lee Boggs
When there is discussion about what makes the perfect leader, this is the kind of person I think should come to mind first. A person who is incredibly influential and makes waves and waves of progress, is educated and informed and knows how to generate and execute positive social movement, yet is humble enough to know that they never cease learning.
Manizha Wafeq
There is so much desperation, sadness, fear and misunderstanding flowing from Afghanistan. You can see emergent news and analysis of the situation here, but this blog was created to celebrate influential and wonderful figures of history and so that is what I will do here. Everyone should know the name Manizha Wafeq, and here’s why.Continue reading “Manizha Wafeq”
Book Review: The First Stone by Helen Garner
There can be a lot of conviction in our opinions and beliefs as young people, but before I had experienced some of my own experiences in the workplace and general life I simply didn’t have the depth and ability to articulate myself that I have today.
Weekend Read: Supporting someone through grief
At the end of the day, I think we can get awkward and unsure about helping someone who is grieving because we can’t control the timeline and can’t understand it given its likelihood to change at a moment’s notice.
Book Review: There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura
Any book that brings forward these types of conditions in society are welcomed by me. For many reading this book it will seem inconceivable, but then for so many it will resonate and hit home, and both parties I think will wholly benefit from reading this.
Catharine MacKinnon
difference between her and so many others is that she has done away with the nicety of feminine fawning traits. She doesn’t excuse her words, she places them up front, bold, in capital letters.
Weekend Read: Handling the Bully
Bullying is one of those things that you hope you will leave behind at the school gates when you walk out of them for the last time. Unfortunately, however, it rears its ugly head again and again as we walk through life. Children bullies sometimes grow into adult bullies. It’s as simple as that. LotsContinue reading “Weekend Read: Handling the Bully”
Book Review: Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
It felt like I never put this book down once I started it. Of course life disrupts us from life’s greatest pleasure, reading, but I rarely went long in my day without thinking about getting back to my book. I found myself up late often during this period due to an injury, and this bookContinue reading “Book Review: Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane”
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Young people in politics is always very exciting to me. It is one thing to have a young voice, it is another entirely to have that voice represent the “lay person”. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) gives us a lot to be interested by, as the youngest elected Congresswoman and as someone representing the voices of theContinue reading “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez”
Huda Shaawari
“When I read summaries of these incredibly brave women acting in ways divergent to the social norms it always strikes me what isn’t said. When all we have are public works or interviews to draw on, we do not get to hear about the hours spent in self-doubt, or the moments of fear over repercussion or backlash.”
Enid Blyton
It will come as no surprise that someone writing a blog as an adult was a big reader growing up. My mother was a librarian so I had the pleasure of binge-reading literal piles of books, often hiding up a tree or tucking myself away from the rush of the household. Still to this dayContinue reading “Enid Blyton”
Jane Addams
“You work non-stop towards a goal that is unachievable (whether that be the eradication of poverty, the elimination of untreated mental health disorders in the community or something equally as fraught) and you are constantly thrown hurdles along the way to leap with vigour and passion.”
Tituba
Tituba may have been painted to be the “scary” woman who started the Salem Witch Trials, but really it was the misunderstandings of a series of young girls’ physical health poorly stirred into a pot of mistrust of slaves, misunderstandings of alternative faiths and mistakes by little girls to push attention away from them onto an easy target.
And in the blue corner…
I have sat through so many training days and team building exercises since starting work full time that they all mesh into one blur of boredom-induced hunger, stifled yawns and uncomfortable silences while facilitators wait for contributions by people who are being paid to attend. Many of these have been about understanding my work style.Continue reading “And in the blue corner…”
Jennifer Smith
I always feel such inspiration when I hear about a person who has managed to write their own book. Then I hear about Jennifer Smith, who decided to write a book at 12 years old, publishing at 16 years old and I am flat out in awe. Let’s just add in that she is dyslexiaContinue reading “Jennifer Smith”
Special Feature: Gaby Judd
A personal note to Gaby: thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to you about your efforts. Despite the draining and intensely sad nature of the information you are exposed to through your work with Grandmothers, you are a positive, forward-looking person invested in getting lessContinue reading “Special Feature: Gaby Judd”
Eleanor Roosevelt
Thank you to my wonderful friend Rachel for providing me with Eleanor for this week’s focus. It is always great to hear who inspires my friends and family and I encourage you to reach out if you have a beautiful human that I could feature! ** Eleanor Roosevelt is niece to the former President ofContinue reading “Eleanor Roosevelt”
Immskar 