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Latest — Oct 6, 2026

Two Words to Change Any Room We’re In

There’s a two-word phrase making the rounds in the media these days. Perhaps you’ve bumped into it, too. Chilling effect. * This is intended to have a chilling effect on reporters. * This can’t help but have a chilling effect on higher ed. * You can see the chilling

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Finding Ease in an Uneasy Season

Life is asking a lot of us right now, isn’t it? The pace of change, the volume of information, the uncertainty of an election with sky-high stakes. And that’s all layered on top of life's usual tugs: the shower isn’t draining, we need to

If You’re Nervous About the Election

Sometime ago, I read an interview with the great short story writer George Saunders, a frequent flier on the bestseller list. The interviewer asked him if he got nervous any more when a book was coming out. Of course, Mr. Saunders replied. But I’ve realized that nervousness means I

Hope’s Revenge!

There is a quote I wrote in Magic Marker on an index card and stuck on the fridge, where it stayed for months until the kitchen sun faded the magic right out of those colors. “Resistance is first of all a matter of principle and a way to live, to

Do Our Actions Matter If We Don’t Yet See the Change We Want?

Nearly two years ago, I drove past an assisted living facility. It was one of those raw New England Februarys, not a whisper of sun or warmth. Outside the facility, a small group of residents was on the sidewalk with walkers and wheelchairs, afghan blankets folded over their laps. And

The Good News About Hard Times

My Mum believed in calling hard stuff what it was. Name the unwelcome guest at the table, she’d insist. Your energy is finite, don’t waste any pretending what’s happening isn’t happening. "The weight of these sad times we must obey, speak what we feel, not

A Love Note for the Tired + Overwhelmed

If you feel like this moment is taking more than it’s giving you. If you feel like you can only give slivers of yourself to all that life is asking. Remember, even the moon is only full once a month. And at a sliver of its full self, it

The First Question to Ask When Making Good Change

Hello Wonderful Reader! I’ve been heads down on a fun democracy project this week (more details to come later!), so I tracked down this favorite from the back catalog. I am wishing you all possible goodness as you step into the weekend, Caitie You can learn a lot about

The Election We Aren’t Talking About, and Could Easily Sway

Now for three things we likely didn’t learn in high school. And hold onto your hats and pearls, because you’re about to get (civically) blown away! First: State legislatures are the hottest legislative thing around. They calls the shots on redistricting, data center regulation, how millionaires and billionaires

A Political Secret, and How You Can Use it to Your Advantage

Most bills in Congress live short, unremarkable lives. At the time of this writing, 18,470 bills have been introduced this Congress, and 2% have become law. You’re more likely to find a four-leaf clover in Washington, D.C. than a bill that’s passed. Congress, in its