• Featured,  Humanity

    Sifting Through the Ashes

    I thought it was strange that my mom called me so early in the morning. It was 7:30am for me, so it must have been 4:30am for her.  It was Wednesday, August 9th. “I wanted to call you before you saw the news. There's a fire in Lāhainā, Kīhei, and Kula. Everyone in our family is safe and accounted for. I might go pick up grandpa from Kīhei today. Your cousin was in Lāhainā, but escaped to Nāpili. Aunty has not heard from him since last night. I will keep in touch.”  My cousin called my aunty the next day to check in. He was safe and helping with the…

  • Humanity

    The Immigrant Perspective: A Tale of Resilience

    Immigrants crossing the horizon with the sun setting in the back

    I was four years old then. Yet I still vividly remember feeling the ground shake beneath me, the windows shattering during every air strike hitting our area, leaving our house barren and unrepaired. I knew beyond doubt that we would be under the rubble any time soon, buried with the memories and dreams of a life that once was.

  • Humanity

    Attics, Abuse, and Abortion: Prevention Not Sensationalization Will Keep Children Safe

    Person sadly sitting alone.

    Country of Origin: United States of America Trigger Warning: Child Rape Attics are used for many things.  Sometimes for play. Sometimes for storage. Sometimes for secrets. Too often for hiding.  One year ago today, I moved into an attic for the second time in my life. Instantly, the first attic came back to mind in a flash of childhood memory. A precious moment of safety: my mother below me on the ground floor, me above her in the attic. She reaching toward me, me ready to let go. She wishing me a good night, me knowing it would finally be so. Sweet dreams, little child. Some men in my family…

  • Humanity

    Someone Shot My Hometown

    A person in despair as they check their phone for news.

    On the morning of July 4th, 2022, I was lying in bed watching videos on my phone when my mom called me. Earlier that week, we had discussed the possibility of meeting at my parents’ house for a barbecue or a short visit, so I didn’t think anything of the call. However, when I picked up the phone, it was immediately clear that something was wrong.