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The little girl posing with a pony, Felicia Lubovitz, would become my mother-in-law. Her immigrant parents came from the Russian Empire — her father from present-day Poland, her mother from B

My People

I had a sense of belonging with the Jewish women and families of New York City.
reader-essay

All reader-essay posts

Claudia's dad on the day of his police academy graduation | Photo from Claudia Dimuro

Ride

By Claudia Dimuro When I was a kid, maybe around middle school, my dad and I started taking rides. We’d get in the car, drive around for hours and talk about everything and anything. Soon, rides became Rides, its own grown, recognized proper noun. Throughout high school and even
reader-essay
The I-75/24 Split in Chattanooga, Tennessee, shortly after initial construction was completed | Tennessee State Library and Archives, Wikipedia

In Search of Steinbeck’s America

By Rose Williams This summer, to celebrate the United States of America turning 250, I decided to dedicate myself to better understanding the country I live in. For me, that means adjusting my personal syllabus. Every Fourth of July, I usually read something related to the Founding (and I still
reader-essay
Photo from Keith Raynor

I’m Afraid My Son is So Bright.

By Keith Raynor My son, Miles, is five years old, and despite many warnings of the dangers of screen time, putting on one of his favorite videos is one of the best ways to get him to sit in one place for an extended period of time. He’s currently
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Photo from Rawpixel on Free Range Stock

It’s Not Weird For Independents To Want Representation In Our Own Government

By Stu Strumwasser, author of A Real Collusion Throughout my entire adult life I have identified as a political Independent and always felt like an outsider—although it turns out that I am part of a silent majority.  One experiences a strange combination of discordant emotions — a mixture of vindication
reader-essay
The author's friends, Jack and Simone, performing at The Southern Cafe and Music Hall in Charlottesville, VA | Photo from Kaitlyn Rubertone

For The Music

By Kaitlyn Rubertone Think about this for a second: if you could do something for the rest of your life and make enough money to financially sustain yourself, what would it be?  When my colleague asked this question to us this summer, the answers varied from running flower shops and
reader-essay
Biking to class on the first day of sophomore year! | Photo from Dorothy Swanson Blaker

How to Lose the Game

By Dorothy Swanson Blaker When I got into the University of Oregon, I called my parents to “celebrate” my first acceptance letter. “Huge shocker… guess where I got in… UO!” I said, my voice laden with sarcasm. “Toootally my dream school!”  Whenever I say “I never expected I’d end
reader-essay
Photo by ThisisEngineering on Unsplash

The American numeracy crisis.

By Courtney Smith-Nelson Surprise! Pop quiz time. Can you solve the following problems without using Google or AI? (Don’t worry — calculators are allowed.) 1. If the price of a box of cereal increases from $4 to $5, what is the percent change in the price? If the price
reader-essay
He’s in Transition

He’s in Transition

By Leah Nairn Everyone loved my Dad. Lying there unable to speak, peeking through his eyelids, he was still everyone’s favorite. “Gotta say goodnight to grandpa,” one aide would say before she ended her shift — even though he’d never been a grandpa. I’ve never married nor had
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Tick, Tick, Lyme

Tick, Tick, Lyme

By Rachael Hagerstrom In February 2023, three months into our relationship, Pfizer decided to break up with me. The company did this by way of two, no-nonsense letters. Pfizer tried to let me down gently. We are “temporarily paus[ing] all participant visits” they said initially. But we both
Reader essays
The Third Space: A Cure For America’s Loneliness Epidemic?

The Third Space: A Cure For America’s Loneliness Epidemic?

By Jac Cochran A recent study found that 57% of college students report feeling lonely. Almost everyone is aware of the mental health crisis among teenagers. Thousands of articles and TV segments have proposed causes ranging from smart phones to vaccines. But among all those theories, few have focused on
reader-essay
You’re Old! You’re Out!

You’re Old! You’re Out!

By Alden S. Blodget When I turned 60, I received a great birthday card. On the front was a referee blowing a whistle and shouting, “You’re old!” Inside was the same ref, thumb pointed over his shoulder, yelling, “You’re out!” And that’s pretty much the fate of
reader-essay