Transformative Spartans, the Book Project & COVID Life

I keep a five-year diary where I write one sentence a day, every day, over a five year span. Starting March 13, 2020, I began a quarantine tally to see how long we would be living from home, telecommuting and tele-learning and tele-living. I made it as far as 450+ days before I gave up counting, depressed by how seemingly permanent the pandemic has felt.

And yet, and yet, and yet: My big kid started in-person (masked and socially distant) kindergarten this fall! And my 1-year-old is in daycare. And Ryan is teaching in person. And I am occasionally on campus and have even started conducting the first of many in-person interviews for stories. I got both doses of the Pfizer vaccine as soon as I could and eagerly await my booster shot. I can’t wait until my kiddos are both vaccinated as well.

The weather is finally starting to change, and though I know fire season is far from over, I can’t help but feel hope. Play On Words’ first-ever virtual show was a huge success! The persimmons on our tree are changing colors. And I have renewed my focus on fiction by enrolling in Lighthouse Writer’s Book Project, where I’m working with a small cohort to complete my manuscript by 2023. (Fingers crossed!).

And finally, there are the achievements of SJSU students, faculty and alumni that I’ve gotten to interview recently. A few highlights:

Grateful for the opportunity to shine a spotlight on these wonderful Spartans.

Spring/Summer Storytelling

I feel grateful to have had the chance to chat with some truly amazing folks this year at San José State. Here are a few recent storytelling highlights:

I really am lucky to collaborate with a wonderful team of communicators who help me shape the stories of our community.

"Scouting" to be published in Cutleaf

I am thrilled to share that my essay, “Scouting,” will be published by Cutleaf Journal later this year.

This is perhaps the most personal work that I’ve sent out into the world — a meditation on the loss of my second pregnancy. Even in the presence of my two healthy children, Scout remains with me always. I hope that readers find as much solace in this piece as I found in writing it.

All The Times I Tried To

I was thrilled to discover that my essay, “All the Times I Tried To," has been published on Press Pause’s Family Room. I originally wrote this for a Racket reading event in October 2020. It feels especially good to share this today, on my 20th anniversary of living with type 1 diabetes.

Anniversaries can be hard—for years, February 10 was the one day I set aside to truly wallow in the grief that comes with adjusting to life with a chronic disease. And yet: in 20 years, I’ve acquired two degrees, lived in two countries, traveled to many more, worked multiple jobs, gotten married, run half marathons, delivered two healthy kids…life is good. I am lucky.

Welcome 2021

Well, 2020 is finally over. A long and relentless year, marked by social isolation, unrelenting political unrest, and worst of all: the loss of more than 340,000 American lives to the Coronavirus. The number is so big that it is almost impossible to fathom—it’s about six times the population of my hometown, gone.

When I need comfort, when I need consolation, when I need hope, I always turn to words. Poems by Philip Levine, Jack Gilbert, Naomi Shihab Nye. Novels that provide escape yet challenge me to think. Podcasts and radio interviews and white noise.

And yet: 2020 brought me a beautiful, healthy son, cheeks apple-red, smile big and full of wonder. 2020 brought us the first Black, southeast Asian woman vice president. 2020 brought us long days stuck with our “pod,” the people with whom we have quarantined, our worlds both small and intimate. 2020 forced a laser focus on our immediate environs, on the food we eat, the projects we can create when stuck inside for weeks, months at a time.

I find myself at a crossroads in my professional life as a writer. I want more than anything to tell meaningful stories of meaningful people. I want my words to create meaning. Inspire action. Over the past four years I’ve been lucky enough to interview Spartans whose stories have moved and compelled me. I plan to continue doing so, but it is hard not being on campus. Here are a few recent stories I’m proud to share:


My goal this year is to focus on gratitude. To not take any of this for granted: our air, our water, our limbs, our songs, our dinners together, every day that dawns bright and new. I hope to listen more and talk less, to value the power of my voice. I hope to write more fiction, to judge myself less, to continue devouring audiobooks, to pick up the pace on my sauntering runs. But more than anything: I hope to hope.

on beginnings and endings

The year of great change doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

This month, our country made history by electing the first woman vice president, Kamala Harris, who is Black and southeast Asian. Two weeks have passed and I am still absorbing this news, exciting and hopeful as it is. The 2016 presidential election left an indelible impact and the past four years have left a lingering, chronic state of anxiety and fatigue. Still. On Saturday, November 7, when president-elect Joe Biden was deemed the winner by AP, Fox News and CNN, I ran into my daughter’s bedroom and started sobbing on her chest, murmuring, finally, we won. She was only six months old when Trump was elected. (I was in such denial.) When, at last, I had the words to tell her what had happened, that we had made history, that maybe our postcards had made a difference, that we had a woman vice president, and a woman of color at that, she responded by saying, “Why haven’t they always been women?”

Seems like my feminist reading list is working.

Our work is far from done, of course. There are more books to read and bills to lobby and Senate races to win in Georgia. And we must wear our masks and stay, every day, in the comfort and safety of our bubble until a safe vaccine is distributed. The pandemic is still rearing its ugly head. Racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, ableism all still exist, are all deeply entrenched in our institutions. There is no rest for the righteous. We knew that already.

This election, this pandemic, and the birth of my son earlier this year have forced me to evaluate the impact I can have on the world. What stories can I tell? What impact can they have? How can strengthening my voice affect positive change?

As part of this exploration, I have redesigned my site to better showcase my 10+ years writing professionally. My publications page links to several places where I have published works of short fiction, nonfiction, interviews and poetry. The featured work page shares a few of my favorite features and profiles that I have written for Washington Square, San José State University’s alumni magazine. More can be found on the WSQ and SJSU newsroom sites, as well as my personal LinkedIn page.

While Play On Words remains in suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic, we do hope to return to regular programming once it is deemed safe to do so in person. No matter where I go or what I do, I will always be committed to promoting the work of artists and writers whose voices inspire me.

Our work is just beginning.

2020

Well. this year has been a doozy.

2020: The year of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) global health pandemic, the year we lost Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, as well as countless Black lives at the hands of the police—Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and so many more. 2020: The year we can’t leave our homes, can’t go to school or work in person, can’t go to restaurants or museums or live concerts or host friends and family in our homes. The year of increasingly disastrous wildfires, especially in California. As of September 2020, we have lost more than 200,000 American lives to COVID19, and our current president is still campaigning to audiences who do not wear masks or observe social distancing. It is a hard year to remain optimistic.

And yet: 2020 is the year I gave birth to a healthy baby boy. My son’s joy—and to be frank, his oblivion to all the insanity going on outside our home—has kept me going these past several months. While I have had to take a break from writing fiction and producing Play On Words shows, I am proud of the articles published at San Jose State University’s Washington Square magazine and blog this past year. They include:

Despite the challenges that this year has posed, I am hopeful that we can bring some positive change to our nation—and ultimately the world—come November. Please vote, if not for me, then for my son and daughter.

Stories of Service

I’m approaching my third anniversary of writing for San Jose State University, a job I love because of the amazing people I get to interview. Here are some highlights of stories I’ve gotten to write over the last few months:

I’ve also had the opportunity to cover the Connie L. Lurie College of Education’s inaugural Future of Learning event, as well as “[dreamer] project: an Undocuplay,” a documentary theatre project based on verbatim interviews with SJSU students.

There are more great stories coming soon with the fall/winter 2019 edition of Washington Square.

Stories that Inspire and Amaze

This spring I had the opportunity to interview a number of amazing Spartan scientists. Among them:

Finding One's Way: Proprioception and Biological Research: How do we use sensory information to move, balance, and position ourselves? Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Katherine Wilkinson developed a neurophysiology lab at SJSU to explore how and why the human body interacts with the world around us.

Solving DNA Puzzles, One Worm at a Time: How do neurons transmit messages throughout the body? How are memories formed? Miri VanHoven’s neurogenetics lab at San Jose State explores big questions.

Geology From the Ground Up: SJSU Assistant Professor of Geology Kim Blisniuk explores how geologists measure seismicity and communicate earthquake risk to the communities that could one day be affected.

Evan Low’s American Dream: Evan Low, ’03 Political Science, was the youngest openly gay mayor of an American city.

Fire, Water and Spirit

This year, I’ve gotten the opportunity to write about wildfire researchers, stem cell scientists, pioneering STEM educators, a MacArthur genius, and the first woman to receive tenure in SJSU’s chemistry department—to name a few.

I will never look at a forest the same, thanks to the expertise and wisdom of SJSU’s Associate Professor of Meteorology and Climate Science Craig Clements. He shared his experience collecting data 100 feet from the plumes outside Paradise in November 2018, accompanied by an undergraduate and a graduate student researcher. Check out our spring/summer feature “On Fire” to learn more.

Sculptor and artist Titus Kaphar sees art as an opportunity to shed light on history—and to examine and challenge commonly accepted narratives. The founder of a collaborative artist space in New Haven, Kaphar is a true visionary.

What exactly is STEM education and why does it matter? I had the chance to interview a number of teachers at San Jose’s AdVENTURE STEM middle school, as well as the dean of SJSU’s Connie L. Lurie College of Education, chemistry professor Lionel Cheruzel, and Intel’s Rita Holiday. Read more on Washington Square.

SJSU alumnus Marc Slattery studies how the chemistry of marine invertebrates could help scientists understand how to develop drugs. The professor of pharmacognosy and environmental toxicology at the University of Mississippi was awarded the 2018 Distinguished Research and Creative Achievement in recognition of his work.

The Stem Cell Internships and Laboratory-Based Learning program at San Jose State offers graduate students experience in stem cell research labs while they pursue their degrees, preparing them for competitive careers in academia, biotech or research.

In March 2019 I had the opportunity to meet pioneering professor/scientist Ruth Yaffe, who started teaching in SJSU’s chemistry department in 1957, later becoming the first tenured woman professor in the department. A pioneering chemist with a love for Great Danes, it was a pleasure to learn more about her.

Inspiring Spartans

Every day I feel grateful for the opportunity to tell the stories of Spartans, alumni and faculty of San Jose State University. It has always been my dream to make a living writing meaningful stories, and this semester is no different. I’m proud to share a few of the recent profiles that have been published on Washington Square, SJSU’s alumni magazine blog.

Kinesiology Professor Shirley Reekie first hopped aboard her father’s sailboat at age two, inspiring a career in athletics and sport history. This Spartan women in sports story shares her connection to Margaret Jenkins, SJSU’s first Olympian.

Wayne Merry, ’59 Conservation, was one of the first rock climbers to summit El Capitan.

Photographer Dan Fenstermacher, ’16 MFA Photography, traveled to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria to capture the stories of survivors.

Theatre Arts Professor Buddy Butler believes his productions can engage young audiences in complex issues and inspire thoughtful dialogue.

Spartan swimmer Lisa Covey Peters, ’07 Physics, leads an exciting career as a systems engineer at Lockheed Martin.

Gymnast Shanice Howard was named the 2011 Arthur Ashe Jr. Female Sports Scholar of the Year and went on to become a physical therapist.

Agnieszka Winkler launched and led one of Silicon Valley’s most successful independent advertising agencies in an era when she was often “the only woman in the room.”

Big thanks to all of these amazing people for sharing their stories with me, and to the designers and photographers who made these stories come to life. Coming this spring: a special series on science research at SJSU. Stay tuned!

Silicon Valley Arts Emerging Artist Sample, 2018

I am applying for the 2018 Emerging Artist Award, sponsored by Content Magazine and Silicon Valley Creates. My writing sample includes text from two published magazine pieces (“The Women of the Olympic Project for Human Rights” and “Throwing Convention: Margaret Jenkins, ‘25 Education”) and “The Bridge,” a fiction piece that is excerpted from my novel-in-progress. This excerpt won the 2018 Mendocino Coast Writers Conference writing contest in the novel category, as judged by Shanthi Sekaran, and will be published in the 2019 Noyo River Review.

I believe this sample is representative of my literary voice, both in nonfiction and fiction.

Please click here to access it.

Thank you for considering my work. And, in the off chance that someone finds this who is not on the jury for the Emerging Artist award, I hope you enjoy my work.

The Olympic Project for Human Rights, 50 Years Later

I’ve had the opportunity to write for a number of universities over the years, but what makes San Jose State University stand out is its legacy of social justice. I’ve been privileged enough to devote my last few months to interviewing a number of alumni who were involved in the civil rights movement at SJSU 50 years ago. I pursued each of these stories because I believe now, more than ever, it is critical to elevate voices of American change, especially those who have benefited communities of color, first-generation college students and the women and men who go on to inspire future generations of change-makers.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Mexico City Olympics, in which Spartan athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their gloved fists on the medal stand in a civil rights salute. As members of SJSU’s Olympic Project for Human Rights, spearheaded by Harry Edwards and Ken Noel, their lives and stories have been well documented over the past five decades. This made me wonder: what about the women of the OPHR? Who were they and how did they contribute? What did they go on to do?

While pursuing this story, I had the pleasure and honor of learning from Sandra Edwards, Mary Noel and Gayle Boze Knowles, three alumnae who volunteered with the movement. Together with their friend Rochelle Duff Davis, they distributed OPHR material at track events, managed correspondence and helped spread word of the movement on campus and beyond. All four of them went on to become teachers, principals and educators. Coincidence? I think not. Learn more about these amazing women at Washington Square.

I spent a few months researching the history of SJSU’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which was one of the first such programs in the state. I am grateful to S.T. Saffold, Debra Griffith, Judge Robert Rigsby, Erika Cortes, Gabriel Reyes, Humberto Garza, Teresa de la Cruz, and countless others for sharing their experiences with me. You can read all about the history and future of SJSU’s EOP on Washington Square.

In early June I had the opportunity to spend a few hours with Mary and Ken Noel, educators and activists who devoted their years at San Jose State to recruiting and supporting first-generation black college students. Ken co-founded the United Black Students for Action with Harry Edwards, and later the Olympic Project for Human Rights. Mary became a teacher, principal and school board member, and to this day the couple remains dedicated to supporting education. I was compelled to write both a profile on Mary and a story on Ken.

San Jose State will be recognizing the 50th anniversary of the famous Mexico City salute with a special town hall sponsored by the Institute for the Study of Sport, Society and Social Change. Harry Edwards, Tommie Smith, and John Carlos will be joined by Wyomia Tyus, as well as two of the Olympic rowers who supported the OPHR at Mexico City, Nate Boyer, the Green Beret who has supported Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest, and a number of journalists and academics. I’m grateful to work at a university that supports a productive conversation around civil rights, and even more excited that I’ve gotten the chance to learn from a number of these people firsthand.

MCWC Writing Contest

Last week I attended the Mendocino Coast Writers Conference. It was--in a word--glorious. Boosted by the support of a scholarship and the encouragement of my employer, I was grateful for the opportunity to be surrounded by writers and readers for four days in a beautiful place. It had been three years since I had been anywhere by myself, and just as long since I had the chance to focus wholeheartedly on fiction. I was attracted to the conference because of the support it offered, the faculty it attracted, and the community of writers it promised. It did not disappoint.

I was lucky to attend a novel writing workshop with Shanthi Sekaran, author of Lucky Boy and The Prayer Room. I read Lucky Boy last year and was completely blown open by its characters, its attention to detail, its keen observations on life in 21st century America. I was excited to have her read my work and get some constructive criticism to keep my literary brain whirring.

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Another great perk of MCWC is that the organization hosts its own writing contest. On a whim I submitted "The Bridge," a short story excerpted from my manuscript-in-progress, Foreigner. I was startled to learn a few weeks later that the piece had won first prize--and that the contest had been judged by Sekaran herself. I received the following email while planning out daycare and work coverage for the days I'd be gone:

"Reading The Bridge, I found myself enthralled and then shocked by its small band of children. With deft and lively prose, the author coaxed me into the narrative, much like the stray cat at its center, only to horrify me with news of what these seemingly lovely children were going to do to said cat. After reading the excerpt, I wanted to know more of the children, to be pulled into their world. That hunger is the clearest sign of an excellent beginning."

I have since printed this out and taped it to my wall at work. A reminder that fiction matters--that no matter how ploddingly slow it is to finish a book, there is value in exploring the ideas that intrigue us. 

L-R: Writers Jamie Moore, me, Shanthi Sekaran, Mairead Brodie and Vanessa Hua. Taken at the Hill House Inn in Mendocino.

L-R: Writers Jamie Moore, me, Shanthi Sekaran, Mairead Brodie and Vanessa Hua. Taken at the Hill House Inn in Mendocino.

All in all, the days blurred by in a series of workshops, faculty readings and events. I feel as if I have been given new life. When my daughter was born, writing fiction seemed like such a luxury--such an indulgence. But I am motivated to finish this book, if anything so I can talk about it with her someday, and hear what she thinks of the worlds we create and the worlds we reflect.

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POW Presents Nostalgia-rama: August 27 at Dragon Theatre

This summer Play On Words is proud to present Nostalgia-rama, a special evening of staged readings of some of your favorite sitcoms and children's programming (mostly) from the 80's and 90's, performed by the (former) children of the 80's and 90's. If you're a fan of Cheers, Wishbone, Tales from the Crypt, and everyone's favorite rerun, The Twilight Zone, you won't want to miss out. RSVP on Facebook or check out our website for more details.

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Washington Square Spring/Summer 2018: The movement toward equity

I was delighted to contribute to the spring/summer 2018 issue of Washington Square, San Jose State University's alumni magazine. The theme this spring was moving toward equity. San Jose State has quite the legacy of social justice and it was an honor to explore some of these topics with notable alumni, faculty and community members. I enjoyed writing a feature on SJSU's first Olympian, Margaret Jenkins, as well as profiles of alumna and speech pathologist Dr. Pamela Wiley, who developed a program that pairs young men with autism with law enforcement. I also learned a lot from SJSU Physics and Astronomy Professor Peter Beyersdorf, whose research on black holes contributed to a major discovery in 2015. Dr. Marilyn Easter of SJSU's Lucas College and Graduate School of Business has developed an amazing program for undergrads called Generation of Aspirational Learners--it was a pleasure chatting with her as well.

Other notable features written by fellow contributors include a great piece on the Silicon Valley housing crisis and an exploration of the impact of movements such as #MeToo, #TimesUp, #BlackLivesMatter and #NeverAgain.

I learn from every issue we create and from every person I interview. I hope their stories inspire.

Women in sport

This year I've enjoyed the incredible privilege of interviewing a number of woman athletes who graduated from San Jose State University. Over the past several months I have sought out women of different generations who have competed at the collegiate, national, Olympic and professional levels--women who have created opportunities for subsequent generations before, during and after the passage of Title IX. I'm proud to share their stories:

Margaret Jenkins, '25 Education, threw discus in the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam as a member of the first women's track and field team representing the United States. She pitched for her high school baseball team, which lost only one game, participated in two Olympic Games, collected more than 100 medals throughout her career and was inducted into three halls of fame before her death in 1996 at age 92. Read her story here.

"Small acts of defiance make change," says Carolyn Lewis, '70 Kinesiology, '70 Teaching Credential. The four-sport collegiate athlete became a coach and athletics administrator and helped create SJSU's Gender Equity Plan. Read her story here.

Record-setting gymnast Thomasina Wallace, '12 Kinesiology, says "20 percent of the sport is talent and 80 percent is how mentally prepared are you to perform your routines while others are judging you." Read her story here.

SJSU alumna and LPGA golfer Tracy Hanson supports athletes who face significant obstacles, including abuse and performance acceptance, in their pursuit of sport. Read her story here.

"To see women perform at high levels, and to hear those women speak and present themselves, I think changes a lot of people's opinions and outlook on women," says Gay MacLellan, '83 MA Kinesiology. Read her story here.

"Sport is a great equalizer," says Dana Dormann, '90 Finance. Now associate head coach of SJSU's women's golf team, Dormann competed on the team that took Spartan golf to victory in the 1987 NCAA Championships. Read her story here. 

"I came from a family that didn't put any boundaries on gender," says two-time Olympic medalist swimmer Lynn Vidali Gautschi '76 Kinesiology, '77 Teaching Credential. "I had no idea that only 25 percent of women in the United States were in sports at that time. Read her story here.

Olympic medalist Marti Malloy, '10 Advertising, '15 MS Mass Communications, says training with legendary judo coach and @SJSU alumnus Yoshihiro Uchida gave herperspective on social justice in athletics -- and helped her dismiss stereotypes about women in sports. Read her story here.

Champion fencer Stacey Johnson, '80 Public Relations, has made it her mission to “speak actively for women.” As the first woman president to hold a four-year term as president of the U.S. Fencing Association, it is thanks in part to her efforts that women fencers could finally compete in all three disciplines of the sport at the Olympic level. Read her story here.

I feel incredibly lucky to meet and learn from such talented and hardworking individuals here at San Jose State. I hope this is just the beginning! 

Mendocino, here I come!

I'm delighted to share that I've been awarded the Byerley Memorial Scholarship to attend the 2018 Mendocino Coast Writers Conference. I am beyond excited to attend a novel workshop with the amazing Shanthi Sekaran, a fiction writer whose novel Lucky Boy left an indelible impression on me. I also cannot wait to return to the beautiful north coast, which Ryan and I visited for the first time shortly after Christmas. There is something about that wide open sky and the rugged cliffs along the water that make anything feel possible.

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Many, many thanks to the kind folks at MCWC for making this possible for me. For the first time since having my daughter I feel ready to rework my novel--to call out characters who have lived inside me for more than a decade. I can't wait to see what this brings.

Activists Unite on January 17

Play On Words is kicking off 2018 with a special show, Activists Unite, at Cafe Stritch on January 17.  In summer 2017, we partnered with San Jose’s Flash Fiction Forum, along with writer and professor Maria Judnick, and graphic designer, artist and writer Peter Caravalho, to create Activate, our activist chapbook. We are delighted to read selections from the forthcoming book at our January show. Hope to see you there!

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