The burden begins with me, the parent of the autistic child, to disclose his disability. And then the burden shifts to you, the general public.
Mar 26

By John Leland
Viewing death as unrelated to life, or antithetical it, does a disservice to the days we have, because we don’t know how to value them, says John Leland. The journalist and author explains how an elderly friend changed his perspective…
Every time I visited him he said he wanted to die. He wasn’t depressed or even sad – in fact, talking about dying always got him in a good mood. Wanting to die was the best reason to live.
Mar 19

By Aminatta Forna
Writer Aminatta Forna is often asked if she was traumatized by personal tragedy and national turmoil. To Forna, the ability to shape your own narrative, rather than having others shape it for you, is ultimately what matters most; being told…

By PBS NewsHour
What’s the secret to writing novels? Or baking a perfect cake? Or even being a good friend? Author Ann Patchett says it’s all about the ability to stay focused and stop multitasking. Patchett gives her humble opinion on stretching your…
Mar 05

What does it do to black girls and women to have their intelligence and abilities routinely questioned? A study from Johns Hopkins found that white teachers set lower academic expectations for their black students than black teachers do. Acclaimed writer…
Feb 26

By Dr. Nadine Burke Harris
More than 34 million American children have had at least one adverse childhood experience like abuse or neglect. We need every medical professional in this country to be equipped with the right tools for universal screening.
Feb 23

By Dr. Nadine Burke Harris
When a child's flight-or-fight response is activated too often, from abuse, neglect or parental addiction, it can change the structure of a developing brain. It's called toxic stress, and pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris believes every medical professional in the country…
Jan 26

There will be some advantages to non-beingness, says Sheila Nevins: namely, avoiding the family squabbles after her death. The author and former president of HBO Documentary Films offers her humble opinion on preparing for the end of life, and finding…
Jan 12

By PBS NewsHour
What does belonging mean to Akhil Sharma, an American who immigrated from India? Offering help to another opened him up to the realization that the world is greater than himself. Sharma, an award-winning novelist, professor at Rutgers University and New…
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