It’s been four months since my last blog post—not because I haven’t had anything to say, but because the past several months have been incredibly difficult. The Trump Administration has taken direct aim at the work I do in the nonprofit sector. Our budget was slashed by 50%, forcing me to lay off seven members of my team. And with the anticipated elimination of the HOPWA program by the end of 2026, three more layoffs are expected next year—along with the devastating reality t

A few days ago, I celebrated my birthday, but it was tough. I often experience seasonal depression that sets in shortly before my birthday, and this year, two additional factors weighed heavily on me: coming to terms with being middle-aged and the re-election of Trump as President. When I looked up the definition of "middle-aged," I found the age range to be quite broad—45 to 65. While I wouldn't necessarily consider 65 old, to me, it's definitely retirement age and not middl

In a 1966 essay titled “A Report from Occupied Territory,” the renowned literary and historical figure James Baldwin wrote, “I can’t believe what you say because I see what you do.” This quote has stuck with me for years because its truth resonates with many experiences I've had throughout my life. People often say one thing but do another. A similar truth is captured by Maya Angelou in her quote: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” I am the ty

Why does it seem like everyone’s birthday is in August? I’m seriously considering dipping into my retirement funds just to cover all these gifts. Okay, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but all these birthday celebrations have certainly made me think a lot about aging. Reflecting on my life, I can break it down like this: Childhood: Great. Wonderful memories. A few traumas sprinkled in, but I can chalk that up to the human experience. Teenage years: Pure hell. I wouldn’