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Journalism

 Nonprofits Navigate a Drop in Volunteers

Mountain Xpress – 16 Nov. 2023

For many nonprofits, COVID restrictions severely reduced their volunteer force. Years later, numbers remain low. Organizations across Western North Carolina have noted that less volunteers are working more hours to meet the growing needs of the community, especially in areas such as health care and food insecurity.  

Read the article here.

Without volunteers, “I don’t know if we would even be able to feed Asheville, let alone the other 16 counties that we are currently covering.”

–Nicholas Ames, Volunteer Manager at MANNA FoodBank 

Fears Grow for Ukrainian Journalist Missing Almost Three Months

Voice of America – 26 Oct. 2023

Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna disappeared after passing a checkpoint in early August. Roshchyna previously won an IWMF Courage award for her reporting on the war in Ukraine. Colleagues and family members believe she may be in Russian custody. Her whereabouts remain unknown.  

Read the article here. 

“Her parents are heartbroken. Her father, her mother, her sister, they’re all very, very worried about her. And they regret that she wouldn’t stop covering the most dangerous regions. But nobody could stop Victoria.”

–Anna Nemtsova, Journalist for the Daily Beast

 

Recent and Well Established Roller-Skating Groups Discuss WNC’s Coasting Community

Mountain Xpress – 22 Sept. 2023

Roller-skating groups are thriving in Western North Carolina after many rekindled their love for the sport during the pandemic. Skaters say diversity is what draws them to join local groups and keeps them connecting. From in-line to quad, jam skating to roller derby, there’s a style for everyone. 

Read the article here.

“I’ve lived in Asheville for 40 years, and this is the most diverse space that I get to inhabit … where gender and race and age are just nonissues.”

–Pattiy Torno, AVLSk8 co-founder

Though Marginalized and Exiled, Iranian Journalists Still Report

Voice of America – 16 Sept. 2023

For journalists living in Iran, the threat of arrest and harassment by authorities is a constant fear. Members of minority groups are particularly vulnerable to attack and intimidation. Two journalists in exile– Asal Abasian and Afra Amid– share how their experiences in Iran ultimately led them to flee to safety. 

Read the article here.

“I want the international community to know that ‘women, life, freedom’ is still active. It’s not just a protest against compulsory hijab, it’s about citizens’ rebellion against Islamic Republic and all their cruelty.”

–Asal Abasian, Iranian Journalist

Even Outside Jail, Iran Feels Like a Prison, Say Female Journalists

Voice of America – 14 Sept. 2023

Last September, after the death of Mahsa Jina Amini in police custody, protests erupted across Iran. An unprecedented number of journalists were arrested for covering the protests. One year later, the crackdown continues with dozens behind bars and reports of abuse from within the prisons surfacing. Despite the conditions, Iranian journalists in exile say women remain united around the movement and continue to press for change. 

Read the article here. 

 “This generation…they’re like, ‘Either I will go and fight and take my future and my present back or I will die, because anyway I’m dying if I continue this life.'” 

— Afra Amid, Iranian Journalist

In Turkey, Silence a Bigger Fear than Arrest, Says Journalist

Voice of America – 22 Aug. 2023

Turkey ranks number one worldwide for violence against women and nonbinary journalists, according to the Coalition For Women in Journalism. Kurdish journalists are particularly under threat and are often accused of being members of the PKK terrorist organization. Safiye Alagas, managing editor of JIN News, accused and arrested, shares her experience. 

Read the article here.

“If those in power and authorities feel uncomfortable with me in a certain place, then I must be on the right path.”

–Safiye Alagas, managing editor of JIN News. 

 

‘Epitome of Courage’: Iranian Photojournalist Recognized for Covering Women’s Rights

Voice of America – 27 July 2023

Iranian photojournalist Yalda Moaiery was recently awarded the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Wallis Annenberg Justice for Women Journalists award for her courage and fearlessness. Moaiery, who has had a 23-year career reporting conflict and disaster around the world, was arrested last September while covering the protests in her home country of Iran. She has been charged with a six-year prison sentence and three year ban from practicing journalism.

Read the article here.

“I am receiving this award while the job of journalist has disappeared in my country.”

–Yalda Moaiery, Iranian photojournalist

Creatives in the Crowd: Crislyn V’Soske Baugham Creates Adornments One Link at a Time

Mountain Xpress – 13 July 2023

From her home studio in North Asheville, Crislyn V’Soske Baughman bends over a work table, winding wire around needles, clipping each piece into small rounds, and forming earrings, necklaces, hair clips, and mobiles using intuition as a guide. The self-taught artist came to jewelry making by chance. After taking a necklace to a shop to be repaired, she found joy and excitement as she held the instruments for the first time. 

Read the article here.

“The best feeling is when I’m out and I see someone walk by wearing a piece of jewelry I made.”

–Crislyn V’Soske Baughman, Asheville maker

No Mow May: Bees will Thank You if You Leave the Mower in the Shed

Mountain Xpress – 4 May 2023

A 2016 study commissioned by the United Nations found that 40% of the world’s invertebrate pollinators, including bees and butterflies, and 16% of vertebrate pollinators such as birds and bats are at risk of extinction. Residents of Asheville, NC and other “bee cities” across the US have adopted “No Mow May,” a program that began in the UK, to encourage wildflower growth and provide early-spring food sources to pollinators. 

Read the article here.

 “You don’t have to be a beekeeper to help the bees, to help the pollinators. You can do it from your garden, you can do it simply by leaving some grass unmowed.”

–Jay Pryor, operations manager at Asheville Bee Charmer

Film Documents Muscogee (Creek) Nation Newsroom’s Fight for Press Freedom

Voice of America – 20 Apr. 2023

When an emergency session repealed press freedom for Mvskoke Media, a news source covering the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, reporter Angel Ellis set to work advocating for change. A new documentary “Bad Press” documents her years-long fight for press freedom and highlights an issue that is common in tribal communities– lack of media freedom. 

Read the article here.

“It’s more than just a newsletter. It’s more than a newspaper. It’s more than a news program. It’s the combative weapon against erasure that we’re trying to achieve.”

–Angel Ellis, director of Mvskoke Media

How Recognition of Trauma is Shaping the Way Newsrooms Operate

Voice of America – 30 Mar. 2023

PTSD has been an official medical diagnosis in America since 1980, but it’s taken much longer for newsrooms to acknowledge the impact of trauma. Journalists are affected not only through first-hand experience, but also by bearing witness–hearing testimony, reviewing images, and reading documents. Bruce Shapiro and Hannah Storm, two leaders in the field, discuss trauma’s impact on journalists and survivors and the importance of trauma-informed training and mental health support for newsrooms.

Read the article here. 

“One of the overriding things I hear from folks is that they are scared of speaking about their experiences for fear that it will impact their reputation, their next deployment, their next promotion, their next job.”

–Hannah Storm, founder and director of the Headlines Network

As Costs Soar, an End to Federal Support Leaves Students and Families Searching for Food 

Mountain Xpress – 29 Mar. 2023

For two years during the pandemic, federal funding allowed schools to provide free meals to all students, but that support has ended and schools have reverted to their old needs-based system. With stringent regulations, many families don’t qualify while others may be unwilling to apply due to the social stigma. Families facing inflation, rising costs, and less government support are reaching out to local foodbanks in record numbers. 

Read the article here. 

“There are many, many students across our entire service area of Western North Carolina who depend on free and reduced-priced school meals for the majority of their nutritional needs and support.”

–Kara Irani, director of marketing and communications at MANNA FoodBank.

The Toll it Takes: Media Trauma in an Unrelenting News Cycle

Voice of America – 24 Feb. 2023

Many journalists are forced to pivot from covering one tragedy to the next– the pandemic, mass shootings, and sometimes violence that directly affects their own newsrooms. A growing body of research shows journalists are exposed to traumatic stress at rates comparable to first responders, but traditionally they haven’t gotten the care they needed. Open conversations about mental health are helping to shift newsroom culture and companies such as Hearst are leading the way and adding regular support for staff. 

Read the article here.

“The nature of breaking news is obviously very stressful because you’re moving really quickly. There’s a lot of pressure to get the story not only right, but to get it up fast.”

–Trisha Thadani, reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle

In India, Power of Podcasts Keeps Listeners Connected

Voice of America – 13 Feb. 2023

Padma Priya and two of her colleagues from the nonprofit sector launched Suno India in 2018 with the goal of covering stories that were otherwise absent from the daily news cycle. They’ve used podcasts to not only reach broader audiences, but also invite a wide range of voices to join their newsroom and newscasts. Despite pandemic lockdowns, internet bans, and government restrictions, Suno India was able to keep reporting, connecting with sources, and reaching audiences. 

Read the article here.

“Not everybody is willing to put their face in front of a camera, but they’re willing to lend their voice.”

–Padma Priya, co-founder and editor-in-chief Suno India

How Buncombe’s Newly Elected US House Members are Settling into Office

Mountain Xpress – 10 Feb. 2023

While newly elected officials promise to tackle tough topics once they’re in office, the transition to get to that point can be a big learning curve. North Carolina House members share their first-month woes from finding office furniture, getting used to the commute, to learning the rules of the floor. 

Read the article here.

“The N.C. House has an environment of respect and cordiality across the aisle. We disagree on many issues, but there are also lots of policy issues that Democrats and Republicans work on together.”

— Caleb Rudow, NC House Representative 

 

Demystifying Yoga with Local Teachers

Mountain Xpress – 27 Jan. 2023

With numerous yoga studios in the Asheville area and a variety of styles to choose from, it can be a challenge to know where to begin. Nine local teachers share their yoga journeys and discuss the benefits of each form including Kaiut, Vinyasa, Hot, Dharma, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Purna, and Kundalini. 

Read the article here. 

“Yoga makes you aware of what’s wrong, what’s right, how are things going … and shines a light on the direction we need to go.”

–Randy Loftis, co-founder and teacher at Iyengar Yoga Asheville

Iranians ‘No Longer Willing to Stay Quiet’

Voice of America – 21 Jan. 2023

When Iranian journalist in exile Aida Ghajar broke the story on Mahsa Amini, she had no idea it would have such an impact. Ghajar shares her experiences growing up in Iran, being forced into exile, and breaking the story that led to widespread protests. Yeganeh Rezaian, senior researcher at CPJ, discusses the ongoing security concerns for journalists inside Iran. 

Read the article here. 

“I know everyone’s talking about, ‘This time it’s different’… but at the same time, it’s a tragedy.”

–Aida Ghajar, journalist for IranWire

With Mass Arrests, Now is ‘Worst Time’ to be a Journalist in Iran

Voice of America – 28 Dec. 2022

A record number of journalists have been jailed in Iran since the start of the September protests. Rights groups report abuse including gendered violations and sexual assaults among women, forced confessions, overcrowded cells, solitary confinement, denied access to medical care, and threat of execution. Additionally, more than 18,000 protestors have been arrested and two have been publicly executed after an “extremely quick and non-transparent judicial process.” At least 58 others face death sentences. 

Read the article here. 

“The arbitrary approach of the judiciary is of absolute alarm — we are facing a system that is not even following its own laws.” 

–Skylar Thompson, senior advocacy coordinator for the Human Rights Activists in Iran 

Record Number of Journalists Jailed Globally

Voice of America – 14 Dec. 2022

Criminalization of journalism is on the rise around the globe with a record 363 journalists in prison, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists’ annual report. This year, Iran was the top jailer, with 62 behind bars, the majority of whom were arrested for covering the ongoing protests.  

Read the article here.

“These wrongs underscore the true power that unbiased news and information hold over the regimes who seek to hide it.”

— Amanda Bennett, USAGM CEO

Community Groups Discuss City Advocacy

Mountain Xpress – 7 Dec. 2022

After Council member Sandra Kilgore accused Asheville on Bikes of having an outsized role in city planning decisions, I talked to AOB and several other community groups to find out how successful advocacy works behind the scenes. 

Read the article here.

 “Seek small, incremental change and build upon each and every success. Bring new people in. Form partnerships with other organizations. Collaborate. Be prepared to make some concessions and engage your opposition civilly.”

— Mike Sule, executive director of Asheville on Bikes

Addressing Gun Violence in Asheville

Mountain Xpress – 1 Dec. 2022

Reducing gun violence requires a community-wide effort, not the work of a single person or group. I spoke to various agencies around Asheville about what can and is being done to address the problem. New technology at APD, better affordable housing options, and groups designed to build community, resilience, and trust have all been put into motion.  

Read the full article here.

“It’s going to be two years, and my son’s killer is still out there on the run.”

— Javelin Duncan, mother who lost her son to gun violence

Local Entrepreneurs Pitch Business Plans During Annual Mountain Raise

Mountain Xpress – 22 Nov. 2022

In the tradition of a barn raising, Mountain BizWorks of Asheville, NC hosts an annual Mountain Raise event meant to bring together community member, investors, and local businesses. This year seven companies were invited to pitch plans to a sold-out crowd at Pleb Urban Winery. 

Read the full article here. 

“We’re talking to a room full of allies.”

— Luke Peniston, co-founder of North Cove Leisure Club

LA Freelancer Honored for ‘Dedication under Extreme Threat’

Voice of America – 10 Nov. 2022

Recovering from injuries sustained while covering protests, Cerise Castle began investigating something that had intrigued her since childhood: gangs within the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department. She went on to publish a 15-part series on the topic and was recently awarded an IWMF Courage Award for her work. 

Read the full article here.

“I wanted to get to the bottom of something that intrigued me since I was a child and is also speaking to this moment that we are in in the country, really interrogating our relationship with police, what we think of police, and what the role of police should be.” 

— Cerise Castle, LA based freelance reporter

APD and Local Retailers Team Up to Fight Shoplifting

Mountain Xpress – 10 Nov. 2022

With the number of shoplifting reports on the rise, Asheville Police Department organized two special operations that led to more than 50 arrests from suspects targeting big-box stores along Tunnel Road. Meanwhile, small businesses have gotten creative with theft prevention. 

Read the full article here.

“You think it’s just a little pack of gum. Well, if it’s gum today, what’s it going to be tomorrow?”

— Bill Davis, Public Information Officer, Asheville Police Department

How a Media Nonprofit is Supporting Local Newsrooms in Hiring Diverse Voices

Voice of America – 31 Oct. 2022

Report for the World places early- and mid-career journalists in newsrooms around the world where they provide sustained, in-depth coverage of underreported topics. The News Minute in India was able to take on three reporters who will cover caste, gender, and civil liberties, while a reporter for Atlatszo in Hungary will cover the country’s failing education system. 

Read the full article here.

“When a news organization wants a cause to be highlighted, or a news organization believes that whether it’s feminism or gender or caste is of utmost importance to them, they have to do sustained coverage.” 

— Dhanya Rajendran, co-founder and editor-in-chief for The News Minute in India

 

‘They Just Disappear’: Iran’s Journalists Detained Over Protest Coverage

Voice of America – 30 Oct 2022

After the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died while in police custody, protests erupted in nearly 80 cities across Iran. The Islamic Republic has responded by arresting thousands including 28 journalists who were covering the protests. Many were taken at night by plain clothed agents without arrest warrants, court documents, or formal charges. They have effectively been disappeared. The Committee to Protect Journalists and the Coalition For Women In Journalism are working to keep them visible and to advocate for their release. 

Read the full article here. 

“Essentially Iran wants to stifle the press.”

 — Kiran Nazish, founding director of the Coalition For Women In Journalism

How is Asheville Addressing Panhandling?

Mountain Xpress – 30 Sept 2022

Homelessness in Asheville has increased 21% over the past year. With limited shelter capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions, the number of unsheltered residents has doubled in the same period. Many have resorted to panhandling in an attempt to meet their basic needs. Homeless advocates and city officials discuss laws around panhandling and what the city is doing to address the current crisis. 

Read the full article here. 

“A person who has nothing and is in a desperate place — it’s usually a last resort to do panhandling. … When people get this desperate, it is a sign that there’s something broken systemically.”

— Michael DeSerio, outreach manager at Homeward Bound

Riverfront Commission Hosts Special Session on Water Quality

Mountain Xpress-  9 Sept 2022

Earlier this year, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality added 19 miles of the French Broad River to its list of “impaired” waterways due to high levels of fecal coliform bacteria. A 27% increase in area rainfall and a 13% increase in population have contributed to waterway pollution resulting from stormwater runoff. The Asheville Area Riverfront Redevelopment Commission hosted a special session at New Belgium Brewing Co. to discuss potential solutions. 

Read the full article here.

“The [French Broad] River belongs to no one in particular, so it belongs to all of us. We’re all responsible for what’s happening, good or bad.”

— Anne Keller, member of the Asheville Area Riverfront Redevelopment Commission

Photojournalist Honored for Work Covering Humanity in Times of Crisis

Voice of America – 16 June 2022

Over the course of her 40-year career, veteran photojournalist Paula Bronstein has reported from some of the most dangerous areas in the world. She spent decades capturing the effects of war in Afghanistan and is currently covering the war in Ukraine. She recently received the International Women’s Media Foundation Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award. While on leave in Italy, she spoke to me about her experience in the field, the challenges of the industry, and her love for the profession. 

Read the full article here.

 

 

“I’m a photographer that wants to make sure the world sees what’s going on.”

— Paula Bronstein, award-winning photojournalist

Local Nonprofits Discuss Hiring for Leaders

Mountain Xpress – 16 May 2022

Still adapting to changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, several nonprofits in Asheville were faced with vacancies in high-level leadership positions. I spoke to five nonprofits to find out how they approached the hiring process. Two consultants weighed in about the pros and cons of hiring local vs. bringing in a broader pool of candidates. 

Read the full article here.

“Leadership transition is a huge challenge for any organization and nonprofit. You want to be able to work closely and deliberately on the transition over a period of time.”

–Molly Nicholie, executive director of Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project

BBC Calls out Iran for Escalation in Threats to Staff

Voice of America – 18 Feb. 2022

For many journalists, reporting on Iran is a dangerous job and living abroad doesn’t grant protection or immunity. I spoke to a senior BBC Persian correspondent in London about the tactics of intimidation that have been carried out by Iranian intelligence agents. Instituting travel bans, freezing assets, detaining and kidnapping family members, and, in some cases, murder have all been used in an attempt to silence journalists. 

Read the full article here.

“We have to report the stories. We have to report the news. We have to say what is happening.”

— Kasra Naji, BBC Persian Special Correspondent

 

 

New Publication Seeks to Change Narratives Around Race

Voice of America – 17 Jan. 2022

When The Emancipator was first published in 1820, it was created with an intention that was radical at the time: to abolish slavery in the United States. More than 200 years later, Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research and The Boston Globe are planning a project by the same name. Their objective is just as bold: to end racism. Co-editors-in-chief Deborah Douglas and Amber Payne discuss their vision for the publication. David Bornstein and Trabian Shorters weigh in on the importance of solutions journalism and asset framing. 

Read the full article here.

“Narrative determines identity, it determines our behavior, it determines our beliefs.” 

–David Bornstein, co-founder and CEO Solutions Journalism Network

How Strategic Lawsuits are Used to Silence Journalism

Voice of America – 24 Nov. 2021

A 2020 survey found that 73% of journalists across 41 countries have been threatened with legal action for doing their jobs. Investigative journalists who cover crime and corruption are most at risk of SLAPPS– Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation. While many cases are dismissed in court, the time and resources required to fight the lawsuits are a significant burden. Many experts believe SLAPPS are used deliberately in an attempt to silence journalists. 

Read the full article here. 

“Any journalist who covers a big story involving wealthy people, the first thing that you have to accept is that you are going to get deluged with massively aggressive legal pushback.”

–Clare Rewcastle Brown, founder and editor-in-chief of Sarawak Report

In Belarus, Media Jailing Used as a Tool of Censorship

Voice of America – 16 Nov. 2021

During President Alexander Lukashenko’s 26-year rule over Belarus, hundreds of journalists have faced restrictions, detentions, and imprisonments. The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) reported 480 detentions in 2020 alone. While many journalists were only temporarily detained and prevented from reporting, others have been handed lengthy prison terms. Those detained have reported lack of basic necessities such as showers and bed linens, as well as overcrowding, restricted access to lawyers, and denial of medical care. Journalist Glafira Zhuk shares her experience of imprisonment and exile. 

Read the full article here.

“Belarus has never been free.” 

–Gulnoza Said, Europe and Central Asia program coordinator at Committee to Protect Journalists

Impunity in Online Threats to Journalists a Global Issue

Voice of America – 2 Nov. 2021

A joint report conducted by the International Center for Journalists and UNESCO found that as many as 73% of female journalists around the world have experienced online harassment. Of those, 20% said online threats lead to offline violence. Threats against family, death threats, and rape threats have all been launched against women in an attempt to discourage and intimidate. Those who have reported the harassment are often left unsupported and told to “toughen up.” 

Read the full article here.

“When journalists are killed or intimidated online, or intimidated by the killings of other journalists, it’s one less voice that’s contributing verified, credible information at a time of disinformation and hate speech.” 

–Guy Berger, director of freedom of expression and media development at UNESCO

Iran: A Prison for Free Expression

Voice of America – 29 Oct. 2021

At the end of 2020, at least 15 journalists were imprisoned in Iran. Since 2003, four have died while in custody. Evin Prison has become notorious for holding journalists, activists, and political prisoners accused of being “threats to national security.” In 2021, three members of the Iranian Writers Association were awarded PEN America’s Barbey Freedom to Write award for their continued advocacy on behalf of free expression in Iran. All three were imprisoned in Evin. Since this article was published, Baktash Abtin, writer, poet, filmmaker and Barbey Awardee, died from complications of COVID-19 contracted while in prison.

Read the full article here. 

“Censorship has expanded beyond just arresting and imprisoning journalists; it has expanded so that journalists are censoring themselves to make sure they stay safe … and that is a very dangerous approach.” 

–Yeganeh Rezaian, senior researcher at the Committee to Protect Journalists

Freelance Network Emphasizes Need to Support Journalists on Tough Beats

Voice of America – 15 Oct. 2021

Journalists are exposed to trauma first-hand– while covering breaking news, conflict, and natural disasters– and second-hand– when listening to stories of atrocities. In an industry that values strength and fearlessness, it can be difficult to ask for help. The Rory Peck Trust in partnership with the Dart Centre Europe are working together to provide freelance journalists with the knowledge, resources, and funds needed to address trauma and recovery for themselves and with the populations they serve. Award-winning British-Iranian journalist Sahar Zand discusses her personal experience of trauma as a freelance journalist. 

Read the full article here.

“Due to an increased hostility toward journalists, the front line, as it were, is no longer only the physical war zone of a conflict. That has made it an increasingly dangerous and possibly traumatic occupation.” 

–Clothilde Redfern, director of the Rory Peck Trust

Attack on Romanian Film Crew Reveals Dangers of Environmental Beat

Voice of America – 8 Oct. 2021

Romania is home to one of the largest old-growth forests in Europe, and its multibillion-dollar logging industry is a major source of the country’s revenue. But it has also been susceptible to corruption and crime allegedly tied to the government. In 2020, the European Union, saying Romania was not doing enough to tackle illegal logging or assess environmental impact started, a sanctions process. Romania’s so-called “timber mafia” has taken to protecting its interests through violent attacks against forest rangers, activists and journalists. Independent filmmaker Mihai Dragolea discussed a recent attack where he and other members of his crew were surrounded and threatened by men wielding axes. 

Read the full article here.

“This has been brewing for 30 years and the wood-mafia have become so strong that they are almost impervious.” 

— Mihai Dragolea, independent filmmaker

Cigar Wrapper Tobacco Could Revive Disappearing Tradition

Mountain Xpress – 9 June 2021

Between 1997 and 2012, the number of tobacco farms in Western North Carolina fell by 97%, a decline driven by the Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act of 2004 that paid farmers to stop producing the crop. Over the past few years, area research stations have experimented with growing cigar wrapper tobacco, a crop that requires more care than traditional burley tobacco but can command a larger profit when successful. For some farmers, like Conner Stonbach of Stonbach Farms, growing tobacco is a labor of love, wrapped in tradition and pride. Matthew Vann, tobacco extension specialist and assistant professor at N.C. State University, wants to help farmers like Stonbach carry on the tradition. 

Read the full article here.

“We’re one of the last ones left.” — Conner Stonbach, tobacco farmer

 

Up in Smoke

As a guest on Paul Foster WNCW’s “More to the Story” podcast, affiliated with NPR’s regional Morning Edition, I talked about the benefits and drawbacks of growing cigar wrapper tobacco.  

Listen to the interview here. 

 

Light A Path Helps Incarcerated People Take the Next Step

Mountain Xpress – 14 May 2021

Sybriea Lundy, former high school valedictorian, was sentenced to seven years in prison after a first-time drug offense. The experience, she says, was harrowing and stripped her of all self-esteem. Lundy found help and healing through Asheville-based nonprofit Light A Path, an organization that offers yoga and movement to underserved populations in Western North Carolina. 

Read the full article here.

“I understand it’s [prison’s] not summer camp and we’re not there for being good Girl Scouts, but there has to be a human element to it. The first thing they do when you get there is they strip your name and give you a number. Have we not learned anything?”

— Sybriea Lundy, Light A Path participant

Essays

 

Readers Write: Tattoos

The Sun magazine – May 2023

For The Sun magazine’s May Readers Write theme “tattoos,” I share the motivation, inspiration, and meaning behind my first tattoo. More than just an adornment, the mark is a reminder of survival.  

Read the essay here.

“I wanted a scar, a mark, a reminder that I’d survived.”

 

Doing What We’ve Always Done: Gender Roles and Sexual Assault

#MeToo: Essays About How and Why This Happened, What it Means, and How to Make Sure it Never Happens Again

Riverdale Avenue Books – 2017

I was 31 when a man who I considered a friend attempted to rape me in my own home. When I ran into him months after the incident, he didn’t think he’d done anything wrong. In this essay, published as part of a larger collection, I discuss the way my own experience reflects how gender “norms” have defined our narrative and why they need to change. 

Download for free on Kindle or purchase the paperback version here. 

“We remain silent because in a society where gender inequality still exists, we know speaking out could cost us the advancement we’ve worked hard to get, the reputation we’ve built, the credibility we carry.” 

 

A Short-Lived Life

Longer than Expected: Adulthood after Life-Threatening Childhood Illness, a Wising Up Anthology

Universal Table 

In this essay and interview, I discuss how growing up with an incurable kidney disease changed the way I lived my life.

 

Read the essay and interview here. 

 “I don’t want sympathy and I don’t take my illness as a personal tragedy. There’s nothing to feel sorry for. If anything, I’d want people to be grateful that being born with a disease has taught me so much about living.”

 

How I Learned to Celebrate My Chronic Illness

Elephant Journal 

For most of my twenties and into my thirties, I tried every alternative health treatment I came across– Reiki, Ayurveda, yoga, meditation, Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, eating only raw, vegan food for two years. Although I wasn’t able to find a cure for the kidney disease I was born with, I did eventually find acceptance. 

Read the essay here.

 “I began to realize just how absurd it was to believe I was going to cure myself of something that had been a part of me since birth.”

 

 

My Three-Year-Old Niece Taught Me How to Talk to Strangers

Elephant Journal 

We distract ourselves any number of ways– technology, food, alcohol. It wasn’t until I witnessed my three-year-old niece interact with the world that I realized just how closed off most of us are to human interaction. 

Read the essay here.

“There are no boundaries between her and the world and she shifts effortlessly from one situation to another.” 

 

Sponsored Content

Yoga Quiz: Discover Your Ayurvedic Dosha

Yoga Basics 

Ayurveda is an ancient healing system that uses diet and daily practices to help bring the body into balance and promote good health. In Ayurveda, there are three constitutional principles or doshas– vata, pitta, and kapha– relate to the elements air, fire, and earth; each represents different qualities and correspond to seasons and times of day. Determining your dominant dosha, or primary constitution, can help guide the healing process. 

Take the quiz here.

 

Winter Teas for Yogis to Warm and Balance

Yoga Basics

 

While you might enjoy drinking tea for the taste and experience, tea also energetically and medicinally guards your system against dampness and wards away colds and viruses. Ignite your internal warmth, get your body moving, and drive away cold-weather ills with the right combination of herbs and spices. 

Read the article here.

 

 

Yoga Gift Guide

Yoga Basics

A round-up of the season’s best gifts for yogis of all experience levels. Whether on the go, building a practice, looking to relax, or wanting to accessorize, this guide has something for everyone. 

Find the guide here.

 

 

 

 

 

Grippz Mats: Acupressure Meets Yoga Mat

Yoga Basics

After overcoming her symptoms of Lyme disease with a regular regimen of yoga and acupressure, Katrina Starzhynskaya set out to create a mat that would combine these two healing modalities. Unlike other acupressure mats that are shorter in size and not meant for prolonged use, Grippz Mats are designed to be used during yoga classes.

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Seven Ways to Realign Your Chakras

Yoga Basics

Feel like you’re spinning out of control, stuck in a rut, or bogged down by the blahs? If so, your chakras could be out of balance. The shift in seasons, the cycle of the moon, the weather, personal and world events, and life transitions can all cause the body’s energy centers to become blocked or out of balance. The good news is you don’t have to be a Reiki master to realign the chakras—there are several quick and easy ways to get your “disks of light” whirling again.

Read the article here.