Chlorpyrifos is a toxic pesticide that is commonly used in conventional agriculture and widely found on fruits and vegetables. Pediatricians and children’s health experts worry about exposure to chlorpyrifos (and other chemicals in the pesticide class known as organophosphates) because it is a...

"Whether you were present at Standing Rock or watched on electronic screens around the world, we all felt that energy— we experienced our oneness”

Like many people, a week ago I was feeling pretty down about the state of racial justice and just basic humanity in the United States. But then something happened. In response to the hate and violence displayed in Charlottesville, hundreds of Durhamites came together for a huge vigil on Sunday night. Many friends of mine posted pictures and powerful testimonials to the collective love they felt gathered together. But I also noticed that some activists had less satisfied responses, including frustration that the mostly-white event marginalized voices of color and those with more radical tactics. Much of that frustration fed into a Monday demonstration, which had already been planned to take place in front of Durham's old courthouse, where there was a confederate monument with an inscription to "the boys who wore gray."

Recently I went to a local Modern Quilt Guild’s meeting. It was a “sit’n’sew” meeting, meaning women can sew together for 5 hours, with no other distractions. Boy, did I love the sound of that, just me, my sewing machine, and new quilting friends. As I sat and listened at the beginning of the...