Why I'm Running
This Isn’t the America My Father Died For
Op-Ed, originally published in the Chattanooga Times Free Press February 13, 2017 A long time ago,...
10 Things About Me
I’m a progressive candidate running to represent District 26 in the Tennessee House of...
Why I’m Running: The Hero
I don’t remember my dad, but he was my hero. Dad was a med-evac pilot in Vietnam. He was shot down...
From the Campaign Trail
Tall Tales
On conspiracy theories and public schools Local attorneys Warren & Griffin kindly let me hang...
Serenity Now
Turn off the news. Keep chipping away. They say all politics is local, and it sure feels that way...
The Honor System
A little story about trust and public service A couple of months ago, a retired Hamilton County...
Reproductive Rights
No Excuse for Ignorance
Last week the Washington Post ran a cover story about Allie Phillips, the Clarksville mom who had...
Reflections on the 2023 Women’s March, from the front line
If you’re a progressive woman in Tennessee, maybe you participated in your local women’s march on...
Lose Your GPS—And Go There
I’m navigationally challenged, so last week I gave myself an extra half hour to canvass Fairfax...
Health Care
Democratic Policies Save Lives
“In an ideal world, politics and health would be independent of each other and it wouldn’t matter...
Governed by the Cheese Touch
If you were in elementary school in 2007 or you had a child in elementary school in 2007—I fall...
Familiar Story
What if someone offered you $20 billion? What if, by taking that money, you could help 350,000...
Gun Safety
Mad Moms > The Gun Industry
Since last year’s mass shooting in Nashville, the Covenant School moms have been front and center...
Video Evidence
Plenty of viral videos came out of last year’s special legislative session on gun violence, where...
Mind Your Manners
After the Kansas City shooting—the latest chapter in a uniquely American story of anguish and...
Public Education
“Well, I’m a teacher . . . so.”
I get that response a lot (usually accompanied by an apologetic shrug) when I’m knocking doors in...
Book Banners Don’t Tread Lightly
Back in April, when the debate on school book bans was sweeping the country, a survey of...
The Briefest Book Ban Ever
When I was a little kid, a family friend gave me a hardback copy of James and the Giant Peach. My...
Economy
Bad Faith
Governor Bill Lee tweeted out something interesting last year: “Government isn’t the answer to the...
Home Depot and Hamster Wheels
Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus, the billionaire Republican donor, claims that “socialism” has...
Tennesseans: How Conservative Are You?
Op-Ed, Chattanooga Times Free Press Here's a question for every Tennessean: Do you consider...
Democracy
Who’s “Fringe” Again?
Last year when Gloria Johnson announced she was running for Marsha Blackburn’s US Senate seat, the...
Take an Extra Day, Nonzombies
It’s been obvious for quite some time that we’re at risk of losing our democracy, and that a lot...
Fly Your Flag
Happy Flag Day! A lot of folks who support the guy who tried to overthrow the US government will...