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Message from the Spirits

By Loretta Carpio Carr There’s something about autumn’s darkness and chill that causes us to close ranks and seek shelter from the still melancholy of another year coming to an end. The festive Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are ahead, but the period between summer’s finale... Continue

My aunt Carmen died of Covid. I miss her. 

By Loretta Susan Carr -- “Hello, Susan? It’s Carmen. Call me back.” That message is saved on my answering machine, and when I can bear to hear her voice again, I will push “play” and get ready to cry. Carmen was my dear aunt, my... Continue

Fear, stress, and determination as the new school year begins

Thumbing through Sunday’s newspaper, I came upon the Target advertising insert headlined “Great Deals on School Items!” featuring clothes, lunch boxes, backpacks, pencils, markers, binders, items which in the past had stirred up excitement and anticipation of a new school year with new subjects to... Continue

Terror from within and the minority divide

It’s true that as we get older, a melancholy can set in when we are faced with the loss of family and friends as well as our own diminishing physical or mental vitality. Add to this the current socio-political climate of hate and violence, and... Continue

A case of Pan Dulce culture shock

By Loretta Carpio Carr On a recent stop for gas, I went into the adjacent convenience store to buy a bottle of water and a couple of snacks for my drive down to the San Joaquin Valley.  As I browsed the aisles of Cheetos and... Continue

Passing the torch

In the late 1960’s the world was in turmoil, much as it is today. American’s youth propelled the anti-war movement, marched for civil rights and women’s rights, and formed groups that sought to establish unity and self-determination. One such group was MEChA, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano... Continue

I have a dream, too

Borrowing from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s inspirational declaration, I have a dream for an effective, supportive, secure, and happy school environment for our community’s children. Despite setbacks of the past, I think it’s possible if we take an honest look at the student population... Continue

Wisdom of the ancestors

During the particularly tense night of October 11, I received a phone call from one of my Oaxacan friends. She was watching news reports of the Northern California fires and wanted to know if I was all right. After we had discussed the number and... Continue

Views from a train

I just returned from a solo 18-hour Amtrak train trip to Washington state to visit family, and I’m still processing a number of thoughts and experiences. The first lesson I learned is to reserve a private sleeper compartment next time for a trip that long.... Continue
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