My Cardboard Balcony

Wow. Wow. A lot has happened in the past week. To begin, I have been working to promote and donate to funds to support the protests against the murder of George Floyd and to support the Black Lives Matter movement. If you're a Facebook friend of mine, please look at my Timeline for those links and pages. Today was also the last class of the semester. I got to host a final Zoom call with each of my classes, and I was happy to see my students. I will miss them dearly, and I wish I could have had more time to work with them in person and on campus. They have learned valuable skills during this pandemic, and I'm so grateful to have supported them and helped them in their education. Tonight, OK Zoomer did a reading of These Shining Lives, based on the historical radium girls. I'm not gonna lie: I cried while reading my character's last monologue. It is such a beautiful play, and Melanie Marnich did an incredible job on it. Seriously,  you can read it here.  Do it. I im...

A Birthday Haiku by Belinda Roddie I don't know about you, but my best bro José's feeling thirty-two.

Choose Your Protester Class! by Belinda Roddie I'm a bard and support caster. Don't be an NPC.

My Son's Girlfriend by Belinda Roddie There's a cat who visits Binx. Her name is Lynx.

My Two Moms by Belinda Roddie My name is Binx and I'm a cat I have two moms and that is that They give me treats and play with me so I'm as happy as can be My first mom is the best to cuddle When she's in bed I like to snuggle She lets me walk upon her desk I love my first mom She's the best My second mom is kind of weird They sing me songs and draw on beards But they give pets and treats galore I love them, too They are adorbs My two moms love each other, too they always repeat, "I love you" They kiss and then they dote on me So we're a lovely family My name is Binx I am a cat I have two moms and that is that They are the best and they love me so I'm as happy as can be!

Take To The Streets by Belinda Roddie No justice, no peace. I cannot stress that enough, people. Portland Bridge (Burnside) 9 minutes of protestors laying face down and hands behind back 6/02/2020 📸 Andrew Julius Wallner

Black Privilege by Crystal Valentine On Evaluating Black Privilege. Black privilege is the hung elephant swinging in the room, Is the memory of a slave ship, Praying for the Alzheimer’s to kick in. Black privilege is me having already memorized my nephew’s eulogy, My brother’s eulogy, My father’s eulogy, My unconceived child’s eulogy. Black privilege is me thinking my sister’s name, Safe from that list. Black privilege is me pretending like I know Trayvon Martin on a first name basis, Is me using a dead boy’s name to win a poetry slam, Is me carrying a mouthful of other people’s skeletons To use at my own convenience. Black privilege is the concrete that holds my breath better than my lungs do. Black privilege is always having to be the strong one, Is having a crowbar for a spine, Is fighting even when you have no more blood to give, Even when your bones carried you, Even when your mother prayed for you, Even after they prepared your body for the funeral. Black privilege is being so...