I’ve Always Been the Haggler in My Family. During the Pandemic, It Saved Us.
Co-published with Esquire. The financial crunch of COVID turned one man's bartering with customer service representatives into a matter of survival.
In the Pandemic, Cooking Connected Me to My Ancestors
Co-published with Catapult. I could almost sense them beside me, as if the spattered index cards they’d left behind had come to life.
How the Alabama-Coushatta Use Fire to Save the Longleaf Pine
Co-published with Texas Observer. In an ecosystem that needs fire to flourish, the actions of the tribe could decide the future of the longleaf pine.
For Years, I’ve Tried To Work My Way Back Into the Middle Class
Co-published with MIT Technology Review. What I’ve learned: self-acceptance is the first difficult step.
Out of Money and Exhausted
Co-published with The American Prospect. A vicious cycle of sleeplessness and financial deprivation persists in low-income communities during the pandemic.
Weights and Measures
Co-published with Believer Magazine. I’ve managed to keep the lights on, but I flinch every time they flicker.
Nomen Est Omen
Co-published with Believer Magazine. In low-income communities, a nickname becomes a means to combat hardship — and an avenue for reinvention.
A Trip to the Nail Salon With Missing Fingers
Co-published with Allure. Getting your talons done should be soothing, but for me, it also comes with a bolt of initial dread.
My Marriage Was Broken. The Coronavirus Lockdown Saved It.
Co-published with HuffPost. We were so broke we broke up. Then a deadly disease broke the markets and brought us back together.
How Quarantine Made Us Fall Back in Love With Talking on the Phone
Co-published with The Daily Beast. Online life during quarantine can feel like too much Zooming. Alongside other retro pleasures, the magic talisman of the moment is …
Failing to Address Millennial Concerns Could Cost Democrats the Election
Co-published with The Los Angeles Times. Millennial voters will play a key role in this election, since if they stay at home, Democrats are likely to …
The Dignity of the Thrift Store
Co-published with Dame Magazine. During the season of abundance, one writer reflects on the days when bargain-hunting was a necessity for survival—and finds solace in the …