Celebrating Women's Day
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Hello friends, Today is International Women’s Day. This day began in the US but shifted to an international project in 1911, as a way to uplift women’s rights and demand social and economic change. As you can imagine, women’s global rights in the early 20th century were sorely lacking. During late March of the year IWD was first celebrated, the terrible Triangle Factory Fire happened in New York, giving a stark reminder that the lives of working women were daily at stake. 140 women died—trapped inside the building—as a result of management negligence and lack of safety regulations. Most of them were Italian and Jewish immigrants. During a time when too many people’s rights are under attack, I want to honor all women working hard for themselves, their families, and their communities. I honor women doing labor organizing and community outreach. I honor cis and trans women, immigrant women, stay at home moms, women in the fields, women cleaning bathrooms, women running businesses, women making art… all women. I also honor every single person working for their rights and the rights of others right now. Whether you are a woman, nonbinary, or a man. Whether you labor with your hands, heart, or mind. I hope you find something to celebrate today, and someone to celebrate you. And I hope you are finding solidarity and support, wherever in the world you may be. Best Wishes — Thorn Fantasy Book Lovers: I'm part of this terrific StoryBundle featuring 38 fantasy books from 10 authors. You can get the whole thing for only $30, which is a steal! The bundle also benefits World Central Kitchen who continue to feed people around the globe: Fantasy StoryBundle
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T. Thorn Coyle
Hello friends, I was recently interviewed by Jamie Ferguson of Blackbird Press about my new essay collection: Let Your Life Be Lighting - Creativity in Times of Strife. She posed several questions, asking whether I ever feel discouraged, what to say to people who feel like giving up, and how I create during difficult times. In my answer to that last question, I called up inspiration from human history, and I think this might help you, too: “Think of the poems written, songs sung, clothing...
Hello friends, Happy May! May Day was on Friday. I love this holiday, because it rejoices in two things close to my heart: May Day celebrates the burgeoning growth of spring and sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere. People dance around poles with bright ribbons, and leap fires, and share food, laughter, and song. May Day also honors the Haymarket activists and martyrs who fought for worker’s rights, fair pay, and that little thing we call the weekend. May Day honors the human labor that grows...
Hello friends, “One of the keys of fascism is control of the nation’s narrative…” Social philosopher Kimberlé Crenshaw said that in this recent Guardian article. I’ve long admired Crenshaw’s work, and when I read those words this morning, I thought, “this is why I write.” I write to switch the narrative to something that feels healthier, kinder, and more beautiful. Every creative impulse can be anti-fascist. Every creative act can help heal us, body, heart, mind, and soul. Each creative work...