A quick glance at the headlines any given morning probably gives all of us a similar feeling: powerlessness.
Just this week, gas prices have skyrocketed (again), the GOP held a midterm convention where they threw thirsttrap photos of Hasan Piker on the Jumbotron, Heather Cox Richardson unlocked a new level of fascist hell in her most recent Substack, and an Anthropic researcher quit, warning that “[t]he people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade.”
Hey there, Secular FAM! Have I mentioned lately how much I love public libraries? OUR public libraries? Since becoming a grandmother, I am once again a regular at OUR local libraries. No matter where you live in the Valley, a local PUBLIC library exists somewhere nearby.
I’m nostalgic for kindness, decency, and empathy. I’m a child of the 70s, and Fred Rogers and Kermit the Frog set the tone of my childhood. I remember when Mr. Hooper died, and the cast of Sesame Street turned it into a lesson about death and grieving. I remember when Mr. Rogers shared his pool with the Black police officer, Officer Clemmons.
Now these two examples of just being a decent fucking human being would be considered “woke” by many.
And what a Pride month I’ve had so far! I started off in Mohave County for their annual Pride event, and took a much needed road trip in solitude. My friend created an incredible playlist for me, and I wondered at the majesty of the Redwood Forest and the Oregon Coast.
Hey there, Secular FAM and happy summer! It’s graduation season, and Pride month is right around the corner. Kids are out of school, and if you’re anything like me, you try to hit the road once the Phoenix metro area hits triple digits and hightail it outta Dodge.
That’s just what I did, and this past weekend, I spent Saturday in Kingman Arizona for their weekend Pride event. Apparently, this is their SIXTH annual Pride event, and there were dozens of vendors and organizations tabling at the event. There was a DJ, a stage, multiple performers, and crafts for all ages.
Last week, I shared an update about the goings-on of Peoria Unified School District (PUSD). A special meeting was requested by members of the governing board asking for the board to consider voting for new leadership. Continue reading →
Well, well, well, Secular FAM! I’m not usually one to celebrate on Cinco de Mayo since it’s a very manufactured excuse for (mostly white) people to drink tequila, but this Tuesday, May 5th, 2026, I may just need to celebrate with a giant margarita! Why, you ask?
There is a special meeting happening in Peoria (PUSD) tonight that will decide if PUSD governing board President Heather Rooks will lose her leadership role that she just secured a few short months ago.
Last night, I put a reminder on my phone, telling me to watch the entire video of President Obama and NYC Mayor, Zohran Mamdani reading and singing to a preschool class somewhere in New York. I had seen a few clips of it, and even sent some to my daughter to show to my grandson since they sang one of his favorite, absolute BANGERS, “The Wheels on the Bus.”
Hey Secular FAM! The world is moving at lightning speed, so today I’m leaning into that vibe.
I celebrated my fourth anniversary with Secular AZ at the end of last year, and I swear, this spring has been the busiest on record. This year, Secular AZ has been at dozens of in-person street fairs, festivals, and home tours, tracked hundreds of bills, spoken at countless events, and collaborated with stakeholder groups in Arizona and nationally. We also do our best to track the most problematic governing bodies in the state, like the PUSD governing board and the Mohave County Board of Supervisors.
Every year, we get a year further away from memory, and not just our personal memories, but our collective memory. Turns out, in an individualistic society, we struggle to share more than just our toys, there are those among us who deny our collective memories.
Hey hey, Secular FAM! 2025 is almost in the rearview mirror, and I for one cannot wait to let the figurative door hit it in its ass. I’ve been bidding an aggressive adieu to every single year since 2016, but this year of our lordT, 2025, can really go f*ck itself.
