Medicaid cuts, system accountability, and the quiet work of holding care together. Mikelle’s life works because of her team—the steady, intelligent, creative, and caring women who show up every day and make it possible for her to live a full and meaningful life in her community. The other morning, I sat at the kitchen table […]
Change The winds of change have arrived this March, along with summer temperatures. Out here in Colorado, we know something about change. From the weather to the headlines, it seems everything is changing and probably is where you live, too. A clear morning can turn into a towering thunderstorm by afternoon. The sky darkens without
When the Budget Tightens: I remember those that came before me. Read More »
And, still laughing. There’s a particular kind of laughter that shows up when people have lived through enough systems change to know two things at once: that the work matters deeply—and that taking ourselves too seriously won’t get us very far. That spirit framed our recent conversation with Cary Griffin, a longtime leader and truth-teller
Still Working. Still Believing. Still Building Opportunity. Read More »
And Still, We Begin I don’t know about you, but I have mixed feelings about the start of a new year. Some years feel like an adventure waiting to happen. Mikelle may have opportunities just over the horizon—new ideas, new connections, new ways to grow her work and her life in
And, Still We Begin…again. Read More »
A Holiday Reflection Inspired by Senator Kim’s First Speech This week, newly elected Senator Andy Kim from New Jersey stepped onto the Senate floor for the first time—and instead of policy talking points, he spoke about the personal and financial cost of caregiving. It landed like truth ringing across a chamber that rarely hears it.
When Caregiving Becomes the Nation’s Blind Spot Read More »
Every November, when National Family Caregivers Month rolls around, I feel a familiar tug in my heart. It’s a mix of gratitude, exhaustion, pride, and—if I’m honest—a little worry about what lies ahead. Because caregiving isn’t abstract for us.It’s daily. It’s personal.It’s the rhythm of our home. As many of you know, my daughter Mikelle
Behind the Care: Families, Employment & the Hidden Cost of Possible Budget Cuts Read More »
Disruption The shelves may look full for now, but beneath the bright grocery store lights lies a quiet unease. The latest government shutdown has done more than disrupt programs and delay paychecks — it has shaken the safety net so many Americans, especially people with disabilities, rely on to make it through the month. I
When Compassion Feels in Short Supply: The Human Cost of a Government Shutdown Read More »
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)—Mikelle has been working since she was sixteen, and every year we recommit to creating inclusive opportunities for her work to shine. For us at The Shining Beautiful Series, every month feels like NDEAM because employment is woven into the fabric of Mikelle’s life. For her, the money
Mikelle’s Employment Journey—One Bracelet, One Podcast, One Dream at a Time Read More »
Be Ready September came and went with its quiet reminder: be ready. The world seems to tilt a little more each year—storms stronger, systems shakier, power grids less reliable. So, Mikelle and I decided it was time to do more than talk about preparedness; we became, as she likes to say with a grin, “a
Lessons from September’s Emergency Preparedness Month. Read More »
It is Oct 1, 2025—another government shutdown. In the quiet hours before dawn, when the world still clings to hope, a mother sits on her porch, coffee growing cold, wondering: How will we manage tomorrow? For families like mine — families of disability, of high stakes, of fragile structures held together by resolve — the
