Every Man, Woman and Child (& Every Living Soul): The Original Musical Presentation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights came out on December 10th, 2022 the 75th Anniversary of the UDHR…. …with my name on the cover! I had the honor of telling the story of this groundbreaking community musical project by composer Merrill […]
Category: How Illuminating.
#MillsMade
Maybe you’ve heard about the ill-concieved merger, um AGGRESSIVE CORPORATE ACQUISITION of Mills College? I’ve been working with various groups in the Mills Rebel Alliance to fight this insult and injury to women’s rights, LBGTQIA protection, cultural arts and women’s history, since the first lie came out in March, 2021: “We’re broke.” On July 1, […]
Pandemic Poetry Page
Poetry is pouring out of this pandemic and seeping into my screen. This vivid blast of creativity and vision has been a lifeline of hope amidst the uncertainty and anxiety. I’m collecting some highlights on this page. First out of the gate was Lockdown by Father Richard Hendrick. The next thing on my radar was […]
Handwashing & Heartmath
Before you read this…take a moment and breathe. Place your hand over your chest area, near your heart. Breathe slowly into the area for about a minute, focusing on a sense of ease entering your mind and body. By the end of this article you’ll know why I suggest this… Back in January, when the […]
Lois Lane Interviews Authors: Kristen Caven on “The Souls of Her Feet”
This interview with Cristina Deptula of Authors, Large and Small appeared today on Medium: What about the Cinderella story resonates with you? Why did you rewrite it? Cinderella has this mysterious hold on the psyche. We resent its messages but on the other hand we adore them. It’s a story about ascendancy from a low […]
Mending After Malaria ~ a friendly fundraiser
You know that story, about the guy on the beach throwing starfish back into the ocean after a storm? And how the writer of the story asks him, “How can it matter, one starfish at a time, with so many who are stranded?” And the guy tosses another back and says, “It mattered to this […]
“This changed my life” —Oprah learns about ACEs and Trauma-informed care
Re-posted from ACEs Connection & ACES Too High… “Don’t ask ‘what’s wrong with you.’ Ask, ‘what happened to you.’” I watched the Oprah segment with my mother, Dr. Louise Hart, who heard Dr. Vincent Felitti speak about the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences Study ten years ago. At that time, she asked him, “What is being done […]
“Black Music Matters” Dance Party Playshop 2/25/18
There is a goosebump moment I enjoy, in my life, on a regular basis: when I lead the song “Waka Waka” in my Zumba classes, and a room full of old folks of European and Asian descent raise their arms reverently at the end as Shakira says “We are all Africa.” The same thing happens […]
The Flourishing Artist
Greek philosophers defined happiness as the joy you feel when moving towards your highest potential. The Flourishing Artist Creative Growth Activator combines seminars, creative retreats, speakers & workshops, coaching & consulting, convivia, and creative partnerships in a community of art and wellness in an inspiring Oakland retreat. I created The Flourishing Artist to unite my artistic career with my work teaching […]
My Sexy Decrepitude
Like the rest of the world, I always assumed that being an old lady meant being shocked if not downright disapproving about sex. Boy, was I surprised when life served up a rejuvenating adventure and broke the news, in the the most delicious way, that a woman of any age can feel like a teenager at heart. […]
The Flourishing Artist LAUNCH!
This summer, I am thrilled to present a new creative effort that goes to another level. It’s not theater, it’s not literature, it’s not a performance: it’s YOU. I woke up one morning and realized the people who are most attracted to my literary works and death-defying creative efforts are the coolest people in the world. […]
On Mack Trucks and Magical Thinking
It’s Earth Day 2017 and I’m not marching; I’m meditating. As President Twit and his handlers summarily and systematically dismantle decades of incremental progress forward, we have all been struck with a feeling of violent unreality. It’s been like being hit, in slow motion, by a Mack Truck. And I know, because that happened to me. […]