by Rochelle Melander We imagine that writing and making art is easy. Sometimes it is. An idea hits us and we execute it with ease. But that’s very rare. In fact, making art can be hard. In his book, Several short sentences about writing, Verlyn Klinkenborg writes, “It’s hard work, and it’s been hard work...Read More

by Rochelle Melander “Oppression cannot be fought without the power of community. In order to solve problems, we have to work together. Many youth who are working to end child marriage know this.” —Sonita Alizadeh Frustrated with economic hardship, unemployment, class struggles, and political extremism, an artist established a union of artists to fight fascism....Read More

by Rochelle Melander “Art is my cure to all this madness, sadness, and loss of belonging in the world and through it I’ll walk myself home.”― Nikki Rowe It’s been a week. Between worrying about whether we’ll be able to afford health care next year and watching the horrific videos of demolition claws tearing down...Read More

by Rochelle Melander When Charles Darwin published On the Origin of the Species in 1859, the library at Trinity College, Cambridge—where Darwin had attended college—banned his book immediately. In 2019, On the Origin of the Species was named the most influential banned book of all time. That’s an amazing legacy, considering Darwin came close to...Read More

by Rochelle Melander Purpose encouraged Martin Luther King, Jr., in his fight against injustice. In 1963, when Black people protested segregation in Birmingham, Alabama, they were often attacked by members of law enforcement. Baptist minister and Civil Rights Activist Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. participated in a Good Friday march, protested this brutal treatment...Read More