It’s been a while. I’ve been busy and when I have had time to sit down and write, somehow I find my mind drifting to other things with nothing left to trickle from my fingertips. But Thursday was the first really gorgeous day of the year, and it was a day that made me feel like just about anything was possible, so here I am.

The last month has been full of changes. I slowly quit just about all of my writing gigs and downright abandoned this space here for far too long. I was sad to leave MamaPop; so many current and former writers are truly my blogging tribe, but I think the door is always open there should I determine I need more weekly time with the Real Housewives. I’m also cutting back on my shifts at the kitchen shop; I absolutely love working there and being around people who are really into food, so I want to stay on as long as I can. I just don’t have as much time, especially during the day, any more.

The tiny flicker of our school is starting to catch fire. We have a building, and we have an office up and running. We have actual students enrolled. Families believe in what we’re doing enough that they’re willing to trust us with their child’s education. We’re hiring teachers–exciting, talented, passionate teachers. And, most importantly, we have a neighborhood.

Friends who’ve been close to this process know I was in love with a building in Tower Grove South that didn’t work out for us due to circumstances beyond our control. Our Plan B was a temporary fix; an old Lutheran school sitting empty just two blocks north of Arsenal on the corner of Pestalozzi and South Grand. We can stay here for two years; hopefully we’ll outgrow it after that, and we’ll move to our permanent home. But I can already say with certainty that I hope we move somewhere close. We’re so lucky to be a part of the South Grand neighborhood.

We know our student population is going to be incredibly diverse. Our neighborhood is mixed-income and pocketed with thriving immigrant communities: Bosnian, Hispanic, Nepalese, Bhutanese, and Vietnamese, to name a few. Our office window overlooks Tower Grove Park. Within walking distance is sushi, Vietnamese, Thai, Afghan, Mediterranean, a diner, Italian, and Middle Eastern restaurants. There is a public library six blocks away. Health clinics. Churches. International markets. A bookstore. We are part of a real, thriving, diverse community.

I keep saying “we”, because I’ve accepted a position with our school. Two weeks ago, I started working on a contract basis with the school. I have a desk and keys to the building. My “stuff” is there: my files and professional books and such. As of last Thursday’s  board meeting, I am officially working as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction of South City Prep. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to get to continue the work I’ve been doing for over a year, but with an actual paycheck. Since then, I’ve spent a ton of time doing staffing. Processing resumes and moving forward (or not) through the hiring process is really time-intensive. We’ve had a very wide pool–no surprise due to the economy and the fact that almost every district is laying off teachers–but that pool has been much deeper than I initially thought it would be. I’ve talked to so many amazing people I would be privileged to work with.

Speaking of community, I am humbled by the outpouring of support we’ve had from our friends and family and even strangers who are just behind what we’re trying to do. Those aren’t just words. Our trivia night, which is the first fundraiser we’ve done, sold out in less than two weeks–without us even needing to put out the flier that Iron Stef designed for us. We’re at capacity for the venue. Almost all of our needs for the event have been graciously donated by friends, including so much from the food and restaurant industry here in town. Someone donated all staff and office furniture for the school. Another person donated tons of copies of Office. Organizations have approached us to provide our after-school and school break child care/enrichment needs at no cost. Over a dozen people came and canvassed businesses for us on a Sunday, an event that Jaelithe organized. My good friend Meghan has designed all our promotional materials. Other friends have graciously donated their time for whatever we need. Literally, multiple friends have said “I’m broke, but put me to work”. Friends volunteered to paint classrooms after construction. Another friend volunteered to paint a giant crest for our entryway. A work colleague wants to teach our kids how to cook and garden. All of our PR has been donated by Nick Sargent at Standing Partnership, who has taken us on as a pro-bono client. It’s just so fucking fantastic to have people believe in what we are doing enough to contribute, and my faith in humanity has been restored by the generosity of St Louisians.

Listen, I know this post makes me sound like I’ve turned downright optimistic. Where’s the outraged, pissy, sarcastic KBO of yore? Oh, she’s still here. Trust me. And my “boss” is down with the B-L-O-G because he’s also down with the Constitution. But I feel good. I feel like this is what I’m supposed to be doing right now. I feel like I did “before” depression. So in the face of asshole politicians kicking democracy in the nuts here and abroad, I’m choosing to celebrate the democracy we’re exercising by starting this badly-needed school. I’m sure I’ll rail against the patriarchy, evil corporations, religious zealots, and pretty much everyone else trying to keep the middle and working classes down again soon, but for now, I feel good.

Last week, a team from SCP, including myself, visited three high-performing charter schools in the New Orleans area. Because of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans has a huge charter school populations. More than half of their public schools are charters. We saw some downright awe-inspiring schools getting incredible results, and I left feeling really inspired and motivated about what’s to do to get ready to educate kids.

I have learned so much through this process, particularly during our visits to high-performing schools.  I’ve seen, over and over in our visits, programming implemented the right way, with all stakeholders intensely-committed to educating kids.  I’d seen bits and pieces tried elsewhere, never with the dramatic results these schools are getting. I’m completely rethinking how I think we educate teachers. Before, I knew that we were doing it wrong, but I didn’t know exactly how I would train teachers differently.  This is something I could expound on at length but I’ll still stand by what I’ve said before, which is that it should absolutely be harder to become a teacher. I’ll also say these schools weren’t perfect, but there’s a lot we can learn and play with when designing programming for our school.

While in New Orleans, also got to scout some eatin’, and I would highly recommend Cochon if you are in New Orleans. We had an outstanding meal that surpassed my expectations, and I would undoubtedly visit again when I return to the city. You should go there if you get the chance. It’s a great place for people really into food to take their less-adventurous friends and have a meal that satisfies everyone. Totally approachable food that was still exciting.

Unrelated to anything serious, I’m a finalist for the RFT’s Web Awards in the category of Best Personal Blog. I’m going to lose to up against my friend and fellow Church of Burger Priestess Stef Pollack of fantastic The Cupcake Project. So many of my friends are up for awards, which makes me a member of the cool nerds, I guess.

Thank you so much to whomever nominated me, unless this is some weird elaborate prank to humiliate me, like on Carrie. Because if it is, me and my dirty pillows will have no problem sourcing heritage-breed pig blood that I can and will telepathically hurl at my would-be humiliators. I also still have a pig head. So, basically, JUST TRY ME.

Check back next week to see if I “win” or not. I hope, like all situations I find myself in, it involves a giant check.

I’m taking a J-Term class, the second-to-last elective I have in my program.  It’s on Paulo Freire, possibly the most important critical pedagogue who ever lived. My professor is an expert on him, and he’s incredibly intelligent. This means his classes are quite heavy on reading and theory–well over 800 pages for the month-long course. This also means I’ll be traveling north for two weekends this month.

We also have a grant application due at the end of the month for desperately-needed pre-operation money for the charter school, which we’ll need to have done well before that in order to revise after receiving appropriate feedback. We’re going to New Orleans for three days to visit high-performing charter schools.

I’m also writing five paid blogs posts per week and working at Kitchen Conservatory.

In short: I’m stressed.

I write this because this is my way of telling everyone I know “no”. I won’t be going out except for a very few pre-scheduled activities. I can’t do lunch. I can’t do coffee. I can’t grab a drink. If it’s not on my calendar as of right this second, it’s not happening. I’m not saying this to act self-important or snobby. I’m doing this because I have to put my head down and get shit done, and I can’t apologize for it. I just have to do it.

So I’ll probably be even more scarce around here than usual. I’ll be scarce everywhere except my couch, the library, and whatever coffee shop in which I’m working. But I still love you. I still love this space. But IS BIDNESS TIMEZ NAO. And I literally don’t have time to have a Jessie Spano-esque breakdown.

Send coffee. And cheese. See you in February.

Did you read the Vanity Fair article “Sarah Palin: The Sound and the Fury“? This article bummed the hell out of me. Not because Sarah Palin is a corrupt, greedy, power-hungry, Machiavellian, sociopath of the first order. I already knew that. But because people are still thinking she’s relevant and somehow has something of substance to offer our nation and are embracing her anti-intellectual posturing while simultaneously lining her pockets with PAC money for giving canned speeches. Wake up, Palinites: she wants to stay folksy so you’ll stay stupid enough to keep giving her money for doing nothing.

I’m frustrated that the right wants to subscribe to the “screaming banshee” method of discourse, seeing who can interrupt more and shout irrelevant talking points louder instead of actually backing up assertions with logic, facts, and rational thought. I’m disillusioned that Glenn Beck and his ilk are going after “social justice” as some kind of code word for tyrranical kitten killing as opposed to dismantling systemic oppression perpetrated by wealthy white men for ten thousand years. I’m disillusioned that education of any type other than homeschooling or private religious education is portrayed as indoctrination into socialism and unworthy of any funding at all while at the same time denigrating what education can and does do for citizens of this country. I’m pissed off that those on the right who have brains and intelligence have been shut out of discussions of what could be bipartisan solutions to our country’s myriad problems in the name of the screaming banshees. I’m really fucking sick of tea party nutjobs acting as though they have sole claim to “liberty” and “patriotism” while they conveniently ignore those parts of the Constitution that don’t serve their agenda, all while propping up this document most of them have never read.

If you think I’m exaggerating, you must not live in a city where the tea party gets a disproportionate amount of coverage in the local news.

I’m also sick of those attempting to turn this country into a theocracy through a combination of legislated religious dogma and downright bigotry. I have no interest in becoming a handmaid, and it is downright shameful that in 2010, citizens of this country are legally discriminated against and lack the same civil rights as the hegemony, hiding behind YET ANOTHER document, this time scripture, that they pick and choose to use based on their desires.

I’m tired of a ideological strategy that involves being so fucking ridiculous that the other side bangs their collective heads against a wall until they are unconscious, or at least too dazed to wade through arguments not based in reality. I’m tired of smug talking heads being deliberately obtuse in order to stick to their message, spouting the party line while wearing a shit-eating grin and playing an only-slightly more sophisticated version of I Know You Are But What Am I.

I’m disillusioned because one of my Canadian friends told me they (and by “they”, I mean Canadians in general) think our whole country must be high since Sarah Palin continues to be relevant. Worst high ever, let me tell you, if that’s true.

And, most of all, I’m pissed that being on the ground, working for positive change in our communities, has little-to-no impact on the local and national dialogue. If the people doing the real work in this country, trying to fix our schools, our health care, and our communities were the people doing talking heads on CNN, instead of pundits looking for ratings or career politicians seeking reelection or insanely lucrative work in the private sector after they’ve used and abused America, this country might look different. Hell, I’m pissed at how many of my so-called progressive friends aren’t doing shit to make our world a better place besides maybe giving money to this campaign or that.

Fuck this shit, I'm going to DC. Time to take back sanity.

]]> http://southcityconfidential.com/2010/09/22/599/feed/ 11 http://southcityconfidential.com/2010/09/14/kickball-aging-and-a-stream-of-semi-consciousness/ http://southcityconfidential.com/2010/09/14/kickball-aging-and-a-stream-of-semi-consciousness/#comments Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:06:08 +0000 KBO http://southcityconfidential.com/?p=586 New readers may not know that I play kickball for Team Awesome, a motley crew of Busch-swilling hardcore fans and the various people associated with them, including most of my St Louis girlfriends at one point or another. We used to be pretty good, but we’re old now. We even have team members who have kids and bring strollers and such to games. We’re losing our edge, I tell you, although there’s still plenty of mid-game smoking, boss tunes as at-bat anthems, and jorts-wearing. One dude wears manpris. We won’t discuss it. In any event, I know it’s a lame hipster whatever, but we have a good time and I fool myself into thinking it’s exercise. Except it becomes exercise sometimes.

The fall season started Saturday, and I was woefully unprepared. We only had five women during the first game so we all had to play the whole first game and most of us played the whole second game. And I didn’t run or stretch before the games because I was wrangling Neko, trying to get her comfortable with large group situations. Ten years ago, warming up was for suckers and grandmas. In 2010, at age 30, it’s crucial. You wouldn’t think that you would do, like, actual physical activity, but I played first base the whole time and we scored lots of runs both games, so I had to run more than these lungs are used to. That night, after our doubleheader, a bunch of us were drinking beer and eating tacos at Rev Em’s house and we were already creeping around like we had all run a marathon that day. So I knew I was in trouble.

Fun fact: I minored in exercise science in college. Strange combo, the English major/ex-sci minor. In fact, I was the last one, because they discontinued the minor after I declared it and I was grandfathered in. ANYWAY, that means that on Sunday, when I woke up stiff and sore, feeling like a ball crumpled up tinfoil, I was fully aware that Monday would be worse because of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, or DOMS, which is basically the idea that the lactic acid buildup in your muscles (that which causes you to feel sore) is at its worst 48 hours after a workout. Considering that Sunday I felt like I’d gone ten rounds with Leila Ali, Monday called for a visit to a chiropractor, a masseuse, and maybe a professional stretcher. I heard Dara Torres had a full-time professional stretcher in her entourage and she won a bunch of Olympic medals at, like, 40. Clearly I need both an entourage and a personal stretcher in said entourage. I would also like KDiddy in my entourage as my spiritual guide and life color-commentator. Since I’m broke, none of these things happened. I had to settle for Neko walking on my head at 6:30 AM which, no offense, DID NOT DO THE TRICK. STILL FEEL LIKE AN OLD LADY.

So here it is, Tuesday, and Neko is at the vet getting her ladybits altered, so I am probably going to take this opportunity to do some much-needed stretching of the body. I’ve been stretching my mind like whoa lately, what with reading the lyrics to “Party in the USA” on video and watching reality television. NOT REALLY, I’ve been hard at work on charter school stuff, my fall class (Biography and Leadership…Genghis Khan bio that’s a snoozer of epic proportions thus far), and trying to devour several works of fiction while I have the appetite for them. Are you my friend on Goodreads? You should be if you are not, unless you only read crap books or are a crazy stalker, in which case, disregard that invitation.

Speaking of children’s games commandeered by adults sports, I owned at fake football this week, winning both of my matches, one a veritable ass-kicking of my husband, the likes of which I may never experience again, so let me own it a bit, will you? And, I must point out that my beloved #9 Iowa Hawkeyes kicked the shit out of cross-state rivals the Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday and I even got to watch the game here in St Louis, AND the Hawks game against Arizona (gay marriage vs immigrant rights?) will be on ESPN so Hawkeye Nation is slowly creeping south.

Anyway, I’m off to go stretch. It will hurt and yet feel oh-so-good. I reckon I’ll be just easing off the pain when Saturday rolls around again.

So, what’s reminding YOU that you’re aging?

Chris threw me a super-fun party for my birthday at Saratoga Lanes in Maplewood. It’s the oldest bowling alley west of the Mississippi, a second-floor joint with eight lanes (hand scoring) and lots of room for food, boozing, pool, and watching the World Cup final, which was less-than-exciting. And, of course, bowling. Many of my friends came and I thought we had a blast. Thanks to all who came out and rolled.

In addition:

• Our charter school had our review with the Mayor’s Advisory Panel Wednesday, and it went really, really well. I didn’t even make any wiener jokes. One member of the panel (who is the superintendent of one of the largest and most lauded districts in the state–where Chris works) said our curriculum and instruction plan was the best he’s seen from a charter. Things are starting to move, and hopefully we’ll have a facility finalized by the end of September, if things go as planned.
• You probably think I forgot about hardwood floors part 2, but oh, ho, ho, no sir. We just haven’t even stained yet. Maybe tonight. Things have been crazy around here, and if we wait any longer, the floors are going to be stained with two solid coats of dog pee and then where will we be?
• If you are in St Louis and you blog and have a vagina (or wish you did), come to our Pre-BlogHer meetup. I can’t say for sure, but a little bird told me there may be swag from Metamucil. Iron Stef says that digestive health is important at any age. Anyway, details are at that link, and please do RSVP. I highly recommend you come if only to try Schlafly’s AIPA if you haven’t already. It is so choice.
• So! Remember when I was flying Southwest and the flight attendant said not nice things about liberals and Spanish-speakers? And I got some canned replies from Southwest with a “we’re sorry if you were offended, but we’re just having fun!” non-apology? This week, I got a real, not-canned, e-mail apologizing in a pretty sincere way and acknowledging that maybe I was right to be offended. Plus a $150 travel voucher. So we’re all squared up, and I salute Southwest for how they handled it in the end. Honestly, I wasn’t out to get anything free. I just wanted them to know that that type of noise isn’t okay, and I think they got the message and I’ll continue to fly them.
• It’s so, so, so hot in St Louis. There’s no point in showering. Once you step outside, you’re damp from head to toe. Obviously, this means my friends and I should go camping this weekend. We went in this kind of weather last year and it was actually pretty fun. We even had a fire and didn’t melt into the backwoods of Iron County. The key is that we’ll spend the entire day Saturday at the lake in the state park where we camp watching mothers in jorts yell at their Dakotas and MacKynzies and Mercedeseseseses to put down the cigarette butts that wash up on shore. It’s like People of WalMart, but at the beach. Floating cooler for the win. Thank you to everyone today on Twitter who suggested syringes for getting vodka into Capri Suns. I’m sure someone at the beach  will have a few we can borrow.

While you are at it, check out my piece on that piece of shit Mel Gibson over at MamaPop, as well as my piece about the upcoming film adaptation of The Help. And, come back Monday, because I HAVE SECRETS.

After a trip to the Mac Store, my worst fears were realized: RIP, hard drive. No data recovery possible. HUZZAH! While they installed the new drive, I went to Sephora and bought one of those acne skin care sets and lip gloss to make myself feel better. I never retail therapy, but the loss of my hard drive prompted me to do so. I hope someone I know saw me, at the mall, buying myself zit medicine for my 30th birthday and unsuccessfully trying hard not to cry because my hard drive crashed. Even I would have made fun of myself. I hope my mom is proud.

So I stayed up late, trying to work on my paper. My professor said I could have a few days, but that’s a slippery slope with me, especially since Sunday is the World Cup final. And, ahem, my 30th birthday. So I’m planning on working today, flying to Minneapolis, going to class, then working tonight and tomorrow morning. Wish me luck. This class ends this weekend, so hopefully life will return to somewhat normal after that.

In case you missed it, check out my stuff elsewhere this week:

• At Draft Day Suit, The German Soccer Coach Needs Home Training
• At MamaPop, Party Down’s Last Hurrah: Take That, Vanity Fair
• At MamaPop, Don’t Front. You Totally Cried At Bethenny Frankel’s Wedding.

It was a leetle tight pretty much everywhere and the girls decided they wanted to be part of the interview, too, but luckily I had a modest cardigan to keep things classy. Whether it was my spectacular ability to resemble sausage casing or just the sheer awesomeness of both our plan and interview, we must have done something right, because South City Prep just got its first funding. 30K, y’all.

I’m thinking I should change my kickball at-bat song back to this (NSFW).

I was disappointed to find out that our grants don’t come as giant checks. Would it kill them to make a giant check?

Right now, we are really, really close to finishing the document we’ll submit to the Mayor’s Office, DESE, and for the second planning grant worth a cool $220K. This involves creating a budget, outlining our vision for the school, preliminary curriculum planning, picking methods of assessment, designing a professional development framework, and various other “big picture” ideas. Once that document is submitted, we’ll start putting that plan into action. We’ll spend part of our first grant visiting model urban charter schools in Chicago, Houston, and Boston. We’ll start looking for additional board members and a facility, establish relationships with community members, continue refining our curriculum, and start a marketing campaign to recruit both students and teachers. While we do that, our plan slowly quits being just that and starts being real, meaning we start hammering out the nitty gritty of schooling 200 tweens in a way that guarantees that every single last student graduates on time and heads towards college.

I’m scared fucking shitless.  I mean, thinking about it keeps me up at night, even though we won’t open for over a year. I keep having random, relatively-unimportant-for-where-we-are thoughts, like “Oh, all our kids have to get library cards.  And watches,” or “We need walkie-talkies.” It’s well and good to have a plan, but then we actually have to make it happen. I mean, think of all the things that have to happen to make our dream a successful reality.  We’ve got to find amazing teachers, they have to want to work their asses off, and we have to do everything we can to support them so they want to continue working at our school.. In addition to stuff like, oh, finding a building and getting it to be the environment we need for our kids, we’ve got to create and execute a curriculum that will get all kids on grade level in reading and math by the time they enter high school, plus accommodate special needs students, plus challenge gifted students, plus engaged disengaged students. That’s the bare minimum our curriculum must do. Plus, we’ve got to make it culturally relevant. Plus we have to train teachers to teach in a rigorous, culturally-relevant way. Plus, we have to teach critical thinking skills. And cooperation skills. And academic skills. And media literacy skills. We have to identify and purchase curriculum in the areas where it is appropriate. We have to find a food provider for breakfast and lunch. We have to identify and cultivate relationships with community groups that can help support our mission. We have to reach out to families to forget positive relationships before the school opens. We’ve got to recruit enough students to make the school fiscally viable. We have to figure out what kind of technology we need and how we’ll maintain it. We need to have focus groups with families to determine how our school can serve their children. We need to find a way to bring social service agencies into our school to provide services for our students, like vision testing, hearing testing, basic health care, and translation services for non-English speaking families. We have to expand our board. We have to fundraise. We have to create a long-term development plan.  We have to figure out an information management system. We have to figure out how to get kids to school on time. We have to plan bus routes. We have to plan for inclement weather. We have to figure out how many teachers we can afford and how big classes will be because of that. We have to order furniture. We have to pick uniforms and uniform suppliers. We have to figure out how students who can’t afford them will get uniforms. I mean, THE NEVERENDING LIST GOES ON and it gives me insomnia. Dude.

Guess I better get back to work.

When I left my job helping unqualified people become underwhelming teachers (I KID, at least five of them were competent. Ashley, you’re one of them), I went to work with a friend, helping her with the small business she owned. When I started working with her, we set a three-month trial period, at the end of which either of us could withdraw from the arrangement, no hard feelings.  Unfortunately, due to a really crappy economy, she really couldn’t afford to keep me after three and a half months, which I expected. Therefore, as of Friday, I have no substantive incoming coming in regularly.

Which kind of sucks.

The Good News:

I have a fallback: I can teach. However, one generally doesn’t find teaching jobs in February, at least not for current employment. If I decide to go back into the classroom, overwhelming odds are it won’t be until August.

I was reading about this new film Lemonade, about advertising professionals out of work due to the shiteous economy, and how many viewed unemployment as an opportunity to pursue real creative projects. And I thought to myself, I’ve many times dreamt about various aspirations that I continually postponed to “when I have time”.

And now I have time. It’s about all the currency I have right now.

I’m still in school; two classes this semester, as well as snail-like inching towards the start of my dissertation process. This will be my Project #1, my main focus. But in the last two months or so, several opportunities have kind of floated my way that are leading to me inevitably taking tangible steps to make some of my  until-now only hypothetical plans come to fruition.

First, my friends introduced me to their neighbor, who is also in education and was in the beginning stages of starting a charter school here in St Louis.  He and I met for coffee, talked shop, and I decided to join his small team of individuals committed to founding a college preparatory middle/high charter school here in South City. We’ve been busy thinking, planning, and writing applications for both grants and various steps of the approval process. In just a few weeks of work, I’ve already learned so much about how the charter school process works and exactly what goes into each aspect of starting an institution.

I have ideological issues with charter schools, namely that they take resources away from public schools and also allow public officials to ignore the desperate need for public school improvement in cities just like St Louis. Unfortunately, there seems to be no end in sight to the problems plaguing the SLPS, not to mention the fact that their elected board has no power, and kids need good schools now, so this is why I decided to become involved in the project. So, yeah, project #2: I’m starting a school.

I was also asked to join a young professionals (snort…see introductory paragraph where I lose main source of income) board for Safe Connections, an amazing, well-established non-profit here in St Louis that provides various programs and services about and for victims of domestic violence.  We’ll be having a few happy hour-type events here in St Louis and I’ll be blogging about those events, as well as the work Safe Connections does, in the near future. Project #3.

Finally, I recently became friends with a couple our age who’ve turned their modest home into a working farmstead, complete with crops, livestock, and bees, all less than three miles from our house. Because of our shared interest, Justin from Yellow Tree Farm and I have been plotting and scheming, and we’re collaborating on a new venture. We will be putting in kitchen gardens at a few restaurants around town. We’ve got a few people we’re already working with, and we’re in the midst of planting and planning. Truth be told, Justin knows so much more than me about growing food, so I’m over the moon about how much I can learn from working with him and being around what he and Danielle have already done. Chris is excited because I won’t try to get him to talk about seeds and garden planning all the time. Win for everyone. Project #4.

And, of course, I’ll still be working on the blogs and Novice Foodie.

So while I’ll be incredibly broke, I’ll be incredibly busy doing things I’m passionate about. I’m feeling pretty lucky.

I first read his most famous book, A People’s History of the United States, in college. This book was pivotal to my own radicalization; it was the first major work I read that questioned history as it was presented to me in school.  I learned from Zinn that there are multiple sides to every story, and the story is told most often is probably the story of the oppressors. I learned from Zinn to question institutions and authority. He will continue to be one of my intellectual heroes.

We were not born critical of existing society. There was a moment in our lives (or a month, or a year) when certain facts appeared before us, startled us, and then caused us to question beliefs that were strongly fixed in our consciousness – embedded there by years of family prejudices, orthodox schooling, imbibing of newspapers, radio, and television.
– Howard Zinn, “Changing Minds, One at a Time”, in: The Progressive magazine, March 2005