When Donald Trump shows up for dinner
It’s Saturday evening at Marcie and Steve’s home in suburban Minneapolis and their guests are chatting amiably over dinner. Marcie and Steve are one of my lovely host families in the Twin Cities. The house is as cozy and welcoming as its owners. There’s a white piano...
Trump’s wall, native gardens, immigration and identity
“Native Gardens” is a witty comedy by Karen Zacarías, currently showing at the Guthrie Theater. The well-to-do Butleys, with their manicured lawn and beautiful azaleas, scoff at their new next-door neighbors’ unkempt garden. The new arrivals are Pablo del Valle, a...Veteran investigative reporter John Ullmann teaches us not to get complacent
“Phones off. Put your laptops away. Remember how to take notes? Well, that’s what you’re going to do,” yelled John Ullmann as soon as he walked into the room. My colleagues and I complied like school children who’ve just been admonished by a stern headmaster, switched...
An American Dream: Reflections on the WPI Fellowship
The 2016 WPI Fellows after a meeting at the White House In the glovebox of a Chicago taxi there is a birthday card from Barack Obama. The driver, Kenny, doesn’t stick it to the dash, like the photos of his wife and grandkids. He’s worried someone might tear it...