Poetic Veteran

The Strength of Allyship (Reflection)

The truth is that allies are just as essential, if not more important, than the beliefs we have the courage to stand on. Principles...

Growth Requires a Seat at the Table (Reflection)

Adult conversations require something many of us struggle with in today’s climate: the willingness to listen as much as we speak. They require patience...

Letters from War (Poetry)

Now the warzones live online, inside timelines and whispers, inside comment sections where gossip gets passed around like candy to children too young to understand the...

Pride, Protection, and the People Who Helped Me Survive

Pride Month has always carried layered emotions for me because the celebration itself was born from resistance. Before corporate logos changed colors for thirty...

Military boots covered in mud on wet ground during training

An Open Letter to my Recruiters and Drill Sergeants

At a time when I was still fighting internally, still trying to understand who I was and what I stood for, you helped redirect...

Pointe Noire (Film Recommendation)

What also stands out is the film’s cultural texture. Quebec filmmakers often bring a flavor to cinema that Hollywood struggles to replicate because their...

People holding candles and rainbow flags in a park during a community vigil titled 'LOVE IS LOVE'

When Safe Spaces Become Targets: A Veteran’s Reflection on Hate, Fear, and the Fight for Humanity (Essay)

The reality is this: fear spreads faster than understanding when people stop seeing one another as human beings first. We are watching division become...

People holding a rainbow-colored LGBTQ banner at a Pride parade with flags and signs promoting equality and love

Running Isn’t the Same as Hiding (Essay)

But intimate partner violence is only one piece of the storm cloud. Family environments and childhood experiences shape LGBTQ+ mental health long before adulthood...