The Little Things: Edit Letter and TOC

The air we breathe. The water we drink. The soil from which our food grows. The building blocks of life are basic elements, without which we could not survive. It can be easy to forget that — unless pollutants corrode these fundamentals.

Similarly, it is little moments and connections that sustain us. Decades ago, in a novel I was writing, I included an elderly woman who encouraged the young protagonist to spend time every evening recollecting a special moment or lesson from that day. I realized recently that I am doing that myself. Especially in these difficult times, I am chronicling in pictures the happy face of my dog; the wizened, crooked trees on my walking paths; the craft cocktails shared with friends; the colorful people I see at festivals and special events.

At our 40th anniversary celebration on May 1, we celebrated three Badass women who exemplify how little things are big things. Each of the women was profiled in our 2024 storytelling, then selected by vote from our Badass members.

Cherilyn Spears was honored for her work developing a healthy and sovereign food system in Red Lake Nation; she was partly inspired to grow it quickly during the pandemic, after TV dinners had become staples at the local food shelf.

Catherine Squires was recognized for writing a commentary that resonated with thousands of readers nationwide, titled “Stress Among Black Women in Academia.”

Jessica Stabenow Mager was our third honoree. She was bothered by “not in my backyard” backlash about bringing a youth mental health facility into her neighborhood; she told two friends, and they told two friends. A movement was born in support. The facility is now built and open, serving the needs of vulnerable youth.

These are examples of little things that are big things.

In this issue, we explore the role of art, technovation by a middle-school student, prideful celebration, and a “retirement” rooted in bringing integrity to public service. We also feature excerpts from a memoir by nurse Amanda Peterson, about her experiences during the peak of the pandemic. In a year’s time, all but one of her intensive care patients were struggling with COVID.

Her story is a reminder that the air we breathe is a precious resource of life that we share — and that we choose how to protect the interconnected essence of our lives.

Our responsibility as a media platform is to showcase the best of who we are, what we want to build, and how we work to do it together.

“The older I get, the more I’m conscious of ways very small things can make a change in the world. … The world is made up of tiny matters, isn’t it?”

— writer Sandra Cisneros

Ecolution — My Sister Is Exposing Microplastics

Art of Living — Yes, You Can Create Art

Education — Crafting Confidence, One Sewing Machine at a Time

Gender-Based Violence — Improving the First Stop in Trauma Care

Bookshelf — Everybody Just Breathe

LGBTQ+ — Pride in Rural Communities

Elder — What I Have Been Doing in “Retirement”

Home — Soil and Air Matter