Elena Blogs for a Change

                                                          What would you do if you were having trouble finding a safe, accepting place where you felt free to be yourself? Sixteen-year-old Tabby Bellanor decided to create her own, @safebispace, which now has over 80,000 followers on Instagram.     When and why did you start your Instagram page? What was your original vision and mission? Has it evolved?   I started my page on June 10th, 2019, so about a year ago. I started it because I felt alone, to be honest. I was attending a high school that wasn't terribly accepting and I didn't know anyone else who was LGBTQ+ that I felt like I could talk to. I wanted a space where I was free to be me, and free to like who I liked without fear or shame.  I figured maybe other people could use a space li...

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was brutally murdered by Minneapolis police officers. Video of the senseless killing quickly went viral and sparked protests around the world. Below are the thoughtful perspectives of two of my friends, Fatoumata Soumare and Tália Rangel, who have also curated a great list of resources for anyone striving to better understand the issues of racism and police brutality and eager to take meaningful action.   (You also can check out some of my previous posts on criminal justice and racism: Locking Up Our Own ,  Racism in Prisons , Interview with Racial Justice Activist and Author Rinku Sen , and Volunteering at San Quentin ). Thank you, Fatoumata (left) and Tália (right)! INSIGHTS AND RESOURCES from Fatoumata and Tália Police brutality is an issue with a long history and tremendous weight. Having conversations and spreading awareness is important, but it is equally important to be respectful and sensitive to the experie...

Reuters/Robert Galbraith Craig Newmark is best known for founding Craigslist, but he is also a Web pioneer, philanthropist, and advocate. He created Craig Newmark Philanthropies in 2016 to support organizations fighting for trustworthy journalism, voter protection, women in technology, and veterans & military families.  You describe yourself as a nerd. How would you define that term?  In my case, for whatever reasons, I was never socialized, growing up without social skills and oblivious to social norms. Today, I'm only simulating social skills that I really don't have.  (This is the original sense of "nerd", which is different these days.) Why did you start Craigslist? Were you surprised when it turned into a global enterprise and part of the popular culture? Is there anything you wish had happened differently or decisions you wish you could go back and change?  After I started telling people about local events, people asked for more, and I followed t...

Photo by Tanya Rosen-Jones  Steve Silberman is the award-winning author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity. This book is credited for altering the societal conversation about autism by providing a comprehensive history of how our understanding of autism has evolved and deep insight into the cultural change necessary to reach a point where neurodiversity is celebrated. Silberman won the 2015 Samuel Johnson prize for non-fiction, a California Book Award, and a Books for a Better Life award for his work on NeuroTribes. Previously, his writing was featured in publications such as Wired, The New York Times, The New Yorker, the Financial Times, the Boston Globe, and the MIT Technology Review, among many others. Steve Silberman recently announced his next project, a book to be titled A Taste of Salt, which will tell the human stories behind Cystic Fibrosis.  Did you always know you wanted to be a writer and journalist?  When I was in...

Susan Cartsonis (left) with director Elissa Down on the set of Feel the Bea t Susan Cartsonis is a Hollywood producer whose latest company, Resonate Entertainment, is focused on creating outstanding and lucrative films for female audiences. Over the years, she has produced such films as Freaky Friday the Musical (Disney), Carrie Pilby (The Orchard), Deidra and Laney Rob a Train (Netflix), Beastly, The Duff, Aquamarine, No Reservations, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and What Women Want, among many others. Her latest film is a dance movie called Feel the Beat starring Sofia Carson, who is best known for Disney's The Descendants. You’ve always advocated for more female-led films. What motivated you to champion that cause? Why is it important? It’s important for us to see ourselves reflected in the journey of the protagonist of a story. As women we’re very empathic and we identify with male characters but if the central character is a woman, and she has agency and even heroi...