Like millions of people around the world, I gasped when Will Smith got on the stage during the Academy Awards and slapped Chris Rock across the face. This after Chris Rock made fun of Jada Pinkett Smith’s medical condition – alopecia.  As an advocate and mom of a child with diverse needs, I wish I could say this is surprising…

Every time I go grocery shopping, I make sure I thank the cashier for their hard work, ask them how their day is going, and say a kind word. It’s amazing watching how that small interaction changes their body language and energy. Often their shoulders relax, they let out a sigh and their defenses go down. It opens space for…