Look! A professional photo to establish trust and credibility!
**INTROS**
I’m a 47 year-old, perimenopausal, recently-divorced mom of three school-aged kids. I’ve spent most of my life in Texas, but my family heralds from South Louisiana, y’all — hence, all the sass and fun and good cooking.
Recently, I moved my fam to the Sacramento area (loving it) for access to majestic nature, creative professionals, good schools for the kiddos, and to escape the rising tide of evangelical, Christo-fascistic theocracy taking root in Texas that fills me with a deep, powerful rage.
With a degree from The University of Texas Austin in Government (shout out, class of 2000!) and a year abroad in Strasbourg, France with The University of Syracuse, I started a budding career as an international geopolitical analyst AND DID FAIRLY WELL.
Alas, the onslaught of patriarchal assaults combined with trauma leftovers from a toxic childhood railroaded me into shedding any sense of self and handing my power right over to — yes, you guess it — a man...
After which, I withered as a stay-at-home mom in the tempestuous seas of a turbulent marriage. In the kindest words possible, it was unsustainable.
The Agentic Feminine is the crowning achievement of my Return to Self. Return to my Sacred Divine. A reclamation of my power and potential.
I will never give them away again.
**SUPERPOWERS**
(My unique alchemy of
innate talent and interest)
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Irrepressible fascination with sociopolitical/socioeconomic power infrastructures.
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Creative/compassionate/spirited writing and speaking.
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Relentless drive to analyze the most effective, yet unrecognized, strategies for cultural change and the alleviation of suffering.
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The power and fierceness of a devoted single mother to get shit done.
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While also protecting my peace, preventing burnout, honoring my needs and wants and encouraging others to do so as well.
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Lover of a good time and a good nap.
**SPACEMAKER**STORYTELLER**
As an analytical creative, I believe telling our stories is fundamental to alleviating suffering, divesting from oppressive power structures, and regaining our agency.
Translating the timeless thread of the human existence -- more specifically, the existence of those of us socialized as female -- by sharing our experiences authentically is imperative to our own Rewilding *AND* helping others on the journey back to themselves.
My specific mediums are writing, speaking, and community building.
Holding space.
Having conversation.
Bearing witness.
So women see bits of their glorious selves in my story and feel the freedom to unleash their authentic essence. Find the safety to return to themselves and reclaim their own peace and power.
As more women journey toward their forgotten, Untamable Wild...
...destructive/suppressive/oppressive structures built upon the desecration of the Sacred Woman, cannot survive. They cannot remain as their lifeblood -- the self-abandonment of women -- drains from their desiccated carcasses, their remains crumbling, withering to dust.
And we'll dance the whole time.
**Videos of Interest
In this video, I deliver a speech before my children’s school board in Richardson (Dallas), Texas September 2021, as the Delta variant of Covid was raging through schools, urging them to keep with mask mandate in place. I finished and walked out amidst snickers and sneers from the right-wing, Covid-denying, anti-masking crowd who were defying the masking requirement in the room at the time.
The school board voted to uphold the mask mandate for a few more months, despite fierce opposition, likely saving lives.
This video is from a news interview with a local Dallas, Texas station about the fact that the school board rescinded the mask mandate while Omicron was tearing through the community.
After a week without the mandate, Covid numbers skyrocketed, forcing some schools in the district to close entirely — the school district reimplemented the mask mandate for three weeks until Omicron numbers declined.
This episode of history is a major reason I moved my family to California.
**Tidbits of Interest
ESTRADA
OUT!
The one time a piece I wrote ACCIDENTALLY resulted in the ousting of the leader of the Philippines, as described by The Austin Chronicle in their Sept. 14, 2001 article: "Is Knowledge Power? Austin-based Stratfor Attempt to Make Smart Money on Global Intelligence."
NOTE: Prior to the change of my surname following my marriage, my surname was "Doherty." Also, I am the person on the right in the lead photo speaking. So, so glad they chose an open-mouthed photo of me.
**One day, I'll write a Piratical Vagenda post about this episode because it was surreal.
Blogs from the BEFORE TIMES (written prior to my divorce):
In February of 2020, I was determined to get back into writing, come hell or high-water.
Well, hell came just a month later.
I was able to persist and post a few pieces on Medium as the maelstrom of the pandemic invaded every aspect of my life and I was alone, with my kids 6, 8, and 10 in a house for months and months. The little writing I was able to produce, I'm quite proud of. That was a woman deeply hurting.
These are those pieces (there are 21 in total, so I'll be adding more as I have time):
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"I'm So Scared to Write" -- February 6, 2020
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"Last Criticism of Iowa" -- February 7, 2020
**AND MORE COMING SOON!