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My seven-year-old is currently obsessed with books, so for the last couple of weeks, I have been trying to cultivate the perfect library for him. While on my hunt for the best books, I found myself in a rabbit hole of books involving children with disabilities. My son, Adam, is Autistic and I find it to be one of the most beautiful things about him, but there are so many stereotypes and stigmas for children with disabilities that make finding the right books, written with good intent, difficult. I recently got Adam two books, When Charley Met Emma by Amy Webb, and I Will Dance by Nancy Bo Flood.  Image Source When Charley met Emma Written By Amy Webb Illustrated by Merrilee Liddiard YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/irLI-gaDdtA?feature=shared Read along or listen along as Ms. Nancy Trush reads out loud When Charley Met Emma, she sits before you reading aloud reminding the audience of story time as a child. Book Summary When Charley Met Emma is a beautifully written story highlighting th

  Image Source Beyond all the glorious videos and photos that Americans are fed, there is a history of animal abuse that is hidden away. It’s obvious to see why most produce marketing teams want us to see beautiful imagery of farm animals free on fields, stereotypical farmers wildly grinning, and joyous animals. America isn’t shown the animal abuse occurring behind closed doors of industrialized factory farms. Kelsey Piper, a writer for Vox’s online forum, details state laws that have been created to keep the cruel abuse of factory farm animals out of the public’s reach. Piper writes passionately, “Several states have passed- and many others have considered – so-called “ag-gag” laws, which criminalize the undercover investigations that reveal abuses on farms. Legislators have been forthright about their motives, too. They’re worried that evidence of what goes on on these farms will outrage Americans – they want to ban it.” Keeping negative imagery of animal welfare out of the public ey

I was a sheltered child, naive to the workings of the world and its people. Generational trauma has had a chokehold on me since I can remember, and not until my spiritual awakening at twenty-one did I come face to face with this internalized demon. I have spent the last five years learning to rewire my brain, break these cycles, and push myself out of my uncomfortable comfort zone. It has been both healing and traumatic to come face-to-face with demons that have controlled my family for so long.  Image Source Generational trauma is defined by health.com as "trauma that extends from one generation to the next- in response to trauma, people belonging to that group develop physical or psychological symptoms." In layman's terms, generational trauma is psychological damage caused by the passing down of traumatic experiences, often by family. Witnessing alcoholism, drug abuse, domestic violence, neglect, and, for the Hispanic community, machismo  are all examples of generation

 "Americans fear only one thing. Inconvenience." Fresh, a documentary directed by Ana Sofia Joanes, released in April of 2009, provides an inside look into the agricultural world often hidden away from Americans. The film discusses the importance of changing the farming community to support farmers, the environment, and consumers. This film highlights the value of sustainable farming and enriching everyday consumers with the knowledge behind their produce. This film captivated me, but beyond that, the film pushed me to further research what my family and I consume daily.  Joel Salatin   Image Source Joel Salatin Sustainable Farmer located in Swoope, Virginia Did I fall in love with Joel Salatin and want to immediately pack my bags and move to his farm? Yes, and yes.  Joel Salatin is a generational farmer practicing sustainable farming. His philosophy is simple: let animals be animals, and you will reap the following benefits. His personality shines through this documentary; h