Archive for National Society of Newspaper Columnists

Visit to The Civil Rights Institute: Choosing Humanity Over Otherness

Today America is in the midst of a tectonic shift regarding money, culture, and a fear of outsiders. Fifty-six years ago, these same issues divided our country. At the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) in Alabama, I came face-to-face with past laws that justified abuse and oppression to Black American citizens. For today’s younger generations, […]

Unicorn sighting: politician who loves journalists

Unicorn sighting: Imagine a former member of the U. S. House of Representatives who embraces the Fourth Estate and finds journalists vital.  Below is the kind of no-nonsense, straight talk from Lee Hamilton who now serves as Director of the Center on Congress at Indiana University.  His talk was aimed at columnists who attended the […]

Columnists in Indiana – What Suzette the Tourist Saw

Clearly, Hoosiers are a can-do people. Returning from the annual meeting of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists held in Indiana (June 25-28),  I feel rejuvenated with writing purpose.  Indianapolis itself is a warm and welcoming city, full of memorable sites, and I’m lucky I had a chance to visit. That’s the beauty of local […]

When Stand up Comedy and Column Writing Meet

Life is an unexpected ride. I’m a columnist who presents writing workshops, maybe the occasional keynote.  But standup comedy? Terrifying! I am not that gal. Or am I? On a lark I did a Story Slam recently. The theme was “Believe it or Not” and in the five minutes allowed, I shared a funny version […]