Susan Dickson-Smith

I just began a new fantasy series: The Great Library, by Rachel Caine.

First book is called Ink & Bone. Alternative reality about what the world might have become if the Library of Alexandria hadn’t been destroyed. When knowledge is power, who controls human knowledge, and how much control is too much?

Gripping stuff, so far!

Let’s Talk Books! meets next Tuesday, Dec 11, from 5:30-7. Bring nibbles or food if you would like some. We may have a few goodies to share as well.

The theme for December was “Women’s Studies.”

We each pick our own book, read it, and share a brief [8-10 min] creative presentation about the book we read.

Books may be fiction [any genre] or…[Read more]

I had a lovely conversation yesterday about how private conversations can bridge the gaps between communities of people.

It is too easy to become entrenched in seeing people as “all this” or “all that.” “If they are of this political party, then they must believe only that.”

But human beings are infinitely more complex than simply binary labels…[Read more]

Fashion & Jewelry:  Decontie & Brown. http://www.decontiebrown.com/

Flutes:  Hawk Henries. https://hawkhenries.com/

Basketry: Geo Soctomah Neptune. https://www.facebook.com/GeoNeptuneBaskets/

https://www.themainemag.com/people/geo-soctomah-neptune/

Sierra Henries. https://www.facebook.com/SHBirchArt/

Upcoming Basket Festival at UMain…[Read more]

We briefly touched on the fact that Skowhegan is the last remaining school in Maine with an “Indian” mascot. Here are some links for deeper consideration:

Skowhegan last Maine school to hold on to Indian imagery, Doug Harlow, CentralMaine.com. June…[Read more]

Referring back to our conversation on Dawnland, we briefly looked at testimony from the Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth & Reconciliation Commission Archive .

Specifically, we considered several paragraphs of testimony from Dawn Neptune…[Read more]

What follows are some of the links we looked at and/or discussed on this topic:

We watched and discussed this short film about Winnipeg, Canada and the responses of Indigenous People there: healing group visits to exploited neighborhoods; citizen patrols; and dragging the Red River looking for evidence and bodies.
Canada’s Missing and Murdered…[Read more]

Nov 3 2018

What a moving evening watching the documentary film, Dawnland, and discussing it later with June Sapiel and Jim and a group of about 15 people.

In our document folder [see right sidebar], you will find an instructional guide about the film with further resources for study.

http://dawnland.org/

Hi. I’m going to set up links by topic areas where possible.

Please do feel free to add links, post documents, or simply write your thoughts about the things we are seeing and learning.

In our face-to-face conversations, I sometimes leave moments for quiet reflection.

We are unlearning and learning. This is challenging work. I’m so glad we…[Read more]