Over the moon to be a featured writer selected by Hanif Abdurraqib for the 2025 edition of The Year’s Best Sports Writing! Honored to be in such talented company.

😂

triple if a family w four kids, incl a toddler, are climbing on the treadmill next to yours--while oblivious dad w headphones lifts weights nearby. (yeah, this happened to me.)

My daughter, during remission, smiling on the beach

This was my girl two years ago today. Sunny, joyful remission days. Remembering that summer is always fuel to keep going, to keep celebrating Zoe’s life.
#bereavement #fuckcancer

Troops and marines deeply troubled by LA deployment: ‘Morale is not great’ Several service members told advocacy groups they felt like pawns in a political game and assignment was not necessary

i am not being pollyannish when i insist that the people who sign up do not sign up to advance a president’s domestic political agenda www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Traveling Abroad as a Bereaved Mom The First Mother’s Day Without Zoe

Writing this post was hard, but healing. Thank you in advance for checking it out. Wishing all who celebrate a wonderful Mother's Day.
open.substack.com/pub/lisawill...

Black Girl, Blue Leotard: How My Ticket to Belonging Broke My Heart Lisa’s dance uniform was everything. She cherished it, wore it everywhere. Until, that is, she took a new dance class where she felt inferior and started to see things in a different light.

"Black Girl, Blue Leotard: How My Ticket to Belonging Broke My Heart," my Grand Prize winning essay is out in Narratively now. Super proud of this one. Hope you enjoy it. www.narratively.com/p/black-girl...

Opinion | Trump’s Lust for Power Cannot Be Satiated The tariff saga is just the latest example of the president’s urge to dominate.

Thank you, @jamellebouie.net for getting at the true heart of things so clearly once again. If you read nothing else about #tariffs today.
The Tariff Saga Is About One Thing www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/o...

Venturing back into life after losing my daughter. Writing to process and make meaning of it all. Likely the first of many Substack posts devoted to healing and growing as I live in her honor.

open.substack.com/pub/lisawill...

The cost of these programs means this is not about saving money, just more wanton destruction.

Promotional graphic with bold white text on a blue background reading "SEEKING AUTHORS." Below, a 3D-rendered book titled Survivor Stories features a cover illustration of a boat caught in towering, stylized waves. On the left, three checkmarks highlight acceptable story types: "Narrative Nonfiction," "Fiction," and "Based on a True Story." On the right, text states that the challenge is issued by Ulysses Press and Ready Chapter 1. A call-to-action at the bottom reads, "Join the challenge @ readychapter1.com/SURVIVOR."

Just heard from my pals @1booknerd.bsky.social & Sarah McGuire that they've partnered w/Ulysses Press to help them find debut authors. Free #SurvivorChallenge runs Mar.15-Jun.30. Submission can be for any age group. Details & how to enter:

readychapter1.com/survivor-sto... #WriterSky #KidLit

I believe the right knows (on some level) that DEI efforts ELEVATE MERIT that would not otherwise be recognized. Why else would it scare them so? Why else would they prioritize blocking language that even suggests it, rather than focus on, say, climate science, medical research, healthcare ...?

Why am I not the least bit shocked? Elections have consequences and here is yet another.

Dancing Leg Kicks GIF ALT: Dancing Leg Kicks GIF

Missing from today's #nytspellingbee
@spellingbee-play.bsky.social @nytgames.bsky.social
There is no hyphen.

I did read that. So discouraging.

Well said!

Thank you!!

I am so sorry for your loss, Roxane.

Meet the Grand Prize Winner of Narratively’s 2024 Memoir Prize! We received over 600 moving submissions for this year's contest, so narrowing it down to a few was a challenge. After much deliberation, we're thrilled to announce our winners.

Thank you Narratively and this year's Memoir Prize Judge, @jamiattenberg.bsky.social for choosing my essay, "Black Girl, Blue Leotard," as the Grand Prize Winner. Beyond honored! (Sharing essay soon.)
Meet the Grand Prize Winner of Narratively’s 2024 Memoir Prize! www.narratively.com/p/meet-the-g...

Pretty much. Another reason to make clips like this go viral. "You're supposed to take care of your own kind, but--but now you're treating us like those other people!"

NEW: Senator Marshall (R-KS) RUNS AWAY, fleeing his own town hall after being asked about DOGE firing Veterans. MAKE HIM GO VIRAL.

Pennsylvania is the proud home to over 150,000 Ukrainian and Ukrainian American people. Some have planted roots here for generations - and tens of thousands are here to find safety after fleeing Vladimir Putin's aggression. I know they, along with countless other Pennsylvanians, watched in shock as the President and Vice President berated President Zelenskyy and advanced Russia's propaganda directly from the White House. The Oval Office should be a place where we advance American values — not where we retreat from them. When the President and Vice President attacked President Zelenskyy today, they served to undermine the safety and security of America and our national security interests. I support a diplomatic end to this war. Achieving this requires an honest reckoning of who started the war and who the aggressor is, and to that question, there is only one answer: Russia. In a matter of just a few weeks, the Trump-Vance Administration has alienated many of our allies and is seemingly trying to take us from being the leader of the free world to a hemispheric power, signaling to our friends in Europe that they are on their own. Friends and adversaries elsewhere are taking notice. That is weakness that does not serve the interests of freedom and liberty, and it will create a more dangerous world. Strong leaders stand with their allies and they stand on their principles - and I believe we must continue to advocate for the values of freedom and liberty, not cower to dangerous dictators like Vladimir Putin. Governor Josh Shapiro

Shout out of gratitude for Governor Josh Shapiro👏🏻

Immediately released the following statement condemning everyone in the Oval Office who stood by or participated in the horrific treatment of a world leader and hero: President Zelensky

This American stands with Ukraine 🇺🇦

#SlavaUkraini #NAFO

As an out of state (NJ resident), wondering whether it is helpful for me to encourage my network to donate to Valimont and Weil's campaigns to narrow the GOP majority. I can't find any recent polls. What are their chances?

He would rather we all re-direct our coddling toward those poor, demoralized and oh-so-competent white men.

This exactly.

Pentagon announces it plans to fire 5-8% of civilian workforce | CNN Politics The Pentagon announced Friday it plans to ultimately fire five to eight percent of the military’s approximately 950,000 civilian employees, with an initial tranche of 5,400 probationary workers who do...

How does firing Americans help make America great again? Cutting 5-8% of the workers is unproductive and harmful to our economy and society. This is just simply reckless and unsustainable.

www.cnn.com/2025/02/21/p...

USDA accidentally fired officials working on bird flu and is now trying to rehire them An Agriculture Department spokesperson told NBC News that officials are "working to swiftly rectify the situation."

This story can't be repeated enough. The GOP is lined up behind the guy who is so incompetent that his quasi-gov't agency did this. They're confirming his highly questionable nominees & hurting the American people.

And "accidentally"? It was stupidity, not accident. www.nbcnews.com/politics/dog...

Pretty much.