I believe the role of universities is to educate students with a holistic understanding of our world, and a critical eye questioning the status quo. When it comes to AI and ethics, that means acknowledging difficult and frequently terrifying realities.
The Generalife Gardens of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. This May, Patrick and I visited his parents, who were living in Cordoba, Spain for the semester. It was a delightful trip, and our hearts were warmed with Andalusian soul food and red wine, cafe culture, and the relaxation of being in a country that prioritizes …
On our walk back from the cemetery, I noticed a small, lovely market. We hadn't eaten much that day (pain au raisin and café au lait for me) so we stopped to see what looked good. The weather was fine that day, and we had a free late afternoon, so I suggested we buy some bread, cheese, vegetables, olives, and wine, and have a picnic!
Nowa Provincja, a cafe in Krakow where I met Polish students for English lessons back in 2011. “Ok, now bring your left leg to the front - circle your ankle,” I told three elementary-school age girls facing me, standing on one leg in a park. It was a beautiful mid-August day. The temperature was in …
Continue reading Summer work and the circular nature of life
There are few experiences that define my haphazard years living abroad more than taking a night train. 5-hour border-delays, accidentally missing my stop, waking up to discover there is someone new in my compartment, and making friends in the bar car at 2am all mark my experiences of this well-worn traveler's adventure. This past November …
I took a week-long trip to Cuba last month! It was a fantastic adventure, which I originally wrote for the fabulous travel-writer Charish Badzinski's blog, The Rollerbag Goddess Global Communications. Here's the piece in all of it's rum-soaked and diesel-fueled glory: Adventures in communism and vulnerability May, 2019 I jolted awake in the passenger seat …
The Pope & Bishops are in the news a lot this week. So let's bring it back to the survivors & outsiders. Their courage brought systemic abuse into the light. My follow-up piece to Roy Bourgeois' profile was published yesterday: Read the full piece, here: Outsiders help the church grow Here's an excerpt & main …
It's always a good day when you get to interview one of your heroes! Roy Bourgeois has devoted his life to fighting injustice, and ultimately, it got him excommunicated from the Catholic Church. It only made him more interesting. Check out my interview with Roy published on Patheos blog Sick Pilgrim!: Advocacy and Exile: Roy …
My take on why everyone should read Chris Hedges and get enough sleep at night: Chris Hedges’ prophetic voice has been profoundly influential in the way I view the world. His work aims to affirm the dignity of all living things, shine light on illusions and carry the glow of love through unimaginable terror. His …
I created this book with images I made from around the world for my two sweet nephews in 2017. It was a year when I worked at a high-paced immigration coalition, and was regularly answering media calls to comment on President Trump's anti-immigrant executive orders and legislative nightmares, pull together major press conferences, put spokespeople …
Sophie Vodvarka Chicago-Based Freelance Writer 