Why Kamala Harris Should Be The Next President of the U.S.A.

Portrait of Vice President Kamala Harris by artist Oscar Vance
V.P. Kamala Harris. Artwork by Oscar Vance, Copyright 2024

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Why Kamala Harris Should Be the Next President of the United States

As we look toward the future, Kamala Harris represents a unique and powerful choice for America’s highest office. With her strong background in law, extensive experience in public service, and dedication to equity and justice, Harris stands as a leader ready to face the complex issues of our time. Here’s why Kamala Harris should be the next President of the United States.

A Proven Record of Leadership

Kamala Harris’s career showcases a commitment to justice and public service. Starting as a District Attorney in San Francisco and later serving as California’s Attorney General, Harris consistently took on tough cases and implemented reforms. She fought to protect vulnerable populations, including taking a stand against big banks in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Her work in criminal justice reform, particularly in addressing racial disparities, highlights her dedication to a fairer and more equitable system—qualities crucial in a country grappling with issues of justice and accountability.

As Vice President, Harris has shown a readiness to handle diverse responsibilities. She has led efforts to address migration from Central America, overseeing complex diplomatic discussions and seeking long-term solutions to a challenging issue. Her experience as the first woman, first Black, and first Asian American Vice President also exemplifies her ability to break barriers and inspire diverse communities across the nation.

Strong on Key Issues

Kamala Harris has consistently advocated for policies that prioritize social and economic justice. On healthcare, Harris has supported strengthening the Affordable Care Act to expand coverage to millions. She has also championed affordable housing initiatives, knowing that economic security and access to basic needs are crucial for Americans’ well-being.

Her commitment to climate action is another reason she is well-suited for the presidency. Harris understands the urgency of climate change and has advocated for policies that would transition the U.S. to a more sustainable, clean-energy future. Her focus on environmental justice ensures that communities most impacted by pollution and environmental hazards, often low-income and minority populations, are not left behind.

Bridging Divides

America’s political landscape is polarized, and Harris’s unique background and experience give her a perspective that few others can match. Having grown up in a multicultural family and worked in a range of governmental roles, she is well-positioned to bridge divides. Her understanding of America’s diverse communities enables her to connect with citizens from all walks of life and work towards bipartisan solutions.

Furthermore, Harris has shown resilience in the face of adversity. Throughout her career, she has encountered, and overcome, numerous obstacles that would have discouraged others. This resilience, combined with her pragmatic approach, makes her a strong candidate to lead America through uncertain times.

A Vision for the Future

Kamala Harris’s vision for America aligns with the aspirations of a more equitable, inclusive society. Her emphasis on equal opportunity, environmental sustainability, and justice reform offers a pathway toward progress that resonates with the values of many Americans. As President, she would bring a refreshing focus on unity, advocating for policies that uplift everyone rather than favoring a few.

Harris’s record, her commitment to the people, and her forward-thinking approach make her a strong candidate to lead the United States into a new era. Kamala Harris has proven herself as a champion of progress, a bridge-builder, and a resilient leader—qualities that make her a compelling choice for the next President of the United States.

VOTE DEMOCRAT ON NOV 5, 2024!

Trump: A Threat to Lady Liberty

Young beautiful woman dressed as lady liberty on Haloween
Lady Liberty. Photo: Tony Ward, Copyright 2024

Trump: A Threat to Lady Liberty

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Lady Liberty has long been a symbol of what America aspires to be.  The statue was a gift from France to celebrate democracy, representing the mutual commitment of both nations to liberty and freedom. Her torch signifies enlightenment, while her crown, with seven rays, represents the seven continents, signaling an invitation to people worldwide. At her feet, a broken shackle symbolizes the breaking free from oppression and tyranny, a core principle of American ideals.

The statue has inspired Americans and immigrants alike, serving as a testament to a land built by people from all walks of life. The words inscribed on her pedestal, taken from Emma Lazarus’s poem The New Colossus, famously declare, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” Her message has been one of compassion, inclusivity, and unity—a reminder of the strength that diversity brings.

As the nation approaches the upcoming election, Trump continues to spew lies, physical threats and hate speech while Lady Liberty’s ideals feel shaken. Increasing political polarization has created deep divisions on key issues like immigration, racial justice, and freedom of the press. The rise of nationalist rhetoric has challenged America’s longstanding commitment to diversity and openness, casting doubt on the country’s willingness to be a haven for those “yearning to breathe free.” Policies that restrict immigration, rhetoric that fosters division, and attacks on democratic institutions strike at the very foundation of the values she represents.

At the same time, disinformation and attacks on the integrity of elections make Lady Liberty’s torch seem dimmer. The trust in democratic processes is essential to her symbolism as a guide to freedom and justice. When voting rights are restricted or when public trust in elections is eroded, the country moves further from the democratic ideals she was built to uphold.

In this crucial moment, Lady Liberty’s symbolism serves as a call to action for Americans. Protecting her ideals means renewing commitments to fairness, inclusivity, and democracy itself. This election offers an opportunity for Americans to stand for a vision that honors diversity, reinforces freedom of expression, and reestablishes respect for human rights. It’s a chance to ensure her torch continues to shine for future generations.

Lady Liberty reminds us that freedom requires vigilance and courage. To honor her, Americans must resist apathy and remain engaged, whether through voting, standing against injustice, or promoting unity over division. She stands as a guidepost not only for a free society but for a compassionate one, welcoming those in need and providing opportunity for all.

As America stands at this crossroads, the Statue of Liberty’s message is as relevant as ever. Will the nation rise to defend the ideals she symbolizes, or will her torch flicker in the face of division and distrust? The answer lies in the hands of every American voter, each with the power to keep the light of liberty alive.

Antoinette Naseef: Dana The Comic

black comic book house wife as artist illustration
Artwork by Antoinette Naseef, Copyright 2024

Text by Antoinette Naseef, Copyright 2024

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Dana The Comic

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In the vibrant world of fashion, creativity knows no bounds, yet representation often falls short. Enter a groundbreaking comic strip that centers on the journey of a Black fashion designer, illuminating both the struggles and triumphs faced in an industry rife with challenges. This comic strip serves not only as entertainment but also as a powerful medium for social commentary.

African American comic book featuring aspects of African American life in the world of fashion and design
Artwork by Antoinette Naseef, Copyright 2024

The protagonist, inspired by real-life figures like Ann Lowe and Dapper Dan, navigates the complexities of the fashion industry while grappling with personal and cultural identity. Each panel showcases the designer’s evolution, from sketching designs in a cramped apartment to showcasing at prestigious fashion shows. The character’s journey is punctuated by moments of doubt, systemic racism, and the relentless pursuit of acceptance in a predominantly white industry.

African American comic book featuring aspects of African American life in the world of fashion and design
Artwork by Antoinette Naseef, Copyright 2024

Visually, the comic strip bursts with color and style, reflecting the richness of Black culture. Each outfit designed by the protagonist serves as a canvas for storytelling, incorporating traditional African motifs and modern aesthetics. The art style blends realism with a whimsical flair, drawing readers into the designer’s world. Fashion becomes not just a profession but a form of self-expression and cultural pride.

The narrative arc emphasizes community support, showcasing interactions with family, friends, and fellow artists. These relationships highlight the importance of mentorship and solidarity, reminding readers that success is often a collective journey. Through witty dialogue and heartfelt moments, the comic strip captures the spirit of resilience, inspiring aspiring designers to embrace their unique perspectives.

African American comic book featuring aspects of African American life in the world of fashion and design
Artwork by Antoinette Naseef, Copyright 2024

Moreover, the strip addresses broader societal issues, prompting discussions about diversity in fashion and the need for inclusivity. It challenges stereotypes and encourages readers to celebrate differences rather than conform to mainstream ideals.

In conclusion, this comic strip about a Black fashion designer is more than just a story; it is a celebration of creativity, identity, and resilience. By weaving together fashion and storytelling, it inspires a new generation to break barriers and redefine the narrative in the fashion world.

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Portrait of artist Antoinette Naseef
Antoinette Naseef

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Antoinette Naseef is a formally trained artist and designer. She is based in Philadelphia. Her works are inspired by Nature, ancient Ethiopian art and pop culture. Antoinette’s Work has been featured in New York Fashion Week, Galleries, events and web publications. 

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African American comic book featuring aspects of African American life in the world of fashion and design
Dana

Editor’s Note: DANA the comic book is now available for purchase by linking herehttps://mixam.com/print-on-demand/670fc7ca7f83ba24f760ab42

The Thrill of the Ride: What Makes Motorcycling So Much Fun

Thomas Kramer. guy on a motorcycle in front of animal sculpture at his home
Photo: Tony Ward, Copyright 2024

Title: The Thrill of the Ride: What Makes Motorcycling So Much Fun

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Few activities match the adrenaline, freedom, and sheer exhilaration of riding a motorcycle. The experience of gliding through the open air, with the world rushing by, is unlike anything else. But what exactly makes motorcycling so much fun? Beyond the obvious thrill of speed and adventure, there are deeper elements—both physical and emotional—that explain why millions of people are passionate about this form of transportation.

One of the core appeals of motorcycling is the sense of freedom it provides. Unlike cars, motorcycles strip away the barriers between the rider and the environment. Without a cabin encasing you, there’s an unmatched immediacy to the experience: you feel the wind on your face, smell the fresh air (or sometimes the rain), and even sense the texture of the road beneath you. For many, riding a motorcycle evokes a sense of liberation and connection with the world that is hard to replicate in any other vehicle.

The physical sensation of riding a motorcycle is another powerful draw. The balance, coordination, and skill required to handle a bike effectively make the experience physically engaging. The lean into corners, the quick shifts in body weight, and the control of acceleration and braking offer a full-body experience that engages muscles and mind alike. For many riders, it’s a dance with the machine, where precision and flow are part of the fun. The feeling of mastering your bike, gliding through turns, or perfectly executing a maneuver brings a sense of accomplishment and joy.

Speed and adrenaline also play a key role. The rush of acceleration and the sensation of velocity on a motorcycle are incredibly thrilling. Even at relatively modest speeds, a motorcycle can feel much faster than a car because of the exposure to the elements and the direct feedback from the road. Riders often describe the experience as a form of controlled risk—a mix of excitement and focus that gets the heart pumping. It’s this combination of adrenaline and control that makes motorcycling so addictive for many enthusiasts.

Beyond the sensory experience, motorcycling offers a unique form of mindfulness. Riding demands focus and attention, making it almost meditative. The need to be fully present while navigating the road, especially on more technical routes or in traffic, leaves little room for distraction. This immersion in the moment allows many riders to escape the stress of daily life and find mental clarity.

Finally, there’s the community and camaraderie. Motorcycling is often as much about the people as it is about the ride. Riders form strong bonds with one another, whether they’re cruising in a group or simply sharing tips and experiences. The sense of belonging to a tribe, united by a shared passion, enhances the joy of riding.

In the end, what makes motorcycling so much fun is its multifaceted appeal. It’s the combination of freedom, physicality, thrill, mindfulness, and community that draws people to the open road again and again. Riding a motorcycle is more than just a mode of transportation—it’s an experience, a lifestyle, and for many, an expression of pure joy.

Kitchie Ohh: Trust Your Gut

Attractive woman lounging in lingerie in a 1950's style apartment
Kitchie Ohh. Photo: Michael Bann,  Copyright 2024

Text by Kitchie Ohh, Copyright 2024

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Trust Your Gut

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I have written multiple posts here about my professional life. The summary if you’re new here, and to my ramblings, is that I have a lengthy nonprofit fundraising background. In 2019, I landed what seemed to be my dream job. But just like an actual dream sometimes does, after a while if became more like a nightmare. I landed on my feet, in a position where I’m doing great things, being valued for who I am, what I bring to the organization and being fairly compensated for it all. However, again, just like flashes of nightmares rear their ugly heads during waking hours, my old job pops in to haunt me every now and then. 

When I left my previous role, I can count on one hand – actually, one finger – the number of people I chose to give permission to contact me personally. We occasionally send messages to check in, say hello, catch up. It had been months since I last heard from them. Until a few weeks ago. “Kat, I miss you. There is so much to tell you, can I call you after work today?” You bet I cleared my plans for the rest of the night to take that call. I am so glad I did. 

Let me back up quite a few paces to when I was still working for the previous organization. In many companies, a change in leadership often leads to some staffing changes, people leave, new people start, positions change, structure changes, policies changes. It’s not at all unusual. However, when the changes start to feel heavy and unnecessary, and good people are forced out, it’s hard to stay positive. That’s what happened to my dream job. The chosen replacement for the individual who hired me, encouraged and trusted me, and built an incredible team of passionate talented people, was abruptly removed from the position.

Shortly after the beginning of that end, one of the newer members of my team suddenly took an interest in me and my role. They often came to my desk to talk about my work, my workload, and unprompted by any of my words or actions, expressed that I must be stressed and overwhelmed with it all. That became the frequent theme of conversation; and it was odd. Something about it, just wasn’t sitting right. I kept asking myself, are they trying to make me feel stressed? Should I be responding to my job in a way other than I am? What is the point of this repeated conversation? It was enough for me to keep them at a distance and stay wary, while still working together as needed. 

It was right around this strange time when the new boss was announced to replace the one I had built such a wonderful working relationship with. I tried to stay open minded. Within the first few weeks, each person was scheduled for a one-on-one introductory meeting. Mine was the last on the agenda. I came prepared with everything about what I did on a daily basis, prepared for any questions they might have. We had an hour. The first question I was asked threw me for a bit of a loop. It was about the organization I worked in prior to this one, and one person in particular from that team. The tone of the question made it feel like my answer would set the stage for not only the rest of this meeting, but my position with the team. I carefully acknowledged, yes, I knew that person, but we never worked very closely and they left before I did. I left out my feelings relating to the absolutely unhinged series of accusations and comments lodged at me by this person regarding someone else’s inappropriate behavior toward me! I also watched in absolute horror as the indicators on my new boss’s smart watch flashed over a dozen new text messages from the very same person. Yikes, not a good start.

Life over the next few months in and out of the office wasn’t great. Home repairs and family stress on top of increased pressure and unvoiced expectations from my new boss were making me ill. The colleague I had kept at arms length had been given a wildly unexpected promotion within our department. It was abundantly clear that the role was by far outside of their scope of experience. It wasn’t my call but I congratulated them all the same. Work that had been done by the person in that role previously, though, suddenly was finding its way onto my desk with no instruction on how to complete it or the technical access needed to do so. I made it clear that this had never been a function of my role. I would be happy to learn it and eventually adopt it, but needed time to learn and understand it. That statement was met with the ultimatum of do it now or don’t work here anymore. By the time I walked the dozen or so steps from the boss’ office to my shared cubicle space, there was an email message to HR summarizing and documenting the discussion about my failure to meet the expectations of my job. There was nothing constructive, there were no official action steps, progress improvement plans, or even consequences stated. I was in panic mode. I pressed the newly-promoted colleague for assistance as the new to me tasks were formerly theirs. I got very little help directly. I found out quickly that they couldn’t help because they didn’t know how; which explained how it got onto my desk in the first place. A consultant eventually provided the solution and I carried on with my newly assigned work. 

I wish I could say that was the end of it and I continued happy along with just an increased workload. But sadly, that’s not even close. Human Resources never even acknowledged receipt of the “failure to perform” email. I had no follow up meetings about it. In fact, it was never again mentioned. Meetings with my boss were rare, and rarely longer than five minutes unless the boss had strong feelings about a project, and by that I mean absolutely disagreed with everything I had done and demanded it be redone. I felt ignored and unsupported unless I was being reprimanded. Yet, every project I led was successful, raising literal millions of dollars.  I was confused and stressed, preparing every day to be fired. The only upside was that the strange conversations stopped. My concerned colleague was ignoring me too, but was always in the boss’ office. My gut was screaming at me that something wasn’t right. People all around us were resigning, often being escorted out of the building instead of working out their two weeks’ notice.

I confided in the one trusted person I mentioned previously. They absolutely agreed with me that something had shifted. We commiserated daily about how much of a downhill slide morale had taken and took every opportunity to make one another laugh through the frustrations. When even those laughs weren’t enough, I began to look for a new position and soon I announced my resignation. The sheer relief on the boss’ face that day was off-putting, I had never seen them so happy. The joyful congratulations given to me by the other colleague I was wary of was equally disturbing. They were chatting animatedly, and very quietly and privately, for a good portion of that day. They even arranged my farewell happy hour, strangely insisting on a particular place I had never been and couldn’t enjoy much offered on their menu due to dietary restrictions. I went, and was for the most part ignored by them which was fine by me. I made it out. And very shortly after that boss was gone too, though I didn’t much care. 

Back to present day. When the phone rang that night, I immediately picked up. After exchanging all the normal pleasantries one would expect of former colleagues who haven’t spoken in months, we dove right into it. The colleague I was wary of resigned but not before letting slip something extremely interesting. Back when that ‘new’ boss had been announced, this colleague reached out to them on a professional networking channel to unofficially welcome them to the organization. They met for dinner prior to the official start date informing and inviting no one else from the department. They discussed, at length, the weaknesses of the team. Guess who topped that list? Guess who, coincidentally, thought they would be great at the job if given the chance? I suppose this person felt a sense of “what are they going to do fire me?” once their resignation was tendered especially since neither I nor that boss were working there any longer. They held this knowledge in for nearly three years. I wonder if it was relief or pride they felt in finally expressing it to someone else.

I sat on the phone absolutely dumbfounded for a minute after the story (and a few intersecting stories, because you know a proper catch up session is never a linear occurrence!) ended. And then it all just came spilling out in an expletive filled rant that I can sum up in four words: I F*CKING KNEW IT. 

From the first strange conversation, to the introductory meeting centering on my relationship with a previous colleague, to the already drafted email that went to HR immediately after an unplanned meeting about my failure to perform tasks that were never mine, my gut was warning something wasn’t right. As paranoid as it seemed, I felt as if there was a plot brewing against me.  Every day the feeling progressively grew, intentionally fostered by two other people, until I had to remove myself from the situation. And I wasn’t paranoid or crazy. I was right. My gut was right, I am so glad I trusted it. I can’t imagine that I wouldn’t have been fired if I didn’t leave on my own. They were actively setting me up to fail. I don’t have to imagine to what end.  One person believed another’s made up claims about me and I was in the other’s way.

I never wish ill on anyone. I just hope that one day, the way they treated – and mistreated – others in the act of self-service is delivered back to them and they get everything they deserve, nothing less. Do unto others and all that…

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Portrait of contributing writer to Tony Ward Studio Kitchie Ohh wearing lingerie
Kitchie Ohh. Photo: Michael Bann, Copyright 2024

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Kitchie Ohh is a full-time professional fundraiser who has worked with a number of health and human services nonprofits in the Philadelphia area over the last 20 years. She found her passion for modeling after a pinup-style photoshoot in 2013. Since then, she has worked with many talented photographers, stylists, hair and makeup artists in a variety of styles. She has been featured in- and on the covers of – multiple print and digital publications. Over the years, she has branched out from pinup studio modeling to serve as a figure model for live sketching, walked a runway, and was part of two campaigns for Philadelphia designer K. Vaughn.

In addition to her philanthropy-focused career, she has volunteered with art, historical, and community organizations, and even the events team of a local brewery for a while, pre-pandemic.

You’re just as likely to find her whipping up something deliciously plant-based in her kitchen or knitting a sweater as you are to find her on a photography set. Her motto is “be both.” The model and the homemaker, sultry and sweet, serious and silly. All the things, all at once. To access additional articles by Kitchie Ohh, link here: https://tonyward.com/kitchie-ohh-overwhelmed/