It’s time for an overdue update! Happy December to all! I’ve had a busy semester of writing, teaching, reading, and workshopping. Here are some of the highlights! Presentations In October, I spoke at an event for Blindness Awareness Day hosted by UNF Leaders and Activists for the Disabled (LAD). Though the talk ended up … More In the Works
I am excited to share my latest publication, a review of Jill Khoury’s Suites for the Modern Dancer. Khoury’s book is a full-length poetry collection, published by Sundress Press in 2016. My review was published in Issue #5 of The Deaf Poets Society. Here’s how the review begins: I indulge in the fantasy of maneuvering effortlessly … More Book Review: Suites for the Modern Dancer
Originally posted on The Brevity Blog:
By Emily K. Michael Submission guidelines rarely make me angry. Because I seek publications that share my interests – ecology, feminism, disability, music – all the specifications can start to look the same. Most journals want a well-rounded submission, free from religious agendas, offensive stereotypes, and one-dimensional fables of inspiration.…
April 26 is International Guide Dog Day, a chance to celebrate the countless beautiful handler-guide dog teams around the world. It is a day to honor not only the hard work we do with our companions but the circle of loving support that makes this work possible. From the families that encourage us to go in for training to the trainers, volunteers, and … More #InternationalGuideDogDay
After a long hiatus, I’m excited to rekindle my Sacred Space series with the thoughtful words of my friend and literary colleague, Sohrab Homi Fracis. Sohrab is a fiction writer currently living in Jacksonville, FL. He is the author of Ticket to Minto: Stories of India and America and the timely new novel Go Home. He has visited my classes several … More Sacred Space Interview: Meditating on the Great Universe
Last night, I attended the final event of FSCJ’s 2016-2017 Author Series: a live presentation by Dr. Temple Grandin! If you’re not familiar with Dr Grandin, she is an autistic animal scientist, famous for her humane redesign of U.S. slaughter plants. She has written several books on animal behavior, such as Animals Make Us Human and Animals in Translation. She has also written several … More Temple Grandin Live at FSCJ!
I am excited to begin the new year in a spirit of gratitude. Your gift to Southeastern Guide Dogs blesses all future guides and graduates—but it also touches every member of the Southeastern community. I graduated with my first guide dog from Southeastern Guide Dogs in July 2014. I had been matched with York, an … More An Open Letter to the Donors of Southeastern Guide Dogs
It’s been a busy year for me, but I’m proud to say I met my Goodreads goal: 45 books! Check ’em out! Some were duds, but most were wonderful. I’ve written brief reviews beneath the ones I really enjoyed. Provence, 1970:M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, James Beard, and the Reinvention of American Taste by Luke Barr … More 45 in 2016: What I read this year.
If you want to understand what it is to be a poet, spend time with people who consider themselves unpoetic—people who feel defeated or confused by poetry. You will keep bumping up against that thing that separates you. It feels like a low cement wall. The essential separation borders a world where every question has … More Poet’s Mind
On Saturday, November 5, my colleague Michele Boyette and I will present the workshop “Insensible Paradise, Invisible Nightmare: Complicating Embodiment in the 21st Century Classroom” at the 88th SAMLA conference! We’re looking forward to an exciting 90 minutes of analyzing disabled character tropes, evaluating accessibility statements, and brainstorming effective communication strategies. Want to see what … More Presentation Notes for SAMLA 88!
I’ve got some exciting things to share! First up are two short promo videos I did for TEDxFSCJ: each one offers a sneak peek at my upcoming talk, “The Confluence of Disability and Imagination.” Here’s the first promo: And the second one: If you’re interested in coming to my performance of the talk, I’ve got … More A sneak peek at my TEDx Talk and a radio spot for Blindness Awareness!
My Dear Readers: I was accepted to speak at TEDxFSCJ here in Jacksonville on October 8. However, Hurricane Matthew came to town (I guess he heard about our impressive lineup of speakers), so our event had to be postponed! TEDxFSCJ has been rescheduled for Saturday, November 5, but I will be speaking at SAMLA 88 … More I’ll Be at TEDxFSCJ in an Unconventional Way!
Jennifer Pearlstein, age 26, is a graduate student in Clinical Psychology at University of California -Berkeley. Outside her professional life, she enjoys reading, running, and spending time with her dog. She has recently started a blog on issues related to vulnerability and identity. How would you describe your vision or blindness? Is it congenital or … More October Interview: Understanding Begins in Presence
We’re starting the week off right with a luminous interview from Elizabeth L. Sammons. Elizabeth’s interview bridges the Sacred Space series and the October Interview series—opening a dialogue about faith and disability that is rich and rewarding. I know you’ll enjoy this extended conversation! Elizabeth L. Sammons, age 50, is a Program Administrator with Ohio’s … More Sacred Space Interview: Calling for Balance with Faith, Hope, and Love
Today an instructor I’ve never met before walked into our shared office. We had the following exchange. Colleague: Hello. You teach here? Me: Good morning. Yes. I teach writing. Colleague: And you’re blind? Me: Yes. Colleague: So…do you have any assistance in the classroom? Me: No, not really. Colleague: Wow, that’s just incredible! I really … More A Day in the Life
On the Blink 