Kathleen
Kathleen Pelkey is known to make kids cry. Grown men, too.
Some would consider it unbecoming. Others, endearing. It all depends on how you look at it — or rather, her … Read moreKathleen
Category: Essays
The Problem Child
I left behind a long list of teachers who despised me during my 12 years in the Florida public school system. Twenty-six kids sit under the fluorescent lights of a classroom, staring down at a sheet of manila paper. The Floridian humidity creeps in through the windows of our portable – a clever euphemism for the mobile homes that served as our cramped classrooms … Read moreThe Problem Child
Valió la peña
I remember asking my mom once, “Why didn’t you put the eñe in my paperwork?”
There was an invisible little squiggle over the n in my last name. It signified that the Peña was pronounced pen-ya, not pen-a. While most of my classmates grew up knowing and never questioning their names, I didn’t fully understand mine until I was ten … Read moreValió la peña
In the spotlight
The metamorphosis begins with a glue stick tube straight to the eyebrows. Then, three shades of foundation are painted over every pore … Read moreIn the spotlight
Transplant
It was a sunny February day when my family began to open Christmas presents. The Christmas tree became a plain tree, then became a Valentine’s Day tree. My mom couldn’t stand to take it down before my dad got to see it, so she redecorated as the weeks passed to have something to do with her stricken hands as the months trudged on … Read moreTransplant