It's International Women's Day

So let me tell you about one great man.

Mr. Stretch’s Opus

Last week I lost the man who was my very first mentor, my high school choir director, William Stretch. By my senior year, between being in 3 choirs and accompanying a 4th, I had him for the majority of my day. He was also the musical director for the musicals my high school produced. My sister was four years behind me, so he had Camahorts in his choirs for 8 straight years. He brought out the best in all of us. He took a lot of kids under his wing, and lots of theatre and music kids are oddball kids, and he rolled with us all.

He was sent home after two weeks in the hospital with nothing more to be done, and his goddaughter cared for him for his final week. I ended up on an email thread with about 50 other former students of his, many of whom I knew, some of whom were way before or after my time. His goddaughter was on the thread using his email address and was kind enough to promise to read any cards or email messages to him and to give regular updates. And we all came through.

As we all shared our messages I was struck by the commonality between them. The way we each talked about him, how we felt about him, how we thought he felt about us, what he brought out in us, what he gave us, and how it had impact on the rest of our lives. We went into music because of him. We went into other disciplines or careers because of him. More than one of us mentioned the angst of being that age, and how he made us feel seen despite anything else that might have been going on. What a legacy, what a life. And what a loss.

Here’s the bulk of what I wrote to him. I could have gone on and on, but tried to be respectful of his time:

Whenever people talk about sports as a great way to learn about sportsmanship, teamwork, building together and all sorts of other positive lessons for life and work, I always raise my voice for the arts. I believe theatre and choir teaches those same lessons, builds those same great lifelong skills and relationships, and adds a layer of healing I’m not sure sports can match :)

You taught us all of that; you asked more of us than we believed most hight school teachers would…which made us feel both important and motivated. You instilled in us the hunger to be excellent.

You also taught us about humor and fun and taking joy in what you take seriously.

Personally, like I’m sure many of your students, I had my own personal issues that I didn’t really bring to school. Your kindness and support made me feel seen and like I would be OK.

I’m sure you don’t even know how many countless students feel this way about you. I’m lucky to still be connected to enough former classmates, that I learned that now was the time to grab this opportunity to tell you directly.

I’m sending you lots of love and appreciation, and I wish this damn COVID didn’t mean that there is no chance for another in-person reunion! I’m glad for the ones we had, though. It was nice to show you how all we wacky kids turned out pretty OK :)

Someone on the email thread shared some recordings from my era that they had converted to MP3s, and as I listened I felt really proud. All these years later I think that we were, objectively, as good as I remember thinking we were. If you want to hear a high school choir singing a badass Randall Thompson chorale, check this one out.

So yes, as timing would have it, I’m spending my International Women’s Day thinking about a great man. Thanks for indulging me.

To make up for it, though, I will close out my #IWD newsletter, by sharing this video trailer from Telemundo’s Mujeres Imparables initiative. It features five powerhouse Latinas, only one of which I was familiar with before watching the video. Telemundo will be sharing more of their (and other) stories through the month. Thanks to my friend Susan McPherson for sharing.

Last week-ish

Speaking of heroes, last week I got to see one of mine interviewed via a Gandhi King Global Institute event, Dolores Huerta. Dolores Huerta is famous for having been Cesar Chavez’s partner in his work for farmworkers, and for continuing that work for decades, but I first became personally familiar with her in the early 00s because I got involved with local politics for a while, and she was still an avid and impassioned advocate and activist involved at the local level. Here we are 20 years later (and Dolores is now 90 years old) and she is still as plugged into justice issues as she was 50 years ago. And still as articulate a messenger. The only beautiful part of this year of lockdown has been the number of people I admire who I’ve been able to see speak or perform in a way that I never could have done with IRL events. Look up your heroes, see what they’re doing, log on and watch them!

Of course, last week’s episode of The Op-Ed Page podcast (and newsletter) was devoted to the release of Luvvie Ajayi Jones’s second book, #ProfessionalTroublemaker: The Fear Figher Manual. If you haven’t listened yet, please do. It’s an incisive and concise kick in the pants! In fact, as I heard from one listener, “I was listening to your podcast today and it was exactly what I needed to hear.” Maybe it will be for you, too.

Coming this week-ish

REMINDER: This Thursday, March 11 at 7 PM PT I’m joining the Voices in Action group of the San Jose Women’s Club to discuss social media and the first amendment, in an evening entitled Twitter, FB, & Parler...Social Media & Our Right to Free Speech. RSVP to via@sjwomansclub.org to get the Zoom link and join us! PLUS, also a reminder that this week’s podcast episode will include my interview with two local heroes who are doing the actual work to prevent as many people as possible from becoming unhoused.

In addition, you might want to check out a couple of things I’m planning to attend this week. The first is a Book Festival on Clubhouse, produced by Grey Horse on March 12-13, a feminist communications firm. I’m interested to attend a multi-session event via audio-only, for sure. I often dial into event sessions without showing my video, but I’m used to looking at the speakers. I’m afraid it will be too easy for me to tune out…I don’t consider myself an auditory learner…but I’m going to experience it for myself and see!

I’ve also found a place to indulge my #pandemicsourdough hobby, a community called Leavenly. If you’re interested in getting a taste of the content, there’s a YouTube livestream going on, also on Thursday, 3PM PT. This particular one is about adding inclusions to your sourdough bake, but there have been previous ones about other sourdough baking topics like hydration and proofing. It’s been really helpful to me and improved by break baking a bunch! (Woman-owned company too.)

Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on all of the above. And as always I appreciate a share of this newsletter or my podcast. 

And if you think I can help you break through the things that are keeping you stuck, you can always set up your first introductory 30-minute consult for free by booking it in my Calendly.

Have a great week-ish!