Whether reciting poetry at virtual slams, crafting and performing original songs and plays, offering spiritual reflections like those shared here, dancing or telling stories from her remarkable life, her stories bring light and life to unexpected corners of our shared human experience.
Want to experience the broadest range of Lora-Ellen’s storytelling? Join her In LEMboland, a subscription service on the Patreon platform that supports her rich storytelling world. Click HERE.
This film tells the true story of Baltimore Raven, Michael Oher, son of a crack addicted single mother first taken in by a kind man who not only lets him sleep on his couch but finagles Michael’s entry into a private Christian school in spite of his extraordinarily spotty academic record.
Read MoreI live a fairly interesting life and every once in a while I actually wish that cameras were following me around to record it.
Read MoreThe first recorded war in history occurred around 2700 B.C. This war between Sumer, an area now known as Iraq, and Elam, a portion of modern Iran, was fought close to Iraq’s main port city of Basra, a name familiar to Americans from the 1980’s conflict.
Read MoreThough bashed by the recession, And pulled down into depression, There's a day meant to remind us, That we should be thankful for, Too much food and...
Read MoreWhen asked how he was doing, John Sanford, a family friend now gone, used to say, I’m perfect and improving.
Read MoreA few weeks ago I was invited to lunch at the University of Washington Faculty Club on a most lovely day. It was early afternoon fall blustery.
Read MoreIn a church basement on lower Capital Hill, a group of 100 people sat in rapt attention watching a movie screen. Across it walked a sample of mankind, all races, ethnicities, ages, sizes and shapes, in a variety of settings.
Read MoreI love this time of year. Salmon are spawning right outside my windows. I awaken in the ash-colored morning to see them twirling between tree boughs.
Read MoreThe awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Barack Obama stunned America. And the President most of all.
Read MoreStudents have returned to school in recent weeks. As a first assignment, many will be asked to answer a familiar question: “What did you do for your summer vacation?” Depending on who they are, there answers may turn out to be surprisingly political.
Read MoreCliff Mass, meteorologic scientist at the University of Washington says that we will not be able to truly assess global warming for 100 years. I understand the science of this.
Read MoreWe now we know that the tape made by Ms. Whalen, the passerby who called 911 to report to the Cambridge police a possible break-in at Professor Gates' home never once mentioned the race of the men until asked.
Read MoreGiven the national discussion, talk-show tumult, and arm-chair refereeing we have been embroiled in as a result of the July 16, 2009 arrest of Professor Gates in his Cambridge home, America has learned, much to its dismay, that the garden gate is stuck wide open in non-post-racial America.
Read MoreOn May 28th at 10:30 I was in the downtown Seattle Bank of America on Union Street. A homeless man who clearly banked there very politely asked for his balance.
Read MoreToday is Memorial Day. I, like many people, have the day off. At 3:00 p.m. we will have a moment of silence in honor of those who have served, those who are serving and, most importantly, those who sacrificed their lives for America, a country they loved.
Read MoreBy absolutely any measure, Dr. Riane Eisler is a phenomenal woman. A noted thinker, speaker and writer, Dr. Eisler is an attorney, social scientist, economist, historian, educator and internationally recognized peacemaker.
Read MoreLast week, sitting in a beautiful lakeside home with a group of friends, one friend, Andy, called me aside. He wanted to tell me about a trip that he had taken home, to Tennessee.
Read MoreSaid Sojourner Truth in an 1851 speech to the Women's Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio, "If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again!"
Read MoreWhen trained to call others I was taught to say, Good day/afternoon/evening. How are you today? This is Lora-Ellen McKinney calling to speak to Dr. Jones about the pain in my left toe. Is he available?" This polite query, to this day, even when broken down and spoken slowly, is often met by "What's your name?" "Why are you calling?" "Who do you want to speak to?"
Read More
