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JEMS, the first Black-owned athletic shoe company in the US

I pitched and wrote this article for the Craft Industry Alliance — JEMS is the first Black-owned athletic shoe company in the United States and it’s in Somersworth, NH. Read it here!

My husband Andrew mentioned seeing this in the local news and I thought it might be a good fit for the Craft Industry Alliance, a trade organization for craft professionals (makers, pattern designers, folks who sell on Etsy or at craft fairs, craft teachers, and so on). I’ve written for them before and it was a great experience. I dragged my kiddo out on a car ride to see the JEMS factory and snap a few pictures of downtown Somersworth to add to my pitch, and then I wrote it up and sent it out. The CIA got back to me quickly and I had two and a half weeks to write the article.

Downtown Somersworth

This was a fun challenge–I actually interviewed folks on the phone, including someone at City Hall in Somersworth, who pointed me to a local historian and put me in touch with contacts at JEMS. I spoke to the president of JEMS and to its founder, Dr. D’Wayne Edwards. It was fun to get back into reporting, and it felt really exciting to share this story with a new audience. JEMS is a great story: it’s named after a Black immigrant inventor, Jan Ernst Matzeliger; it’s a revival of shoe manufacturing in Somersworth, which used to have three shoe factories; it’s the first Black-owned athletic shoe company in the US; and it’s a new factory in America. Telling all these different stories and making them make sense in 1000 words was tricky, and I really liked it.

The JEMS factory

Enjoy!

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All the things I did this year (2021)

Happy New Year!

I recently read a newsletter–Spokes and Stitches, a pattern company I admire–where the writer did a round-up of all she had accomplished in the last year. I thought I’d do something similar, because I enjoyed the window into a small creative business. I wouldn’t call myself a business, but I thought you might also enjoy the window into a small creative life.

So, um…here is everything I did that was writing-related in 2021!

I’m really proud of my list. My kids have had very few normal weeks of school this year, between snow days, sick days, COVID days, holidays, and the school toilet breaking (not a joke). Sometime mid-last school year, I realized I was going to get no writing done, and I declared it a year off from any serious effort until September. It felt really good at first, and then it kind of sucked, and then it was up and down. I am very happy now to have free time, and every time school gets canceled or someone gets sick, it’s a toss up whether I can say OK and accept it, or if I flip out because really? Are you kidding me? The toilet broke??

(I’m just documenting the state of things for future parents to look back on. And maybe my poor children. Sorry, guys, your mom is trying!)

Anyway, I don’t want to glorify productivity, but I know that personally, it feels good to make a list of accomplishments when everything starts to seem like a big blah slog. I would love to know if you do something like this, with the things that matter to you. If you decide to make a list of your own, I would love (LOVE) to see it. Please let me know – you can email me or, if you share it on IG, tag me (I’m @likesoatmeal).

Wishing you nothing but happiness, health, and peace in 2022!

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Hey Wrong Brain!

Wrong Brain, you rock!

Did we meet at Wrong Brain Holidaze Bizaar?? I am delighted to make your acquaintance. That show is so fun! The organizers have so much awesome energy! I was there with my sister Monica, aka Malt Shop DIY.

Anyway, welcome to my website! I’m so happy you’re here. Here’s a little more about me.

At Wrong Brain, you might have seen my DIY Writing Retreat guides and some special DIY Writing Retreat kits–if you want to buy a guide for your friends and family, hop on over here. (If you would like a kit, please email me!)

You can see my other guides here in my online shop–buy them as printable PDFs and you can print them as many times as you like. Just please don’t share! Do you run a class/writing group/retreat of your own? Email me and I will give you a bulk discount (& can even do the copying for you).

Here are some of the articles, short stories, and essays I’ve written. I’m particularly proud of this short story that Moments Between Literary published (read online).

Thank you so much for stopping by! Want to talk about writing, reading, collaboration, literally almost anything? Email me–I seriously love to email with readers and writers.

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Welcome, Somerville!!

Perhaps you saw me striking this sweet pose along with my awesome sister Sonia.

Did we meet at SomerStreets, that awesome street fair where they close down Highland Ave to cars? Yay! Welcome to my website! I’m so happy you’re here. Here’s a little more about me.

At SomerStreets, you might have seen my DIY Writing Retreat guides and some special DIY Writing Retreat kits–if you want to buy a guide for your friends and family, hop on over here. (If you would like a kit, please email me!)

You can see my other guides here in my online shop–buy them as printable PDFs and you can print them as many times as you like. Just please don’t share! Do you run a class/writing group/retreat of your own? Email me and we will work out a way to get you all the copies you need!

Here are some of the articles, short stories, and essays I’ve written. I’m particularly proud of this short story that Moments Between Literary published (read online).

Thank you so much for stopping by! Want to talk about writing, reading, collaboration, literally almost anything? Email me–I seriously love to email with readers and writers.