LOVE AND MONSTERS IN SOFIA'S LIFE: A Book Review

March 03, 2021 in BOOKS, Breast Feeding, Death and Desperation, Death and Dying, Empathy, EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLING, Grief, Health and Fitness, Health Inequity, Human Rights, Infant & Child psychology, Social Commentary, Social Justice, Child Psychology, Marriage and Family Thera, Childrens Books

Belinda Hernández Arriaga and Veronica Castillo’s children’s picture book, LOVE AND MONSTERS IN SOFIA’S LIFE, is a bold and beautiful addition to the cannon of children’s literature. That boldness is in prose, art, and therapeutic concept. LOVE AND MONSTERS IN SOFIA’S LIFE acknowledges that adults can try to run away from the reality that their children live in a disparate world — but they cannot hide from it forever.

It is a children’s book for a child, but for parents, older siblings, friends, and teachers— it is a road map. It is a way to build an emotional safety net for children and families who are disproportionately affected, by forced deportation, incarceration, and early death. This book is not for “the faint of heart”.

As a Bioethicist — I am aware that writings on loss involving children usually are directed at parents who loose children. LOVE AND MONSTERS IN SOFIA’S LIFE acknowledges that there are whole generations of children who loose their adults, and siblings, who also need support and protection from the most virulent consequence of their valid fears, the allostatic load of oppression, and potentially devastating grief.

LOVE AND MONSTERS IN SOFIA’S LIFE is available in all the usual places including your local independent book dealer.This is the link for more information about Dr. Belinda Hernández Arriaga’s work.

A THOUSAND CUTS Film Virtual Live Stream Question and Answer with Christine Amanpour, Ramona Diaz , Maria Ressa. →

August 08, 2020 in Bioethics, Health Inequity, Human Rights, Social Justice, EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLING

A Thousand Cuts SPECIAL LIVESTREAM Q&A SUNDAY, AUG. 9, 2020 at 11 AM EDT Go Here You may submit questions for participants Christine Amanpour, director Ramona Diaz & Maria Ressa. Also, you can still see the film during its virtual opening period prior to the Frontline broadcast in January. Here is how:

If you are not familiar with the virtual cinema openings ( hardly anyone is) here is what to do for dditional information on seeing the film A Thousand Cuts - GO HERE: ahead of its FRONTLINE broadcast in January 2021. You will be asked to have your purchase credited to the theater you have chosen in your region, that is, he independent theater where you would have gone to see it near you. It may seem complicated but welcome to “The New Now” now.

More about the film A THOUSAND CUTS:

A THOUSAND CUTS is a film directed by Ramona S. Diaz (IMELDA, MOTHERLAND) and featuring the work of Philipino Journalist Maria Ressa ( CEO of news organization Rappler.)

Nowhere is the worldwide erosion of democracy, fueled by social media disinformation campaigns, more starkly evident than in the authoritarian regime of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Journalist Maria Ressa places the tools of the free press—and her freedom—on the line in defense of truth and democracy. Cl Click here: Theatrical Release Date August 7, 2020, USA nationwide virtually, Running Time: 98 minutes, Language: English/Tagalog with English Subtitles. Broadcast release —Frontline —early 2021. The theatrical release is virtual and the link above will take you to more information.

September Williams MD-Author with Director Mike Binder Black & White, at the Mill Valley FIlm Festival, 2014

September Williams Author of Chasing Mercury: The 2020 US Census as An Act of love in the time SARSCoVID-19

March 21, 2020 in Baby Boomers, Bioethics, Death and Desperation, Film, Grief, Healing, Health and Fitness, Health Inequity, Peace, Resistance, September MD-Writer, Social Justice

I very nearly forgot to fill out my household’s United States Census, amid the struggles around the SARS-CoVID19 pandemic. Maintaining social distance is designed to save lives—not to save money and it will do so—if people work hard to adhere to it during the rising phase of this viral epidemic. The USA census is also designed to save lives. Of course, the devil is in the details of the application. But it starts by “We the people” making sure every member of our nations households are fully counted. It’s not about citizenship, but about the distribution of resources in accordance with humanitarian law which demands every nation provide certain things for those living in it. We see the hell on earth when nations stop doing that. By the way, It took me exactly 10 minutes to fill out the US census. Here is how the census is applied. It determines:

1) The way that federal money is distributed to the citizens of the country at local levels when things work at their best—based on the science of health, welfare and economic parameters—consistent with humanitarian law. That includes providing for local communities schools, roads, public services.

2) Funds for preparing for transportation and emergency readiness.

3) THE NUMBER OF SEATS EACH STATE HAS IN THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND YOUR POLITICAL REPRESENTATION AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. Have a look and please fill out the census and make sure every member of your household and your family, community and living soul in this nation is counted.

In that obscure way, that I often put things together, I was reminded about a film I reviewed 5 years ago, while completing the last question of the census, That question asks the race of each member of the household is counted. The question is as lousily written this year as those in the past. It mixes up the fallacy of race with ethnicity and nationality all over the place. The film reviewed was Black or White by Mike Bender. The review got picked up by Mixed Race Studies.

SEPTEMBER WILLIAMS Author of Chasing Mercury Thanks You and Just One More Thing...

October 14, 2019 in Baby Boomers, Bioethics, BOOKS, Book to Film, Echo Boomers, Environmental Justice, greenaction.org, Health Inequity, Peace, Resistance, Victor Hugo

Hi Folks,

The business of being a writer is much harder than that of being a physician — well on me anyway. They taught me how to practice medicine while have to teach myself or find those to teach me the trade aspects of being a writer.

I wanted to thank all of my family, friends and readers for the outpouring of greetings for my birthday and the support for my work you have shown. Though these are enormously hard times for the nation, the world, the ecology… I am heartened by the interest my peers and my children and therir peers have shown in making the world a better place — PLEASE MAKE TIME AND SPACE TO GET OUT THE VOTE FOR THE PRIMARY ELECTIONS — Which begin in February see https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/us/elections/2020-presidential-election-calendar.html.

The first Primary/Caucus is in February — only 4 months away. To make the world inch those two steps forward — even if we then go one step back—we have got to get out the vote. I’m looking forward to sharing reviews of 8 films over the next months before Christmas the will help you feel why I believe we really have to make this the focus for the end of the year year. I believe each film I’ve screened for this collection of reviews have profound implications bioethicaly and in terms of what my nephew, grandchildren and baby cousins will be facing. Though I am also busy working on Book II of the Chasing Mercury Toxic Trilogy- Weighing Lead. I consider getting out the vote as a part of that work — because the lead and the mercury cleanup work can’t properly happen under the current political circumstances in our nation.

Meanwhile keep an eye out for the film reviews in the pre film award season screenings — just a heads up —PLAN TO SEE THE FILM ‘JUST MERCY’ on Christmas Day. Everyday someone does the impossible and let it be me and you. I’ve screened Just MERCY and let’s just say —- we pulled off a film industry coup with our support of HIDDEN FIGURES openning on Xmas Day in 2016 — which financially helped fuel STEAM programs but we lost the momentum by loosing a government that cared about STEAM. Let’s support JUST MERCY and work and get a government back that believes in JUST MERCY.I write about films I want to support and I want you to help me support! …Oh yes, and if you haven’t, have a look at my new review on bioethics.net of the film: THE LURE OF THIS LAND directed by Alexandra Lexton. http://www.bioethics.net/2019/10/a-film-review-the-lure-of-this-land/

I really have to stop writing notes late at night! Thanks for reading.

September Williams Author of Chasing Mercury & The Elephant in the Room... Thanks Book Passage and Marin Magazine!

July 12, 2019 in Bioethics, Baby Boomers, Breast Feeding, Echo Boomers, Feminism, Health and Fitness, Human Rights, Health Inequity, Infant & Child psychology, Librarians, Peace, Pregnancy and Prematurity, Waking up in Syria

Thanks Marin Magazine for the Shout Out About the August 3. 2018 reading of the Elephant in the Room. at

Book Passage, Corte Madera !

https://www.marinmagazine.com/event/september-williams-the-elephant-in-the-room/