Alicia Stoller
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aliciastoller.bsky.social
Alicia Stoller
@aliciastoller.bsky.social
520 followers 150 following 440 posts
Trying to stay tender and brave in dark times. I write about cultivating a resilient form of hope that helps us resist passivity. If we want a brighter future, we have to make it. (M.S.Ed.) https://www.notesonhope.net/
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aliciastoller.bsky.social
The poetry excerpt in this week's Notes on Hope essay is from "In the Doorway" by Victoria Change, published in her collection, The Trees Witness Everything (2022).

Read the essay here: www.notesonhope.net/lessons-in-s...

#poetry
"If you think fall..." from In the Doorway by Victoria Change, published in The Trees Witness Everything.
December 3, 2025 at 11:20 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
What a gorgeous love letter to teaching, literature, and the power of providing equitable access to both. Please follow the link below and read the whole essay by @johannawinant.bsky.social
"All of this is true, but it's not the only truth..." An excerpt from The Claims of Close Reading by Johanna Winant in Boston Review.
November 29, 2025 at 5:52 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
Last weekend's Notes on Hope essay about Jane Goodall featured this excerpt from poet Zaina Alsous, originally published in "A Theory of Birds" (2019).

Read the essay here: www.notesonhope.net/a-belated-lo...

#poetry
A few lines of poetry from "A Theory of Birds" by Zaina Alsous...
November 15, 2025 at 6:44 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
I hold onto these lines from @poetrichardblanco.bsky.social every election night, no matter the results. They always give me hope. But tonight it really feels like we lived up to them. ❤️
We hold these truths to be self-evident... From Declaration of Inter-dependence by Richard Blanco
November 5, 2025 at 4:21 AM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
I usually include a few lines of poetry at the beginning of each Notes on Hope essay. But I couldn't pick just a few lines from this week's poem, A Daily Practice by Michael Mark.

Originally published: rattle.com/a-daily-prac...

Read the essay here: www.notesonhope.net/involving-ki...

#poetry
A Daily Practice... by Michael Mark
November 4, 2025 at 9:53 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
This week's Notes on Hope essay featured a few lines from the poem Kaōnōn by Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner.

Read the entire poem here: poets.org/poem/kaonon

And the essay here: www.notesonhope.net/when-food-is...

#poetry
A few lines from the poem Kaōnōn by Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner.
October 28, 2025 at 11:37 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
Some of the supposedly very dangerous No Kings protestors doing a little group singing while patiently waiting to step off for the start of the NYC protest.

#NoKings #NYC
October 19, 2025 at 1:28 AM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
No kings in NYC. ❌👑

Yes to frogs of the inflatable and kermit varieties, giant butterflies, and oligarch-eating dinosaurs.

#NoKings #TimesSquare #NYC
Protestors in Times Square, NYC, one with Kermit riding on his head in a plaid vest, carrying an American flag. Protestors in NYC with signs, and a giant inflatable frog wearing a crown with a sign that says "Do I look like the enemy within?" Man with a beard raising giant butterfly wings in front of an I heart NYC sign. Two inflatable dinosaurs, one green and one red. The red dinosaur is holding a sign that says, "Eat the Oligarchs."
October 18, 2025 at 8:57 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
I begin every Notes on Hope essay with poetry. I used to post the poems on Instagram each week. Now that I'm only posting the essays here, I thought I'd bring the poems over!

This week's lines are from "Angels of the Get-Through" by Andrea Gibson, published in Pansy, 2015.

#poetry #AndreaGibson
Excerpt from "Angels of the Get-Through" by Andrea Gibson, published in Pansy, 2015.
October 14, 2025 at 12:24 AM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
More monarchs stopped by today. Safe travels little guys!
A monarch butterfly with open wings on a salvia flower.
September 29, 2025 at 2:56 AM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
These very persistent flowers making a strong showing of their last-ditch effort before the cold sets in.
Pink and yellow lantana flowers and green leaves next to a white brick wall.
September 28, 2025 at 4:58 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
It is incredibly difficult for domestic violence survivors to be taken seriously, despite the fact that this data has been clear for a long time. Treating domestic violence as the bright red flag that it is would make us all—and especially our children—safer.
Excerpt from "Want to stop political violence? Start by addressing hostile sexism" in 19thnews.org statistically linking domestic violence to mass shootings.
September 18, 2025 at 9:32 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
This is profoundly irresponsible journalism about a tool that recently advised a teen to kill themselves. There are no glib tips that make that risk acceptable.

Common Sense Media, which rarely takes such a hardline stance, has stated that AI companions pose "unacceptable risks" to kids & teens.
From Common Sense Media: Our Guidance and recommendations Based on our comprehensive risk assessments, these AI tools pose unacceptable risks to children and teens under age 18 and should not be used by minors. We recommend: - No social AI companions for young people under 18. - Developers need robust age assurance beyond self-attestation. - Platforms should be scrutinized for potential relational manipulation and creation of emotional dependency. - Parent awareness and dialogue with teens is essential. - Further research is needed on emotional and psychological impacts. From Common Sense Media: Social AI companions pose unacceptable risks to teens and children under 18, including encouraging harmful behaviors, providing inappropriate content, and potentially exacerbating mental health conditions. Our Teens, Trust, and Trade Offs report shows that 72% of teens have used AI companions at least once, with over half (52%) using them regularly. This widespread usage makes the safety concerns identified in our testing even more urgent. Overall risk level: unacceptable risk
September 6, 2025 at 4:19 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
Made a tiny friend today.
Hummingbird perched on twinkle light wire, looking toward orange trumpet vine flowers. Hummingbird perched on twinkle light wire, next to orange trumpet vine flowers, with one wing extended and its chest feathers puffed out.
September 1, 2025 at 1:48 AM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
This is my full 2022 letter.

As noted above, a portion of this note is also included in the newsletter I linked in the first post of this thread.
A note to the families of a Jewish nursery school about the relationship between prayer and action, following the 2022 Uvalde school shooting. 1/4 A note to the families of a Jewish nursery school about the relationship between prayer and action, following the 2022 Uvalde school shooting. 2/4 A note to the families of a Jewish nursery school about the relationship between prayer and action, following the 2022 Uvalde school shooting. 3/4 A note to the families of a Jewish nursery school about the relationship between prayer and action, following the 2022 Uvalde school shooting. 4/4
August 30, 2025 at 12:59 AM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
When I say "technology" I mean unit blocks.
A lighthouse made of wood unit blocks. The Empire State Building made of wood unit blocks.
August 10, 2025 at 2:45 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
Briefly considered whether we needed to find a new apartment last week when I couldn't figure out how to deactivate an alarm with a "10 year battery," which apparently means a battery that cannot be accessed and removed ever.

Dog was like, "My ears are very big. Please send help."
July 22, 2025 at 5:19 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
The response from @zerotothree.bsky.social on the Trump administration's decision to restrict immigrant children's access to health care and early education.

This decision “is harmful, inhumane, and will undermine the health and well-being of babies and those who care for them."
ZERO TO THREE, a leading national nonprofit dedicated to ensuring all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life, condemned the Administration’s efforts to bar immigrant children from accessing federally funded programs, including Head Start, Early Head Start, and vital health services. This change is an attack on immigrant families that will negatively impact communities across the country. Melissa Boteach, chief policy officer at ZERO TO THREE, stated: “Reclassifying vital programs to prevent immigrant babies and families from accessing basic federal programs is harmful, inhumane, and will undermine the health and well-being of babies and those who care for them. For over twenty years, the Administration and Congress have acknowledged that every baby deserves a strong start in life, ensuring babies growing up in households have access to the early learning, food, and health care they need to keep them on the best developmental track. Changing this longstanding policy to block access to effective programs will cause lifelong harm while intimidating and punishing hard-working families and communities. “Banning immigrant children and the adults they rely on from accessing basic, essential needs is misguided and cruel. Now is the time to prioritize families, not punish them.”
July 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
"We're the promise of one people, one breath declaring to one another: I see you. I need you. I am you."
"We hold these truths to be self-evident..." from Richard Blanco's poem, "Declaration of Inter-dependence" in How to Love a Country
June 15, 2025 at 3:13 AM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
So proud of my MN family, who showed up today despite fear, grief, and warnings from officials to cancel protests. ❤️‍🩹

In addition to the huge crowds at the St. Paul rally, people came out all over the state.

Around 700 here lining the streets in Minnetonka.
June 15, 2025 at 1:35 AM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
Always love a Saturday walk with 50,000 of my NYC neighbors. ❌👑
Protest sign reading "Sing Out! New York Sings Along." This protester had a speaker blasting protest songs, which the crowd was singing along to. No Kings Day, NYC A flag, protest signs, and umbrellas at the NYC No Kings rally. Sign reads, "Smile on your brother. Everybody get together and impeach this motherfucker right now." Protester at NYC No Kings rally. Signs read, "ICE deports more moms than murderers" and "Masked ICE = New Gestapo." No Kings sign at NYC No Kings rally. A group of kids was carrying these handmade crayon signs.
June 15, 2025 at 1:18 AM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
The sun finally came out!
Purple wisteria in the sun.
May 26, 2025 at 10:26 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
My pleasure! When the demands of parenting make it especially hard to take big actions, I try to find small ones. Everything adds up and keeps us moving toward the next action.

And I also remind myself of this from Tennessee Williams — that parenting itself can be an act of hope.
Tennessee Williams: "The world is violent and mercurial..."
May 13, 2025 at 6:47 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
This week kind of walloped me. But there were also tulips and sunshine and birds.
Red Tailed Hawk resting on a tree branch, NYC Orange tulips in sunlight, NYC Common Raven resting on a fence, NYC
April 26, 2025 at 7:46 PM
aliciastoller.bsky.social
Favorite moment today — going down stairs, a woman said, "Careful of the steps!" then laughed & said, "I can't help being a teacher on a field trip." I gave her the ASL "me too" sign, which we all use in the classroom. We both laughed.

Thank you to everyone who stood up for kids today! #HandsOff
April 6, 2025 at 1:46 AM