The State of Literacy in the Digital Age
Five years ago, Planet Word opened its doors with a bold mission: to spark a love of words, language, and reading in people of all ages — at a time…
Writer’s Block
Wasn’t it fortunate and timely, I thought, that just when words started to be the news — as opposed to simply being used to record and report the news —…
English as Our Official Language — Symbolic or Significant?: Q&A with Dr. Bill Rivers
On March 1, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order designating English — and only English — as the official language of the United States. The move has sparked both…
Words Under Threat
My instinctive reaction to the broad, undifferentiated cuts to federal departments and programs was skepticism and distress. Would the cuts affect the cleanliness of our air and water, the safety…
Fed Up with Lies
As flood waters swirled around people’s homes and yards along with spiraling rumors and disinformation about emergency rescue services, I became fed up — fed up with the lies that…
Dignity or Contempt? How One Simple Tool Could Transform America’s Dialogue
After two assassination attempts against former President Trump and unease in Springfield, Ohio, after false accusations that immigrants there were eating pets, it’s the right time to think about toning…