By Lisa Cohn
This summer, tens of thousands of Oregon residents had their power shut off when high winds and hot temperatures threatened to ignite fires from electrical equipment such as utility poles. This was by far the largest series of “public safety power shutoffs” implemented by Oregon utilities.
During such events, homeowners and businesses tend to fire up …
When Russian invaded Ukraine in February, I watched my friend, Tatiana Terdal, jump to the aid of fellow Ukrainian Americans, organizing rallies and fundraisers and educating the public on social media. I was excited about telling her story for The Immigrant Story.
To write this piece, I attended a moving rally organized by Terdal. Then, during our interview, which took …
By Lisa Cohn
Here’s a story I wrote for PDX Parent Magazine about kids feeling anxious about climate change. It provides some tips for dealing with kids struggling with eco-anxiety.
I really enjoyed interviewing Jack Canfield, co-creator of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series about his latest book, “I Can Believe in Myself.”
We talked about the importance of helping kids get out of their comfort zones–and how they benefit. He explained how parents can turn negative statements into positive ones. And Canfield discussed his experience as a …
To protect both their physical and mental health, kids need to get exercise and take part in outdoor play, says Dr. Dan O’Neill, author of “Survival of the Fit.” I interviewed him recently for my youth sports podcast and learned that his book is an important wake-up call.
Twenty percent of kids are obese, and develop ailments such as diabetes, …
It wasn’t enough for Prasenjit Tito Chowdhury to enroll in a prestigious U.S. engineering program, then land a job at Intel, one of Oregon’s most well-known employers.
No, after coming to America, the native of Bangladesh wanted more than simply working each day to pay his bills.
“I wanted to be a citizen of the community,” he says.
And he …
For my youth sports podcast, Ultimate Sports Parent Radio, I recently interviewed Brian Levenson, a mental performance coach and author of “Shift Your Mind.”
He described how athletes benefit from “strong” or inner skills such as empathy and teamwork.
“We want to shift the narrative about so-called soft skills–skills like empathy, leadership and communication. We’re on a mission to …
Being a single mom has its challenges. But being a dating single mom is even more difficult. I’m often caught between my date or boyfriend and my son.
Here’s a story, “Warning: My Son Will Roast You,” recently published in a dating issue from Beyond Words Literary Magazine.
“I am the tugboat, you’re The Queen Elizabeth,” my boyfriend, Rick, told …
By Lisa Cohn
My latest piece for The Immigrant Story is about Xiomara Torres, an inspiring woman who entered the US as an undocumented immigrant and, after a long journey that took her to the Oregon foster care system, became a Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge. It was an honor to meet Torres and listen to her story…I had to …
Growing up in Nigeria, Onyeka Azike wasn’t aware of others’ skin color or accent. When she won a coveted scholarship to attend college in the U.S., she was surprised, confused and disappointed that Americans were so preoccupied with the way she spoke English — her native language — and the color of her skin. How far would she go