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Is Atypical Anorexia Really Atypical?

A few weeks ago, a story I worked on for six months finally hit print: "'You don't look anorexic.'" It's about the often overlooked, under-diagnosed and under-treated illness of atypical anorexia nervosa. Studies suggest it may actually be three times as common as its more well-known sibling, anorexia nervosa. The only difference is that sufferers are not in emaciated bodies, but they experience the same physical and mental symptoms. I'm still processing all of the remarkable feedback I received, ranging from people sharing their own…

The Darkest Place on Earth

Nearly a year ago, I had the outrageous privilege, thanks to an assignment from Outside magazine, to travel deep into the Arctic during the phenomenon of polar night. In Wiseman, Alaska (population: 12), residents say goodbye to the sun in late November and don't see it again until January 9. For years, I had been curious about the frigid darkness at the end of the earth. And last winter, I got the chance to experience it for myself—on the solstice no less. I won't spoil…

Is This Land Your Land?

Sometimes stories gestate for years before taking form. This one bloomed from deep curiosity rooted in a sense of personal responsibility. I realized that my understanding of the land upon which I live was incomplete and imbalanced. While I of course knew about the people who have lived here since time immemorial and had a schoolbook understanding of the history of European colonization in the region, I didn’t live day-to-day with an embodied knowledge of the ongoing impact of these histories and traumas. I vowed…

Character Study

This past fall, I had the good fortune to be able to travel to Denver to report on a very happy development: The City of Denver officially recognized La Alma Lincoln Park as a Historic Cultural District, one of the first in the country celebrating Chicano history. The neighborhood of trim late 19th century homes is rich with stories from the 1970s Chicano Movement and famed for the nationally significant contributions of its Raza, mestizo, Hispano, Mexican American, Mexican, Latino and Chicano residents. Read the…

On Cancer and the Natural World

Nearly two years ago, at age 39, I received the shock of my life: a diagnosis of breast cancer. In the face of an existential threat, it's not uncommon for people to radically readjust their lives, to let go of concerns that suddenly seem trivial and pay more care and attention to what really matters. This was certainly my experience. In many ways, I feel like the ordeal of cancer deconstructed my life and my self like a mechanic with a busted engine, and it…