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.

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 & Filmmaker Screens When We Are Asked at CSU-Chico/Talks Diversity & Inclusion

December 20, 2019 in Bioethics, Film, Social Justice, September MD-Writer, Human Rights, Death and Desperation

Hi, I hope you are all well and beginning a holiday break!

For your Calendar:

September Williams MD-Writer- Filmmaker will be at California State University-Chico (CSU-Chico) speaking and screening her film When We Are Asked: About Crossing Over (WWAA), February 12, 202 When We Are asked is a 360 view one-hour documentary narrative about End of Life Issues from the perspective of African Americans and those who are allied and provide care for those who are living until they die. She is presenting as a part of the CSU- CONVERSATIONS ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION series at 12 noon in room BMU 210 and a 6 PM full screening. For more venue information contact CSU-Chico office of diversity and inclusion For more on my screen work at IMDb and for recent film reviews I’ve written go to Bioethics.net.

September Williams Author: New Film Review on Bioethics.net ASK DR RUTH →

September 09, 2019 in Baby Boomers, Bioethics, Death and Desperation, Destiny, Feminism, Grief, Sex and Love

See my film review of ASK DR.RUTH by Director RYAN WHITE. The full article was first printed on Bioethics.net https://www.bioethics.net/2019/09/a-film-review-ask-dr-ruth-bioethics-acts-of-love/ Thanks to Larsen Associates for access to the screening and photos curtesy of Hulu Originals.

Copy of September Williams'Bioethics Screen Reflections : A PRIVATE WAR Bioethics meets the Guardians of Truth

January 08, 2019 in Bioethics, Book to Film, Death and Desperation, Feminism, Grief, Human Rights, Peace, Resistance, Social Justice, Waking up in Syria

As we move into the Oscar Season — I am reviewing films from the fall. A PRIVATE WAR is a film that likely will not win an Oscar, despite an Oscar winning director, and an Oscar nominated actor who gives an Oscar worthy performance. This ought to be the period where male and female actors are held as equal not separate and compete against one another for awards — this past year gave so many stellar leading roles for women that the dramatic bar iis set somewhere in the moons orbit. There are women directors, and directors of color unlike any other — kind of reminds me of the midterm elections in terms of land-slide. I’ll be giving you a look several other films if you want to get a head start: The Hate You Give, If Beale Street Could Talk, The Kindergarten Teacher, Destroyer, Roma, Widows,

So — A Private War— Things are not wrapped up in a tidy fictional bow in the end. I really should have used one of the gorgeous shots of Rosamund Pike in the protagonist role — but that would be misleading. You may want to understand the history in more detail — given the story turns on a region of the world where the USA has troupes on the ground in several countries — at least for the moment. You will be mad as hell and guilty too. So I have posted a two part series on Bioethics Screen Reflections http://www.bioethicsscreenreflections.com — with some references.

It is a hard story to tell, about a woman with a compulsion to change just one thing — the capacity for anyone to say “But I didn’t know that atrocity was going on.” If you vote, anywhere in the world — if you believe science and technology should be used for beneficent purposes and war doesn’t meet that bill, and if you, I dare say —believe in love— this is a film you need to see.

In the spirit of full disclosure — many readers of my novel Chasing Mercury know that one of the protagonist, Forest, is a whistleblowing journalist. They are not easy types to live with— or without.

September Williams' Bioethics Screen Reflections AT THE MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL (MVFF41) Screenings

September 26, 2018 in Baby Boomers, Book to Film, Grief, Death and Desperation, Bioethics

Lots of people ask me what I am going to be reviewing on Bioethics Screen Reflections from the Pre-Oscar Run Up Film Festivals. As it turns out, I picked the town where I have been living for the past 14 because it has one of the best International and local Film Festivals in the world. Every October — beginning on the Thursday closest to my birthday, a ten day screening event begins. Sixty Thousand people watch some of the best films of their time. Last year I was in Geneva at the Minamata Convention COP1 and through I was delighted to be there ( It took 60 years to get to the treaty), I admit I missed the being at the MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL. So— I will share with you over the next week the tiles I will be watch on the MVFF big screen