By Elliott Potter My father was a flawed man. As it turns out, so am I. For this pair of Potters, however, the impacts of our imperfections on fatherhood proved a stark contrast. I came out ahead. My son and I share the kind of bond that became...
By Donna Lopez Cathi Hardesty didn’t know her biological father, but becoming a new parent made her curious about her father’s identity. She found her biological father with the help of a friend who asked her to pay it forward instead of accepting monetary payment. This unique...
By Reverend Angel L. Sullivan One of the worst parts of my call as an ordained minister serving as a chaplain is to look a parent in the face as I stand with the doctor when he or she says, "I am sorry. I...
By Sylvie Griffiths I had my first child back in 2005, and, in all of the lessons I learned in that year of firsts, I realized that parenting is a balancing act. Balancing multiple relationships: kids, significant other, friends and co-workers—all simultaneously. Balancing working or...
When we last spoke with Brandi, she was a newlywed and busy entrepreneur. Now, she’s a new mom, happy wife and busy entrepreneur—during a global pandemic! Brandi and Mitch welcomed their first child, son Troy, in February, and we couldn’t resist checking in with her for...
By Jay Wilson It’s a family story that has been around for as long as I’ve been alive. I was born a month early nearly 50 years ago. Upon delivery, I was whisked away to the safety of 1970s neo-natal intensive care technology. Into the bassinet I...
By Sylvie Griffiths Living in the days when coronavirus is spreading globally isn’t my ideal topic. In part because I like to do positive and humorous writing when I’m down. Writing is my escape; clearing my head when thoughts overwhelm my brain, expressing things I would...
By Elliott and Jake Potter HERStory contributor Elliott Potter shares many connections with his son Jake–a love of athletics, journalism degrees from the same college and a passion for music. Now they’re also bonded by challenges in the development of Jake's 3-year-old son, Landon. ...
By Jackie Sue Griffin As a journalist, I thought I’d mastered all forms of written and oral communication. Then my son, Devon Tyler Konyha, was born September 18, 1990. My son has high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder. Raising Devon has provided me the opportunity to relearn everything I...
By Anna M.A. Stracey I graduated from NYU a semester early back in 2003 and decided to spend a few months traveling outside my normal comfort zone. I didn’t have a clear destination in mind, so when a friend suggested I visit Panama, I purchased a...