Rachel Writes

Tomorrow will mark a year since I checked my phone on the way out of a job interview and listened to a message from the American Cancer Society. Tomorrow will also mark seven years since I stepped out of my first period classroom at Wakulla High School to check a missed call from my mother.  Seven years ago, the call from my mother was a message telling  me that my sister's battle with liver cancer had ended.  Sara had celebrated her 31st birthday in May and her son Aidan was a few months shy of turning five. The miles traveled since that August school morning have taken me down some winding roads. In 2009, I had an opportunity to make a professional move to teaching full time in an online graduate program for Valdosta State University. This career move opened doors for me to research and write. Over the course of the next five years, I would publish a textbook, author numerous articles and write several book chapters. Making the move to higher education allowed me to...

I never really get used to it. When I was growing up in New York, it was “hey, aren’t you related to so and so (insert name of well-known family member).” As a child, these moments reinforced the idea that I represented my family and that my family impacted how I interacted with people around me. As an adult, the illusion of public anonymity is pierced by the question, "Aren't you Rachel Pienta?" or sometimes, "Aren't you wakullawriter (on Twitter)?" Such a moment last night spurred me to consider how the way I engage with the community has evolved over the years. I was out celebrating a friend’s birthday at a local watering hole. Late in the evening, someone approached me and said, “Aren’t you Rachel Pienta?”  In general, these conversations range from someone who has read my writing, taken a class with me, or wants to compliment or complain about some decision I made related to one of my community leadership roles.  On this particular night, it was a ...

The candidates were introduced in the order of their rank in the polls. At the outset, the field was asked, “Is there anyone unwilling to pledge to Republican nominee and not run an independent campaign against that nominee?”  This question set the tone for a debate that would be lively, loud, and combative. Donald Trump refused to make the pledge not to run as an independent if he is not the Republican nominee.  The only reaction from the other men on the stage came from Rand Paul who fired off a terse response, “Trump is hedging his bets.” One theme sustained throughout the debate was a critique of the current Republican leadership in Washington.  Commentary ranged from Trump’s indictment of America’s political leaders, whom he termed “stupid” to Ted Cruz’s assertion that Republican leaders refused to enforce immigration laws. The topic of terrorism elicited a shouting match between Chris Christie and Rand Paul. On the topic of experience and qualificat...