From the slave ships to Baltimore, 2015

As a society, we are failing to understand that riots are symptoms of systemic failures. Yes, there are flesh and blood people involved, and if you want, you can dismiss them by calling them criminals and thugs.

I have never been a fan of pigeons. But over the last 3–4 months, I’ve watched a pair of pigeon mates settle and eventually build a nest on a column in the alley outside my building. Watching their relationship (pigeons mate for life) has steadily changed my view on our filthy urban birds.