How Power Really Works
A series on fear, power, democracy, and the lessons of the civil rights era.
Current Chapter
Chapter 1:
Fear Is Cheaper than Persuasion
This series reflects on fear not as emotion alone, but as a system of deterrence through which societies teach people when to speak, when to hesitate, and when to remain silent.
Published Chapters
Chapter 1: Fear Is Cheaper Than Persuasion
This series reflects on fear not as emotion alone, but as a system of deterrence through which societies teach people when to speak, when to hesitate, and when to remain silent. There are two basic ways to govern people. You can persuade them or frighten them….
Why I Wrote Small’s Big Journey
Some stories stay with a family for generations. They are told in pieces at the table, at…
The First Sign I Ever Carried
Norfolk, Virginia, 1961. I am on the right, age twelve, holding my first protest sign, standing…
I Lived Through the Shift
I have been thinking deeply about the conversations happening inside the Democratic Party and how…
Why I Still Don’t Understand the Virginia Redistricting Election Timeline
What continues to bother me about the Virginia redistricting referendum situation is not just the…
Why the Struggle Over Who Gets to Vote Has Never Truly Ended
Voting rights are rarely lost all at once. They erode quietly, through small changes, fading…
From Small’s First Vote to Today: Why This Supreme Court Decision Matters
Today, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down a decision that feels like a step…
About Charlene
Welcome! I write about history, voting rights, politics, family legacy, and the stories that connect generations.
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