Autumn Kitty By

Autumn Kitty by Афиногенова Татьяна

"And the sun took a step back, the leaves lulled themselves to sleep and autumn was awakened" 🍂

Q&A: Betty Reid Soskin reflects on her life and multifaceted career as a singer, activist and park ranger

“What a gem.”

“A national treasure.”

“The most amazing ranger you’ll ever meet!”

What more can we say about ranger Betty Reid Soskin that hasn’t already been said? How about, Happy 100th birthday? We thank you for your dedication and years of service in helping preserve and protect our nation’s history.

Ranger Betty was born in 1921, just a few years after the creation of the National Park Service. She grew up in a Cajun-Creole, African American family that settled in Oakland, California after the “Great Flood” that devastated New Orleans in 1927. She didn’t begin her career with the National Park Service until the age of 84, when she took a job at Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park. There she was able to share with visitors her first hand and lived experiences from World War II, especially the untold experiences of African-Americans during that war.

Help us send ranger Betty all the birthday wishes today!  

Photo description: Ranger Betty sits on a concrete block while dressed in her park ranger dress uniform.

I think we not only CAN but SHOULD have close friends of the opposite sex without there being an expectation of it leading to marriage. I don’t like at all when people go on about how that’s not allowed and a bad thing. 

Ramps should be the standard. Automatic doors should be the standard. Elevators in multi-story buildings should be the standard. ASL interpreters at events should be the standard. Braille menus at restaurants should be the standard. Accessibility should be the standard. You cannot meaningfully support Disabled people without supporting accessibility.

— zipporah@coffeespoonie

“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.”

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