Cassie McClure, Las Cruces Sun-News Journalist Profile

Articles

From Ghost Stories to Gatekeeping: Millennials and the New Wave of Book Bans, by Cassie McClure

4 days ago | creators.com | Cassie McClure

Starting at about second grade, when the novelty of reading about a family of bears started to wear off, I inhaled ghost stories. One of my favorites was "Wait Till Helen Comes" by Mary Downing Hahn. It was about dead kids, dead parents, and, the cherry on top of a trauma sundae, navigating a blended family. I was lucky as a child. I didn't know death. I had both of my parents. While I was infinitely curious about siblings, I suspected that there were advantages to being an only child.
From Ghost Stories to Gatekeeping: Millennials and the New Wave of Book Bans

4 days ago | arcamax.com | Cassie McClure

Starting at about second grade, when the novelty of reading about a family of bears started to wear off, I inhaled ghost stories. One of my favorites was "Wait Till Helen Comes" by Mary Downing Hahn. It was about dead kids, dead parents, and, the cherry on top of a trauma sundae, navigating a blended family. I was lucky as a child. I didn't know death. I had both of my parents. While I was infinitely curious about siblings, I suspected that there were advantages to being an only child.
Millennial Life: Confessions of an AI-Optimist

2 weeks ago | arcamax.com | Cassie McClure

I'm probably not supposed to admit this, especially as a writer, but I'm not afraid of AI. I don't think it's here to steal our souls or our jobs. In fact, I think it might help us rediscover what's uniquely human and how we feel about those core principles of ourselves. According to the general vibe on social media, AI is the next tidal wave of doom, and we're all supposed to be building sandbag walls of suspicion. But I'm also a millennial, a writer, and a parent.
Confessions of an AI-Optimist, by Cassie McClure

2 weeks ago | creators.com | Cassie McClure

I'm probably not supposed to admit this, especially as a writer, but I'm not afraid of AI. I don't think it's here to steal our souls or our jobs. In fact, I think it might help us rediscover what's uniquely human and how we feel about those core principles of ourselves. According to the general vibe on social media, AI is the next tidal wave of doom, and we're all supposed to be building sandbag walls of suspicion. But I'm also a millennial, a writer, and a parent.
Use the Good China Today

3 weeks ago | arcamax.com | Cassie McClure

It started with a comment during school pickup, something my mom said about the china plates she remembered from her parents' home. The delicate plates and cups, which were kept behind glass, were reserved for use only once or twice a year. I mentioned that the china was a good metaphor for the differences in our generation. Hers kept some parts of life in storage; ours pulled out things for use, or gave them away if they didn't serve us.
Tugging at the Same Roots

1 month ago | arcamax.com | Cassie McClure

I waited to return her call until I had all the information I could get. Unfortunately, the ultimate why for the destruction of the trees was beyond my reach. She left a message in a resigned panic. She couldn't stop those cutting down the old mesquite trees, even though she tried to reach out to the postmaster at two of the post offices in town. The workers couldn't tell her much and wouldn't stop. She had hoped the city might, which is how she ended up in my voicemail.
Millennial Life: The Kids Are Not All Right ... but They Might Be Right

1 month ago | arcamax.com | Cassie McClure

You know that line from "The Avengers," where Bruce Banner turns to Captain America and says, "That's my secret, Cap: I'm always angry"? I've been thinking about that a lot lately. Because I think that's where the youth are now. And as a middle-aged youth, that's where I still am, too. After a youth shooting, our city is about to have a series of youth town halls. Leadership and nonprofits want to "hear what the youth has to say," wants to "let the youth lead." I've heard that before.
Millennial Life: The Tables and Traditions That Form Our Lives

1 month ago | arcamax.com | Cassie McClure

The victims of the shooting could have been at the table next to us at Olive Garden. Or, it could have been the shooters. It's hard to know. The table had a group of young men, perhaps in their late teens or early 20s, wearing their grown bodies like oversized coats inherited from their fathers. My son and I shared the wall-length booth with one side of the group, so when I would turn to speak to him, their boyish movements mirrored those of my son.
Turns Out Scraping By Is Not the Goal, by Cassie McClure

1 month ago | creators.com | Cassie McClure

For millennials and Gen Z, life is mediocre. Whatever we label the drive for overachievement — the hustle, the grind, or paying your dues — we've found that it doesn't necessarily lead to success. Especially if we've redefined what that looks like for us. It's not just about money. Working 40, 50, or even 60 hours a week with one or two jobs might pay rent, but good luck buying a home without a six-figure salary or family wealth.
Milleniel Life: Turns Out Scraping By Is Not the Goal

1 month ago | arcamax.com | Cassie McClure

For millennials and Gen Z, life is mediocre. Whatever we label the drive for overachievement -- the hustle, the grind, or paying your dues -- we've found that it doesn't necessarily lead to success. Especially if we've redefined what that looks like for us. It's not just about money. Working 40, 50, or even 60 hours a week with one or two jobs might pay rent, but good luck buying a home without a six-figure salary or family wealth.