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4 days ago | 
medium.com | Eleni Stephanides
Don’t mention the something because you won’t be allowed to paywall. We also accept articles about Substack (and marmalade). Follow publicationThoughtful writing won’t always trend— but it can still reach the people who need itDear Fellow Writers,Stories heal us. Now, more than ever, we need them — and we need you. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember.
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2 weeks ago | 
medium.com | Eleni Stephanides
A home for people who want to give back to the community: write and read. Follow publicationThey may not understand the words, but they recognize the feelingThe first time I told my cat Callie “I love you,” she blinked slowly, tilted her head, and pressed her forehead into the back of my hand. It felt like an answer. I know she doesn’t understand English.
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3 weeks ago | 
medium.com | Eleni Stephanides
When therapy becomes a show, what happens to vulnerability? In Couples Therapy, Showtime’s quietly riveting docuseries, there are moments where the emotional intensity is palpable. A woman confronts the lingering effects of her past traumas, leading to profound realizations about her current relationship. Dr. Orna Guralnik, the show’s insightful therapist, gently guides these discussions, asking questions that prompt significant emotional breakthroughs.
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3 weeks ago | 
medium.com | Eleni Stephanides
Protecting the creativity of young minds from the clutches of capitalismThe other day, I opened my front door to a moose. Cardboard box body, paper-mâché head, and styrofoam antlers. It wasn’t Halloween. It was just my nine-year-old neighbor, proudly showing off his latest creation on a random Tuesday afternoon. Earlier that week, he’d come over with homemade toys for my cats — a giant dice with a rattle inside, and holes to reach their paws through.
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3 weeks ago | 
medium.com | Eleni Stephanides
And how to make food choices that support your body’s unique needsI used to think being healthy meant cutting out anything processed. If it came in a box, bag, or wrapper, it was the enemy. I didn’t care how it was made or what it contained — just that it wasn’t “clean.”And for good reason. On the whole, our U.S. food industry is wildly unregulated when it comes to what can be added to our food. Little transparency is required.
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1 month ago | 
medium.com | Eleni Stephanides
Manufactured stories from digital imposters cheat those who’ve lived through real painEvery so often, I read something online that stays with me for all the wrong reasons. It starts innocently enough: a personal essay, or what looks like one. A confession. A heartbreak. A quiet unraveling of someone’s life. These stories are everywhere on platforms like Medium, and many of them are brave and deeply human. But lately, I’ve noticed a shift.
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1 month ago | 
aninjusticemag.com | Eleni Stephanides
A call for real change in how we protect people with dietary restrictions*May is Allergy Awareness Month. Last December, the world lost Black Girl Disney founder Dominique Brown at just 34 years old. Her death was not only tragic and preventable but also a stark reminder of what’s at stake when institutions fail to take health and dietary needs seriously. Dominique was more than a Disney influencer. She was a voice for inclusivity and a joyful presence in the lives of thousands.
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1 month ago | 
aninjusticemag.com | Eleni Stephanides
A call for real change in how we protect people with dietary restrictions*May is Allergy Awareness Month. Last December, the world lost Black Girl Disney founder Dominique Brown at just 34 years old. Her death was not only tragic and preventable but also a stark reminder of what’s at stake when institutions fail to take health and dietary needs seriously. Dominique was more than a Disney influencer. She was a voice for inclusivity and a joyful presence in the lives of thousands.
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1 month ago | 
medium.com | Eleni Stephanides
Reclaiming queer liberation from corporate hands and far-right backlashI’ll always remember the first Pride I attended — San Francisco, California back in 2010. I marched next to the Curve Magazine float, beneath a bright arch of colorful balloons. We handed out copies of their freshly printed 20th-anniversary issue (with newly out country singer Chely Wright on the cover) to the crowd. I felt a part of something bigger than myself.
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1 month ago | 
medium.com | Eleni Stephanides
A new flavor, a new kind of fullnessA few nights ago, to celebrate my mom’s birthday, I found myself at a Mexican restaurant with my family, staring down a plate of grasshopper tacos. I’d ordered them out of curiosity. Grasshoppers are a delicacy in many parts of the world, and a surprisingly efficient source of protein. I figured: why not? They were… fine. Crispy, a little earthy, definitely salty. Not something I’d rush to order again, but not unpleasant either.
