Author: Pius Kamau
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COLUMN | A writer’s credo: Honesty is ‘our North Star’ | Pius Kamau
Last week 350 Colorado fiction writers gathered to celebrate Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ 40th anniversary. We heartily congratulated the founding spirits who have seen Colorado’s fiction writers blossom over the years; we savored the joys of writers’ brotherhood. Organizations like RMFW are not talked about much; not written about nor televised by our many news…
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COLUMN: Immortal good deeds of my departed friends | Pius Kamau
The first African doctor I met was a learned man who read many, large books. I thought his knowledge of and treatment of diseases protected him; he would never die. I was very young. Now much older, I know better. Like all mortals, doctors die, too. I have only written a few obituaries, but here…
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COLUMN: What’s politics — between true friends? | Pius Kamau
After gastroenterologists’ failure to control his bleeding duodenal ulcer, my patient needed surgery. In the OR, I had to peel off a dead gall bladder from the duodenum to reveal a gaping, irregular duodenal perforation. After suturing the artery and removing the gall bladder, I contemplated using his stomach to repair the gaping duodenal defect.…
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COLUMN: Let’s train more minority teachers | Pius Kamau
In a recent column, I advocated coupling students’ education to that of their parents. And since where this matters most, a large percentage of fathers are in jail or just AWOL, the onus of raising children falls mainly on mothers. It is these women — especially those dependent on welfare — I feel we should…
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COLUMN: Educate parents to educate children | Pius Kamau
I often discuss the crucial and important role parents play in their children’s education. In as much as we like to lay blame for our children’s academic failing on teachers and schools, we should refrain from doing so. Rather we should, wherever possible, endeavor to also educate parents. Children’s education is a complex process that…
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COLUMN: The future belongs to the young | Pius Kamau
That the future of this country rests in the hands of our young is axiomatic, self-evident. It was therefore gratifying for me to witness a group of students at the 28th Colorado Mathematics Awards in May. I had previously attended a few presentations at the invitation of the CMA’s chair, Dr. David Carlson, a friend…
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COLUMN: Immigrants can belong by serving | Pius Kamau
A Black man of African descent was elected to be the next mayor of Colorado Springs, something that’s very gratifying to me. It emphasizes an idea I have had for a while, that we Black immigrants need to engage more fully in the affairs of our new homes. By our presence in the arena of…
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COLUMN: The tragedy of America’s gun culture | Pius Kamau
My intense disgust at the stranger-on-stranger shootings gave way to a more nuanced thought process, a balancing act if you wish, as I wondered how any homeowner could shoot a boy through the door just because he had the temerity to knock on the door? How could anyone fire a gun at a departing car…
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COLUMN: Who is minding our children? | Pius Kamau
At six months of age, Elias Armstrong’s life was saved by a liver transplant. He survived both the procedure and the post operative recovery. His body’s attempt to reject his new organ was a given, as was a precarious life of a baby with a new liver. We next hear about him when he ran…
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Lawmakers realize education beats incarceration | Pius Kamau
Colorado House Bill 23-1037 promises to reduce prison time for inmates who pursue an education in jail and succeed to earn a certificate, or a degree. The bill, sponsored by Democratic state Rep. Matthew Martinez, was also wonderfully and surprisingly supported by Republicans. In fact it passed in the House of Representatives with near unanimity,…