Blog - Amy Julia Becker

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A close-up photograph of a laptop screen displaying an online news article. The article's headline reads, "The Trump administration's rhetoric about disability diminishes us all." The page features an image of former U.S. President Donald Trump speaking at a podium, with other smaller images below.

COGNOSCENTI | The Trump administration’s rhetoric about disability diminishes us all

March 12, 2025

Grateful to write today for Cognoscenti/WBUR, Boston’s NPR station (read the full essay here): “The language we use and the stories we tell shape our

S8 E13 | What Solitude Gives Us After Catastrophe with Pico Iyer

March 11, 2025

Apple YouTube Spotify More! What happens when we step away from the noise of daily life and into silence? Author Pico Iyer joins Amy Julia

a cartoonized photo of Penny, with her glasses and light brown hair visible behind a book, is reading a colorful children's book.

Spread the Word to End the Word

March 7, 2025

To my knowledge, no one has ever called our daughter Penny by the most common slur used to demean people with intellectual disabilities, the r-word.

S8 E12 | Americans & Foreign Aid: A Crisis of Compassion? with Dr. Matthew Loftus

March 4, 2025

Apple YouTube Spotify More! When U.S. foreign aid is frozen, what happens to the people who depend on it? In this episode, Dr. Matthew Loftus

This image is a digital painting with a cubist-inspired abstract design. It features fragmented architectural elements such as arches, towers, and domes in warm earth tones of brown, beige, and ochre, contrasted with cool blues. Some circular and reflective elements add depth and dimension, giving the composition a surreal quality. The style resembles a fusion of modern abstraction with historical architecture, creating a dreamlike cityscape.

It’s Worth Seeking After Truth

March 1, 2025

Have you listened recently to the 1970s song Imagine by John Lennon? New York Times columnist Ross Douthat was on my podcast this week, and

a collage of five book covers. From left to right: A book cover featuring a blonde woman in a light-colored blazer sitting on a couch. The title and author are partially obscured. "One of Us Is Lying" by Karen M. McManus. The cover has a red title with a handwritten style over images of four students with their faces obscured. "The Long Call" by Ann Cleeves. A blue-toned cover with an image of a coastal landscape, featuring a house and birds flying overhead. A black-and-white historical photograph of people with disabilities protesting, one holding a sign that says, "We shall overcome." A bright orange cover with large white and red text reading "Good Faith," accompanied by the authors’ names, Curtis and another partially hidden name.

February 2025 Favorites

February 28, 2025

Favorite books, essays, podcasts episodes, and more that I enjoyed in the month of February… Books: The Long Call by Ann Cleeves. I don’t typically

S8 E11 | Why Religion Still Matters with Ross Douthat

February 25, 2025

Apple YouTube Spotify More! In the work of reimagining, religion can play a significant part. What does it mean to be human? Does God

A vast refugee camp stretches across a valley, filled with countless makeshift tents in shades of orange, blue, and brown. The tents are densely packed and blend into the dusty, earth-toned landscape. In the background, mountains rise under a golden-hued sky, with a distant body of water reflecting the light

Caring for Humans is Slow, Messy, and Beautiful

February 22, 2025

Our family relies on the provision of support from the government by way of education and therapies for our daughter Penny. If we were in

A digital painting depicts two people walking along a curved road lined with utility poles and trees. The scene is infused with an abstract and expressive style, featuring bold brushstrokes and a blend of warm and cool tones—vibrant oranges and yellows contrast with deep blues and purples. The figures cast long shadows on the reflective surface of the road, suggesting early morning or late afternoon light. The sky and background elements are loosely defined, with intersecting lines adding movement and energy to the composition.

A Commitment to Hope

February 14, 2025

I want to start out by saying: The work I do is not about politics, and I’m going to try hard to make sure it

Amy Julia sits at a wooden table and looks off into the distance.

Advocacy: A Bridge to Belonging

February 13, 2025

A parent recently made a suggestion to me that I hadn’t ever thought of before. I was speaking about Reimagining Family Life with Disability and

I stand at a wooden podium, speaking to an audience in a cozy room. A screen behind me displays the presentation title: "Belonging & Mattering: Creating a Meaningful and Manageable Plan for a Good Future."

I Wish More Churches Would Love Their Neighbors Like This

February 12, 2025

Take delight in who you are (and/or in who your child is). Connect to community. Take the next step towards a good future. I had

S8 E10 | The Myth of a Colorblind, Meritocratic Society with David M. Bailey

February 11, 2025

Apple YouTube Spotify More! Recent political changes and executive orders have polarized the complex conversation around diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). David M. Bailey,

lined paper in a notebook with hard-to-read writing and a wooden cross resting on top

Dry January and Lent

February 10, 2025

I just finished Dry January, which is to say, I abstained from alcohol for the month of January. It was hard at first, and then

Abstract painting with human figures in blue, set against a geometric background of yellow and white. The figures appear engaged in movement or interaction, with elongated forms and flowing garments. The composition blends cubist and modernist styles, creating a sense of depth and fluidity.

How to Navigate the Pressures of Modern Family Life

February 7, 2025

Our front hall table is still covered in holiday cards. There are the uber-organized people who sent their cards at Thanksgiving, then the steady stream

collage of covers of books, podcasts and shows mentioned in post

January 2025 Favorites

January 31, 2025

BOOKS: Heretics Anonymous Marilee and I have been enjoying Heretics Anonymous on car rides together. It’s the story of a group of high school students

A cropped image of President Trump standing behind a podium with the seal of the President of the United States. He is wearing a dark suit, a white shirt, and a red tie, holding a piece of paper. The background features the American flag and the presidential flag.

Why I don’t want to respond to President Trump’s baseless, inaccurate, and unjust accusations about who caused the plane crash into the Potomac

January 31, 2025

Yesterday, President Trump held a press conference where he suggested that the reason an army helicopter crashed into a passenger plane in Washington, D.C. was