Stairwell Teatro
Welcome to La Scala, the stairwell at my home, where I share short vignettes about names. Each episode is released with an accompanying blog post that provides insights and links to information related to the video's topic. Link to the blog is provided with each episode.
Helvetica Light is an easy to read font, with tall and narrow letters, that works well on almost every site.
Ep 1
While ordering at a Starbucks in Madrid, Irma realizes her name won’t be mispronounced. In Spain even her Starbucks name, Maria, gets a vacation. For blog, click here
Ep 2
What to do when someone mispronounces your name: let it go, tell them how it's pronounced, help them get it right? It's your name, you get to choose. For blog, click here.
Ep 3
Not everyone pronounces the name Irma the way I do. Props to Irma Thomas, the Soul Queen of New Orleans, whose name is pronounced Urma. We show respect by saying a person's name the way they do. For blog, click here.
Ep 4
Have you ever been asked to say your name in English? What exactly is the request, that you give a literal translation of the words or that you mispronounce it? Is Jaime Cuervo supposed to call himself Jim Crow? Respect for our names and our identity are social justice issues. For blog, click here.
Ep 5
When Cassisus Clay, the Heavyweight Boxing Champion, became a Muslim he changed his name to Muhammad Ali. It took six long years before the Associated Press and the New York Times caved in to his demand that he be called by his "free" name. For blog, click here.
Ep 6
A name can have multiple correct pronunciations. How do you know if you have the right one, and what you can do when you get it wrong. For blog, click here.
Ep 7
Thank you, viewers, for sending me name stories that you come across. Here are a few. You are greatly appreciated. For blog, click here.
ements of Bauhaus design. Ideal for headlines, banners, logos & more, it will make your words stand out.
Ep 8
Imagine this dilemma. You are well-educated and eminently qualified for a job. Your resume is tailored to highlight the experiences that make you a strong candidate. But you wonder: will your name be an impediment? For blog, click here.
Ep 9
Can you give your child any name you want? Pretty much, but California law does have some restrictions, among them are accent marks. So Lucía not allowed. Will Elon Musk's son's name, X Æ A - 12 or X Æ A - Xii, pass the test? For blog, click here.
Ep 10
Do you have a nickname? If you have a name considered by some to be “too ethnic” or difficult to pronounce or remember, you’ve probably been asked this question. For blog, click here.
Ep 11
How often have you heard someone say their family's name was changed at Ellis Island? It is a myth and no matter how often it is repeated this is not how name changes occurred. For blog, click here.
Ep 12
How does Senator Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party's Vice-Presidential Nominee, pronounce her name? She tells people it's like comma (the punctuation mark) with a la after it. COMMA-la. For blog, click here.
Ep 13
Ever wonder how hurricanes get their names? And when men's names were added to the list of hurricane names? Learn about this and more in this video and the accompanying blog, click here.
Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go to font for titles, paragraphs & more.
Ep. 14 (Parts 1 & 2)
Pullman Porters, the Black men who staffed the luxury first-class Pullman cars on the railroads for over a century, were key players in expanding the rights of Blacks in this country. Their story is one of decade after decade of dogged determination and speaking truth to power, never losing sight that their battle wasn’t just for workers’ rights – they were seeking racial justice and fair treatment for their community.click here.