Kali J Desautels

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Originally intended to simply focus on book reviews, over time, KaliDesautelsReads has morphed into its own entity. I write about issues that are near to my heart, be they political, feminist, motherhood, mental health, or, as the title holds, books. A thirty-something Canadian woman in my mid-thirties, I have been “super married” to my high school sweetheart since 2006, and together we have two crazy, clever, kind, hilarious, wonderful kids. My first book – How Not To Blog: Finding Myself, One Post at a Time is available on Amazon (in eBook formats for you clever tech readers, and paperback for those of us who love that new book smell!) I have tried a podcast – it’s still on Apple and Google Podcasts – but writing is where my heart is. My life changed dramatically when my husband was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer in 2018, and I am now a writer for a leading Canadian Cancer Non-Profit. I am lucky enough to have a family that loves me and pushes me to be my best, even if it is outside of my cushiony comfort zone. I have a village of friends that nourish me, mentally, and spiritually. Welcome to my thoughts. Sit down. Stay a while. Enjoy a cup of coffee!

Category: social justice

  • Feminist Mugs

    I pulled out my Rae Dunn #Feminist mug for the first time in a while. It’s important when you are an obsessive coffee mug collector to rotate your options once in a while, so the mugs shoved to the back don’t get lonely. 😉 There have been a lot of situations in the news lately…

  • Madam Vice-President

    It’s finally begun. Madam Vice-President Kamala Harris has taken the oath of office. She has shattered another glass ceiling for BIPOCs and women in the United States, and offered an example to children all over the world. She is showing them that there can be change for the good. There can be beautiful sunny mornings,…

  • Martin Luther King Jr Day 2021

    A crucial reminder – honouring Dr King on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is easy; honouring him and his vision every single day of the year is where we put the work in. Commit to being anti-racist 365 days per year, every year for the entirety of your life. Commit to raising anti-racist children. Commit…

  • Black Shirt Day 2021

    “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. January 15th is #BlackShirtDay to honour and commemorate BIPOC and racialized Canadians. As the struggle to dismantle a colonial, white supremacist, heteronormative, cisgendered, Judie-Christian society continues, many of our…

  • Happy Birthday, Danielle ❤️

    Happy birthday, Danielle. I love you so much and am so grateful to have you in my family and my life. If you ever wonder what a person means to you, counts the moments. Who the person you are excited to share happy news with? Who do need to vent to? Where do you go…

  • How Do You Measure a Year?

    Welcome to 2021. This year will be… 365 days, 52 weeks, 12 months, 8760 hours, 525600 minutes, and 31536000 seconds. Some of these moments will inevitably be wonderful, amazing and transformative. Some of the moments will inevitably be hard, awful and transformative. This is life. This is what John Lennon said happens when we are…

  • Bad Feminist ~ Roxane Gay (2014)

    ❤️❤️❤️❤️ In 2020, I had the honour of attending writing webinars by Dr. Roxane Gay. I admire her writings, and follow her social media, and adore things like her cute puppy dog and strong opinions. This year, I was determined to read Bad Feminist, which has been on my shelf and TBR pile for years.…

  • She is not just a hashtag

    Reposted• @shityoushouldcareabout Here to interrupt your feed, which has probably gone back to normal. Just a reminder that at this time last year, Breonna Taylor – EMT, COVID-19 frontline hero, and HUMAN murdered in her sleep by cops, of whom only one was charged (for the bullets that DIDN’T hit her) – was putting love,…