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In 2011, there was an obscure blog post on Stan Carey’s site, Sentence first. It was about a curious word: ongoing. Carey took readers through debates surrounding the word, and quoted a memo from The Sunday Times in England, which cautioned writers to “avoid this ugly adjective.”

Supposedly, ongoing is a “vogue” word. A word of interest, but also distaste and frustration. The word grew exponentially in usage in the 1960s, and it peaked in the mid-2000s. Merriam-Webster once said there’s “no compelling reason to avoid it,” and that’s how I feel. 

Ongoing is a place for nuanced, left of center work: cultural criticism, narrative, and fiction. I believe in the power of culture (music, movies, food, what have you), and I see it as fundamental to building a left movement — by and for the people. A dynamic work in progress and a kind of entry point into the world. I want to work on my ideas with you, the reader. I’ll respond to comments and critiques, and I hope to learn with you in the process.

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