Thanksgiving is a U.S. holiday that celebrates the genocide of the indigenous people who inhabited this land before the Europeans colonized it, generally through activities such as overeating, watching gigantic men in shoulder pads hit one another, and arguing about politics with relatives you (hopefully) only see once or twice a year. Aside from that, it’s also a time to give thanks.

And I’m very thankful. I have been incredibly lucky this year. The amazing folks over at The Nation gave me a fellowship that, with no exaggeration, saved my life. I moved to New York City, the first place I’ve ever felt truly at home. I’ve had the opportunity to write and be published alongside the ...