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ron stempkowski

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ron stempkowski

ron stempkowski

love, loss, healing, and humor…in no particular order

  • home
  • the ink well
  • about ron
    • about ken
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    • Mountain Climbing for Beginners
  • my faves
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    • Extraordinary Healers Vol. 7
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Tag: Safe Place

Safe Spaces & Being  Your Authentic Self

Safe Spaces & Being Your Authentic Self

Posted on June 23, 2016April 22, 2017 by Ron Stempkowski
While on the L heading to work last week, I received a tweet from a BBC reporter who wanted my input about why LGBT people view gay bars/clubs as safe spaces. In the wake of the Orlando shootings,... Read More
The Sanctuary of Sameness

The Sanctuary of Sameness

Posted on June 15, 2016May 14, 2022 by Ron Stempkowski
The first gay bar I ever went to in Chicago was a small but colorful neighborhood bar called Buddie’s. I’d found it wandering down Clark Street while my friend Denise, who had driven us th... Read More
  • The Promise I Made Before He Died–and Why I’m Still Keeping It
    by Ron Stempkowski
    My upcoming book exists because of a promise. Ken was full of kindness, grace, and humor. So much so that...
  • The Year I Finally Say It Out Loud
    by Ron Stempkowski
    When I woke up on New Year’s Day 2026, the first words* out of my mouth were, “This is the...
  • Reflecting on 2025 with my New Year’s Eve Ritual
    by Ron Stempkowski
    It’s my fourth year, sitting with a stack of envelopes packed with selected memories from the past year since starting...
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