I had to think for a while about what I wanted to say here. Summing up a person’s impact isn’t something that I think can be done with any great amount of haste, it requires thought and time. So I gave it plenty of those things, started and deleted many times and I was still coming up with the same bland platitudes; she was great, what a teacher etc. Those things just don’t seem descriptive enough of what a truly inspiring woman you were. You always had time for everyone, there was never a problem too big to be hashed out by the window in your office, and no idea was ever too silly to work. You taught us all that our lived experiences could be just as rich of a resource as any we might find in a book, that academia could be creative and bold. In your lessons, we were able to notice our impact and channel it into our work. I hope that you knew just how impactful and important you were Mel. I’ll be thinking of you today and of how fitting of a day Guy Fawkes is for your funeral. As Marx said, “The last capitalist we hang shall be the one who sold us the rope.” Rest well Mel. Jen