welcome!

Author/ Founder/Scientist/Curator/Mom

"Everyone has a history. What you do with it is up to you. Some repeat it. Some learn from it. The really special ones use it to help others." — John Mark Green

When my family moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee — America’s Secret City — I was eager to connect my children to its incredible history as an innovation hub built on a massive scientific experiment that changed the world. I took them on a staycation tour, excited to share with them the magical intersection of science and history right here in our new hometown.

But at the end of our adventure, their response stopped me in my tracks. They were confused, wondering why they didn’t see many people who looked like them in the popular city spaces we explored. And when they did, the stories they heard weren’t about triumph,  they were about struggle. Instead of feeling inspired, they felt disconnected, unable to see themselves or hopeful outcomes in this profound chapter of American history.

That moment changed everything.

How could my children, who love science and now called this place home, not feel a connection to a city that helped shape modern discovery? So this mama bear set out to change that. Not just for my kids, but for every child who might feel the same way.

That’s how my Atomic Hope journey began.

My mission is to uncover overlooked stories, elevate forgotten voices, and ensure every child, regardless of their background, sees themselves reflected in what I call mainstream American history. Because I believe when they do, they’ll dream bigger, reach higher, and know they, too, are an essential part of our shared American story.