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Sara Plummer Lemmon, age 44, a few months before she climbed to the summit of the Santa Catalina Mountains. / Photo by Wynne Brown. Original at the University and Jepson Herbaria Archives, University of California, Berkeley.

Walking in the footsteps of Sara Plummer Lemmon

The story of a botanist and artist who had a mountain named after her.
"New Mexico I-10 mile marker 16 Eastbound. A freshly painted shrine for Rafael and Luis, the Virgin watches me through the plexiglas from her post between the crosses marking the passage of these two travelers, the paint is so fresh the dirt is still blue. It’s good to know you are loved." - Jesse Sensibar

Signs of life and death along southwestern highways

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Tucson restaurant history, becoming a goat, and looking back at Dr. Martin Luther King's visits to Tucson.
Dr. Mae C. Jemison during her 1992 mission as crew member on the space shuttle Endeavor.

Dr. Mae C. Jemison: "Living Deeply and Looking Up"

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Artists wish UA students good luck during finals week; Exploring Persian fairy tales and women in mythology; Adiba Nelson on the challenges of being a mom.
1,100 backpacks represent the number of college students who died by suicide in 2018. This event was designed to raise awareness about mental health and encourage suicide prevention.

Can 1,000 Empty Backpacks Save Lives?

Also: How Pima County could pay for newly opened migrant shelters; Bridging cultural divides with the Persian language; Tucson author Janni Lee Simner reads from her new book.
Guatemalan father with his 5 year old daughter. It took father and daughter almost two weeks to get to the Arizona border. They are asylum seekers staying at a temporary shelter opened by the City of Tucson to relieve the overflow of migrants at Tucson shelters. (April 18, 2019)

The City of Tucson Offers Hope to Migrants in Need

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Go backstage at Tucson High Magnet School to preview "Our Border Town"; Tucson poet laureate TC Tolbert receives grant from the Academy of American Poets; And, what would you do with the blessing of extra time to be alive?
Gabriel Schirn is majoring in chemical engineering and piano performance but has several other interests.

Living Each Day to the Fullest After 'Miraculous' Recovery From Bike Crash

A University of Arizona student relishes each day, trying out different activities.
AZPM is partnering with StoryCorps for One Small Step to record conversations between strangers who hold different political beliefs.

Finding Common Ground with "One Small Step"

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Free speech debate on campus; "I Dream in Widescreen Returns"; and thoughts on kindness from the Mission Garden.
Amanda Gremel sings and performs as Patsy Cline in Live Theatre Workshop's production of "Always... Patsy Cline".

How Sisterhood Helped Make a Superstar in "Always... Patsy Cline"

Also on Arizona Spotlight: A mental health clinic that is gaining popularity through results; and chanteuse Jessica Fichot on finding ways to thrive as an independent musician.
Dr. Mae Jemison speaking at TED2016.

Former Astronaut Mae Jemison to Speak at UA Commencement

The space exploration trailblazer will address the class of 2019 in May.
Heather Hardy's violin, which was crafted in 1799.

Spotlight Session: Heather Hardy & Alvin Blaine

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Community healthcare in action in Pima County; and animator Ron Campbell on more than 50 years of making people smile with cartoons.
Happy kids receive cheers at the finish line of the annual autism walk, hosted by The Autism Society of Southern Arizona.

Untold Stories of Autism

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Adiba Nelson points out a conversation more parents should have with their kids; and Vanessa Bell Calloway brings "Letters from Zora" to The Invisible Theatre.
Ilse Salas, star of director Alejandra Márquez Abella's film "Las Niñas Bien", part of the 2019 Tucson Cine Mexico Film Festival.

Preview Tucson Cine Mexico 2019!

Also: March is National Kidney Month, hear the story of a Tucson woman whose family is coping with a serious hereditary kidney disease; and how Edie Jarolim found family history next door to Sigmund Freud.
The main cast of "American Mariachi" at the start of the play, still learning the ropes.

Music from the Heart in "American Mariachi"

Also on Arizona Spotlight: How NAMI and the Mission Garden are growing wellness in Tucson; and author Alice Hatcher reads her "Love Letter to My Library"
Many poppies are blooming at Catalina State Park, providing interesting color and shadows in the area, March 4, 2019.

Wildflowers Show Off Their Colors Around Arizona

Fall and winter rains provided a necessary resource for brilliant blooms.
Radiant Gesture (2013) Joanna Frueh, photographed by Frances Murray, from "Unapologetic Beauty"

Discovering "Unapologetic Beauty"

Also on Arizona Spotlight: An artist finds her dream job in the wilderness; and, part 2 of a discussion on "The Insect Apocalypse".
Author, poet and regular NPR commentator Kwame Alexander.

Kwame Alexander's Love Affair with Words

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Charles J. Babbitt's new guide for birding in Arizona; and, what's happening to planet Earth's insects?

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