nnu003c!DOCTYPE htmlu003enu003chtml lang=u0022enu0022u003enu003cheadu003en u003cmeta charset=u0022UTF-8u0022 /u003en u003cmeta name=u0022viewportu0022 content=u0022width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0u0022/u003en u003ctitleu003eCSU Pueblo Staff Writer Featured in National Essay Collection | CSU Pueblo Newsu003c/titleu003en n u003cstyleu003en :root {n u002du002dblue-primary: #00205B;n u002du002dblue-bright: #00AFD7;n u002du002dblue-light: #59CBE8;n u002du002dblue-pale: #EAF7FE;n u002du002dred-bright: #D90000;n u002du002dgray: #545454;n u002du002dgray-light: #D7D8D9;n u002du002dyellow-accent: #F1C845;n u002du002dwhite: #FFFFFF;n u002du002dblack: #000000;n }n * { box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0; }n body { font-family: var(u002du002dwpu002du002dpresetu002du002dfont-familyu002du002dproxima-nova), Arial, sans-serif; background: var(u002du002dwhite); color: var(u002du002dblack); font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; }nn .site-header { background: var(u002du002dblue-primary); padding: 14px 40px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: space-between; }n .site-header .university-name { color: var(u002du002dwhite); font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.04em; text-transform: uppercase; }n .site-header .section-label { color: var(u002du002dblue-light); font-size: 12px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.08em; text-transform: uppercase; }nn .hero { background: var(u002du002dblue-primary); padding: 52px 40px 44px; position: relative; overflow: hidden; }n .hero::after { content: ”; position: absolute; bottom: 0; left: 0; right: 0; height: 4px; background: linear-gradient(90deg, var(u002du002dred-bright) 0%, var(u002du002dyellow-accent) 100%); }n .hero-inner { max-width: 860px; margin: 0 auto; }n .hero-eyebrow { color: var(u002du002dblue-bright); font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.14em; text-transform: uppercase; margin-bottom: 16px; }n .hero h1 { font-weight: 700; font-size: 34px; color: var(u002du002dwhite); line-height: 1.25; max-width: 720px; }n .hero-meta { margin-top: 20px; color: var(u002du002dgray-light); font-size: 13px; }nn .page-wrapper { max-width: 1000px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 48px 40px 80px; display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 300px; gap: 60px; }nn .article-body p { font-family: var(u002du002dwpu002du002dpresetu002du002dfont-familyu002du002dproxima-nova), Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.85; color: #1a1a1a; margin-bottom: 22px; }n .article-body p:first-child::first-letter { font-size: 56px; font-weight: 700; font-family: var(u002du002dwpu002du002dpresetu002du002dfont-familyu002du002dproxima-nova), Arial, sans-serif; color: var(u002du002dblue-primary); float: left; line-height: 0.85; margin-right: 8px; margin-top: 6px; }nn /* BOOK COVER INLINE */n .book-cover-inline { float: right; margin: 0 0 24px 28px; width: 200px; }n .book-cover-inline img { width: 100%; display: block; box-shadow: 0 8px 28px rgba(0,32,91,0.22); }n .book-cover-inline .cap { font-family: var(u002du002dwpu002du002dpresetu002du002dfont-familyu002du002dproxima-nova), Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; color: var(u002du002dgray); text-align: center; padding-top: 7px; letter-spacing: 0.04em; }nn .pull-quote { border-left: 5px solid var(u002du002dred-bright); margin: 36px 0; padding: 20px 24px; background: var(u002du002dblue-pale); }n .pull-quote p { font-family: var(u002du002dwpu002du002dpresetu002du002dfont-familyu002du002dproxima-nova), Arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-size: 18px !important; color: var(u002du002dblue-primary) !important; margin-bottom: 10px !important; line-height: 1.65 !important; }n .pull-quote .attribution { font-family: var(u002du002dwpu002du002dpresetu002du002dfont-familyu002du002dproxima-nova), Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal !important; font-size: 12px !important; font-weight: 700 !important; color: var(u002du002dgray) !important; letter-spacing: 0.06em; text-transform: uppercase; margin-bottom: 0 !important; }nn .review-block { background: var(u002du002dblue-pale); border-top: 3px solid var(u002du002dblue-bright); padding: 20px 22px; margin-bottom: 16px; }n .review-block p { font-family: var(u002du002dwpu002du002dpresetu002du002dfont-familyu002du002dproxima-nova), Arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-size: 14px !important; color: #1a1a1a !important; margin-bottom: 10px !important; line-height: 1.7 !important; }n .review-block .review-source { font-family: var(u002du002dwpu002du002dpresetu002du002dfont-familyu002du002dproxima-nova), Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal !important; font-size: 11px !important; font-weight: 700 !important; color: var(u002du002dblue-primary) !important; letter-spacing: 0.08em; text-transform: uppercase; margin-bottom: 0 !important; }nn .section-rule { border: none; border-top: 1px solid var(u002du002dgray-light); margin: 32px 0; }n .section-label-inline { font-family: var(u002du002dwpu002du002dpresetu002du002dfont-familyu002du002dproxima-nova), Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.14em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(u002du002dblue-bright); margin-bottom: 20px; display: block; }nn /* TOUR GRAPHICS */n .tour-graphics { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 16px; margin: 28px 0 32px; }n .tour-graphic-card { position: relative; overflow: hidden; }n .tour-graphic-card img { width: 100%; display: block; border: 3px solid var(u002du002dblue-primary); }n .tour-graphic-card .label { background: var(u002du002dblue-primary); color: var(u002du002dwhite); font-family: var(u002du002dwpu002du002dpresetu002du002dfont-familyu002du002dproxima-nova), Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.08em; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 7px 12px; text-align: center; }nn .sidebar { padding-top: 4px; }nn .sidebar-card { background: var(u002du002dblue-primary); color: var(u002du002dwhite); padding: 28px 24px; margin-bottom: 28px; }n .sidebar-card h3 { font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(u002du002dyellow-accent); margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 10px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.15); }nn .event-item { margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.1); }n .event-item:last-child { margin-bottom: 0; padding-bottom: 0; border-bottom: none; }n .event-date { font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; color: var(u002du002dblue-bright); text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.06em; margin-bottom: 4px; }n .event-title { font-size: 14px; font-weight: 600; margin-bottom: 4px; }n .event-detail { font-size: 12px; color: var(u002du002dgray-light); line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 6px; }n .event-rsvp { display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; color: var(u002du002dwhite); background: var(u002du002dred-bright); padding: 5px 12px; text-decoration: none; letter-spacing: 0.05em; text-transform: uppercase; margin-top: 4px; }nn /* SIDEBAR EVENT IMAGES */n .event-img { width: 100%; display: block; margin-bottom: 12px; opacity: 0.92; }nn .sidebar-buzz { background: var(u002du002dblue-pale); border-top: 3px solid var(u002du002dyellow-accent); padding: 22px 20px; margin-bottom: 28px; }n .sidebar-buzz h3 { font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(u002du002dblue-primary); margin-bottom: 14px; }n .buzz-item { font-family: var(u002du002dwpu002du002dpresetu002du002dfont-familyu002du002dproxima-nova), Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: var(u002du002dgray); margin-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 12px; border-left: 3px solid var(u002du002dblue-bright); line-height: 1.5; }n .buzz-item strong { color: var(u002du002dblue-primary); display: block; font-size: 11px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.05em; }nn .book-feature { background: var(u002du002dblue-pale); padding: 24px; margin-bottom: 32px; display: flex; gap: 20px; align-items: flex-start; }n .book-feature img { width: 90px; flex-shrink: 0; box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(0,32,91,0.18); }n .book-info h4 { font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; color: var(u002du002dblue-primary); margin-bottom: 4px; }n .book-info p { font-family: var(u002du002dwpu002du002dpresetu002du002dfont-familyu002du002dproxima-nova), Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px !important; color: var(u002du002dgray) !important; line-height: 1.5 !important; margin-bottom: 6px !important; }n .book-info .available { font-size: 11px !important; font-weight: 700 !important; color: var(u002du002dred-bright) !important; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.06em; }nn .article-footer { max-width: 1000px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 24px 40px 40px; border-top: 3px solid var(u002du002dblue-primary); }n .article-footer p { font-family: var(u002du002dwpu002du002dpresetu002du002dfont-familyu002du002dproxima-nova), Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: var(u002du002dgray); line-height: 1.6; }n .article-footer a { color: var(u002du002dblue-primary); font-weight: 600; }n .footer-bar { background: var(u002du002dblue-primary); padding: 20px 40px; text-align: center; }n .footer-bar p { font-size: 11px; color: var(u002du002dgray-light); letter-spacing: 0.04em; }nn @media (max-width: 768px) {n .page-wrapper { grid-template-columns: 1fr; padding: 32px 20px 60px; gap: 40px; }n .site-header { padding: 12px 20px; flex-direction: column; gap: 4px; text-align: center; }n .hero { padding: 36px 20px 32px; }n .hero h1 { font-size: 24px; }n .tour-graphics { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }n .book-cover-inline { float: none; width: 100%; max-width: 220px; margin: 0 auto 24px; }n .article-footer { padding: 20px 20px 32px; }n }n u003c/styleu003enu003c/headu003enu003cbodyu003enn nn u003csection class=u0022herou0022u003en u003cdiv class=u0022hero-inneru0022u003en n u003ch1u003eCSU Pueblo Staff Writer Featured in Nationally Acclaimed Essay Collection on Estrangementu003c/h1u003en u003cdiv class=u0022hero-metau0022u003eBy the Office of Marketing, Communications u0026amp; Community Relations u0026nbsp;u0026nbsp;|u0026nbsp;u0026nbsp; Published April 29, 2026u003c/divu003en u003c/divu003en u003c/sectionu003enn u003cdiv class=u0022page-wrapperu0022u003en u003cmain class=u0022article-bodyu0022u003enn u003cdiv class=u0022book-cover-inlineu0022u003en u003cimg src=u0022https://newscsupueblo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/embedded-4835-1.jpgu0022 alt=u0022No Contact: Writers on Estrangement book coveru0022/u003en u003cdiv class=u0022capu0022u003eNo Contact: Writers on Estrangementu003cbr/u003eCatapult, April 2026u003c/divu003en u003c/divu003enn u003cpu003eSoni Brinsko, a staff writer in the Office of Marketing, Communications, and Community Relations at Colorado State University Pueblo, published an essay in u003cemu003eNo Contact: Writers on Estrangementu003c/emu003e, a Catapult anthology edited by Jenny Bartoy that hit shelves April 28. Brinsko writes creative work under the name Soni Brown.u003c/pu003enn u003cpu003eThe collection features essays and poems by Stephanie Foo, Erika Krouse, Deesha Philyaw, Domenica Ruta, and Cheryl Strayed, among others. Brown’s contribution stands out as the only essay in the collection rooted in a Caribbean experience, approaching estrangement not as a clean break but as a particular kind of grief, one a person has to choose to move through with no guarantee it gets easier.u003c/pu003enn u003cdiv class=u0022pull-quoteu0022u003en u003cpu003eu0022I wrote from something that felt almost too specific to explain. A Caribbean woman, a particular silence, a particular kind of distance that doesn’t have a name in most families. And then the responses started coming in from people who had nothing to do with the Caribbean, and they were saying, that’s my story too. That’s what I was waiting for someone to say out loud.u0022u003c/pu003en u003cp class=u0022attributionu0022u003eSoni Brinsko, CSU Pueblo Staff Writeru003c/pu003en u003c/divu003enn u003cpu003eBefore joining CSU Pueblo, Brinsko worked as a full-time essayist, publishing in national literary magazines and building a body of work that moved between memoir, cultural criticism, and reported narrative. She also wrote the screenplay for a documentary about Black Las Vegas, a project that traced a community’s history through the people who lived it. An essay she wrote about the experience of wanting to repatriate to Jamaica in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder earned her a Special Mention in Best American Essays 2024, recognition that placed her among the most noted essayists working in nonfiction that year.u003c/pu003enn u003chr class=u0022section-ruleu0022/u003en u003cspan class=u0022section-label-inlineu0022u003eCritical Receptionu003c/spanu003enn u003cpu003eThe book landed with serious momentum. Before publication, u003cemu003eThe Seattle Timesu003c/emu003e and Zibby’s Highlights both named it a most anticipated book of 2026, and Library Journal featured it in their Prepub Alert Preview for the year. By the time April arrived, the Chicago Review of Books and Autostraddle were calling it a must-read book of the month.u003c/pu003enn u003cdiv class=u0022review-blocku0022u003en u003cpu003eu0022Sometimes we can’t even imagine how necessary a book is until we finally see it arrive into the world . . . No Contact is radically vulnerable and truly soaring in its compassion, as well as a powerful reminder that we are never truly alone.u0022u003c/pu003en u003cp class=u0022review-sourceu0022u003eMichael Welch u0026nbsp;|u0026nbsp; Chicago Review of Booksu003c/pu003en u003c/divu003enn u003cdiv class=u0022review-blocku0022u003en u003cpu003eu0022Grippingly vulnerable. For those who feel guilt after disengaging from family, this offers powerful absolution.u0022u003c/pu003en u003cp class=u0022review-sourceu0022u003ePublishers Weeklyu003c/pu003en u003c/divu003enn u003cdiv class=u0022review-blocku0022u003en u003cpu003eu0022These essays touch on themes of mental health, family trauma, shame, abuse, and identity, displaying the complexities of estrangement but also demonstrating the grit and determination of the human spirit to stay strong even during life’s most difficult challenges. Estrangement is a taboo subject, but as Bartoy mentions in her introduction, hearing true stories like these might help others feel seen and validated in their decision to cut ties.u0022u003c/pu003en u003cp class=u0022review-sourceu0022u003eBooklistu003c/pu003en u003c/divu003enn u003cdiv class=u0022review-blocku0022u003en u003cpu003eu0022A search for compassion and conversation surrounding the decision to cut ties with family . . . The collection’s narratives and poems each articulate a severed bond and reckon with the grief, uncertainty, and potential healing that emerges from that estrangement . . . [T]he unity of voices effectively showcases how the idea of family can be so similarly upended for such a myriad of lives . . . [A] noble amplification of under-heard voices.u0022u003c/pu003en u003cp class=u0022review-sourceu0022u003eKirkus Reviewsu003c/pu003en u003c/divu003enn u003cdiv class=u0022review-blocku0022u003en u003cpu003eu0022A landmark work around a theme so prominent, and yet so thoroughly ignored, in modern life. This collection opens chasms beyond writing and testament, but braves toward a new vision of healing, self-dignity, and, most importantly, the possibility for life’s flourishing without closure.u0022u003c/pu003en u003cp class=u0022review-sourceu0022u003eOcean Vuongu003c/pu003en u003c/divu003enn u003cpu003eThe Boston Globe praised the anthology’s breadth, noting how the contributors together build something rare: a sustained, honest look at the cost of cutting ties and the strange freedom that sometimes follows.u003c/pu003enn u003chr class=u0022section-ruleu0022/u003en u003cspan class=u0022section-label-inlineu0022u003eTour Datesu003c/spanu003enn u003cpu003eBrown will represent the collection at two upcoming stops. She reads at Books u0026amp; Books in Coral Gables on Saturday, May 2 and joins contributors Erika Krouse, Anna Qu, and Raksha Vasudevan at Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver on Tuesday, May 12. The Denver event will be livestreamed.u003c/pu003enn u003cdiv class=u0022tour-graphicsu0022u003en u003cdiv class=u0022tour-graphic-cardu0022u003en u003cimg src=u0022https://newscsupueblo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/embedded-4835-2.jpgu0022 alt=u0022No Contact on Tour Miami event flyeru0022/u003en u003cdiv class=u0022labelu0022u003eMiami u0026nbsp;|u0026nbsp; May 2 u0026nbsp;|u0026nbsp; Books u0026amp; Booksu003c/divu003en u003c/divu003en u003cdiv class=u0022tour-graphic-cardu0022u003en u003cimg src=u0022https://newscsupueblo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/embedded-4835-3.jpgu0022 alt=u0022No Contact on Tour Denver event flyeru0022/u003en u003cdiv class=u0022labelu0022u003eDenver u0026nbsp;|u0026nbsp; May 12 u0026nbsp;|u0026nbsp; Lighthouse Writers Workshopu003c/divu003en u003c/divu003en u003c/divu003enn u003chr class=u0022section-ruleu0022/u003en u003cspan class=u0022section-label-inlineu0022u003eWork in Progressu003c/spanu003enn u003cpu003eThe essay in u003cemu003eNo Contactu003c/emu003e connects to work Brinsko is developing outside the anthology. She is currently writing a memoir about caring for her mother, a woman she had been estranged from for 20 years. After her mother moved to Utah, Brinsko worked to rebuild a relationship, only to watch her mother’s memory disappear before any real reconciliation became possible. The memoir sits at the intersection of grief, cultural displacement, and what it means to want something from a person who no longer remembers you.u003c/pu003enn u003cpu003eBrinsko is also shopping a short story collection focused on Caribbean people living in America, tracing the ways they navigate identity, belonging, and the ongoing search for home.u003c/pu003enn u003cdiv class=u0022book-featureu0022u003en u003cimg src=u0022https://newscsupueblo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/embedded-4835-4.jpgu0022 alt=u0022No Contact book coveru0022/u003en u003cdiv class=u0022book-infou0022u003en u003ch4u003eNo Contact: Writers on Estrangementu003c/h4u003en u003cpu003eEdited by Jenny Bartoy u0026nbsp;|u0026nbsp; Catapultu003c/pu003en u003cpu003ePublished April 28, 2026 u0026nbsp;|u0026nbsp; Features essays by Stephanie Foo, Erika Krouse, Deesha Philyaw, Domenica Ruta, Cheryl Strayed, and Soni Brownu003c/pu003en u003cp class=u0022availableu0022u003eAvailable now wherever books are soldu003c/pu003en u003c/divu003en u003c/divu003enn u003c/mainu003enn u003caside class=u0022sidebaru0022u003enn u003cdiv class=u0022sidebar-cardu0022u003en u003ch3u003eTour Datesu003c/h3u003enn u003cimg src=u0022https://newscsupueblo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/embedded-4835-5.jpgu0022 alt=u0022Miami eventu0022 class=u0022event-imgu0022/u003en u003cdiv class=u0022event-itemu0022u003en u003cdiv class=u0022event-dateu0022u003eSaturday, May 2u003c/divu003en u003cdiv class=u0022event-titleu0022u003eMiami, FLu003c/divu003en u003cdiv class=u0022event-detailu0022u003eBooks u0026amp; Booksu003cbr/u003e265 Aragon Ave, Coral Gablesu003cbr/u003e7:00 PMu003c/divu003en u003cdiv class=u0022event-detailu0022u003eWith Deesha Philyaw and Soni Brown, in conversation with Ivonne Lamazaresu003c/divu003en u003ca class=u0022event-rsvpu0022 href=u0022https://bit.ly/NoContactMiamiu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022u003eRSVPu003c/au003en u003c/divu003enn u003cimg src=u0022https://newscsupueblo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/embedded-4835-6.jpgu0022 alt=u0022Denver eventu0022 class=u0022event-imgu0022 style=u0022margin-top:16px;u0022/u003en u003cdiv class=u0022event-itemu0022u003en u003cdiv class=u0022event-dateu0022u003eTuesday, May 12u003c/divu003en u003cdiv class=u0022event-titleu0022u003eDenver, COu003c/divu003en u003cdiv class=u0022event-detailu0022u003eLighthouse Writers Workshopu003cbr/u003e5:30 PM Happy Hour u0026nbsp;|u0026nbsp; 6:15 PM Book Eventu003cbr/u003eLivestreamedu003c/divu003en u003cdiv class=u0022event-detailu0022u003eWith Erika Krouse, Anna Qu, Raksha Vasudevan, and Soni Brownu003c/divu003en u003ca class=u0022event-rsvpu0022 href=u0022https://bit.ly/NoContactDenveru0022 target=u0022_blanku0022u003eRSVPu003c/au003en u003c/divu003en u003c/divu003enn u003cdiv class=u0022sidebar-buzzu0022u003en u003ch3u003eCritical Buzzu003c/h3u003en u003cdiv class=u0022buzz-itemu0022u003eu003cstrongu003eMust-Read: April 2026u003c/strongu003eChicago Review of Books u0026amp; Autostraddleu003c/divu003en u003cdiv class=u0022buzz-itemu0022u003eu003cstrongu003eMost Anticipated Book of 2026u003c/strongu003eThe Seattle Times u0026amp; Zibby’s Highlightsu003c/divu003en u003cdiv class=u0022buzz-itemu0022u003eu003cstrongu003ePrepub Alert Previewu003c/strongu003eLibrary Journalu003c/divu003en u003cdiv class=u0022buzz-itemu0022u003eu003cstrongu003eSpecial Mention, Best American Essays 2024u003c/strongu003eSoni Brown (essay on repatriating to Jamaica)u003c/divu003en u003c/divu003enn u003c/asideu003en u003c/divu003enn u003cdiv class=u0022article-footeru0022u003en u003cpu003eFor media inquiries, contact the Office of Marketing, Communications, and Community Relations at u003ca href=u0022mailto:information@csupueblo.eduu0022u003einformation@csupueblo.eduu003c/au003e.u003c/pu003en u003c/divu003enn u003cdiv class=u0022footer-baru0022u003en u003cpu003eColorado State University Pueblo u0026nbsp;|u0026nbsp; 2200 Bonforte Blvd, Pueblo, CO 81001 u0026nbsp;|u0026nbsp; csupueblo.eduu003c/pu003en u003c/divu003ennu003c/bodyu003enu003c/htmlu003en
