Laura Norton-Cruz, LMSW, CLC
@lauritadianita.bsky.social
I ✍️ about AK politics, health equity, feminism, advocacy 4 kids, documentary films, 🎨, 🎶, 🥘,🌱 , ADHD, synesthesia. Social worker, public health professional, & lactation counselor raising Alaskan-🇨🇴 kids on Dena’ina ełnena. www.lauranortoncruzconsulting.com
I think this is a relatively unpopular position, but invisibilized labor is 1 of the reasons why, as a single mom, I’ve always tried to involve my kids in making Christmas happen to a degree appropriate for their development. I’ve never told them that Santa is real; just people being kind to others.
December 3, 2025 at 6:47 PM
I think this is a relatively unpopular position, but invisibilized labor is 1 of the reasons why, as a single mom, I’ve always tried to involve my kids in making Christmas happen to a degree appropriate for their development. I’ve never told them that Santa is real; just people being kind to others.
On the Ice
December 3, 2025 at 4:09 AM
On the Ice
I am purposefully counteracting my doom-posting and doom-scrolling with joyful little things and experiences that have brightened my life lately.
I love winter, good people, snow, lights, animals, art, culture. I feel so blessed by the beauty & kindness & strength around me daily.
I love winter, good people, snow, lights, animals, art, culture. I feel so blessed by the beauty & kindness & strength around me daily.
December 2, 2025 at 10:47 PM
I am purposefully counteracting my doom-posting and doom-scrolling with joyful little things and experiences that have brightened my life lately.
I love winter, good people, snow, lights, animals, art, culture. I feel so blessed by the beauty & kindness & strength around me daily.
I love winter, good people, snow, lights, animals, art, culture. I feel so blessed by the beauty & kindness & strength around me daily.
Q: of the professional headshots I have, this is my personal favorite/the most flattering, but my daughter says it looks like I’m giving side-eye & the web designer says direct eye contact builds more trust, & this one isn’t direct eye contact.
So, Q: what *is* the vibe here?
So, Q: what *is* the vibe here?
December 2, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Q: of the professional headshots I have, this is my personal favorite/the most flattering, but my daughter says it looks like I’m giving side-eye & the web designer says direct eye contact builds more trust, & this one isn’t direct eye contact.
So, Q: what *is* the vibe here?
So, Q: what *is* the vibe here?
Meeting my parents’ new kitten, a stray rescued from the woods along with her littermates who, understandably, is a little skittish with people, was the holiday highlight for me.
November 28, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Meeting my parents’ new kitten, a stray rescued from the woods along with her littermates who, understandably, is a little skittish with people, was the holiday highlight for me.
Every once in a while, I paint or draw, and it feels like a reset to my brain. This used to be such a huge and daily part of my life before kids, and I miss it.
November 26, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Every once in a while, I paint or draw, and it feels like a reset to my brain. This used to be such a huge and daily part of my life before kids, and I miss it.
I feel nervous emailing legislators as a group but I sure hope it gets some of #akleg to come watch "ILP" at the Anch Int'l Film Festival on Dec 7th at 10:30 am @ Anchorage Museum (& then support SB178 so we can serve AK's youngest & most vulnerable residents)! www.goelevent.com/AIFF/e/Short...
November 24, 2025 at 9:10 PM
I feel nervous emailing legislators as a group but I sure hope it gets some of #akleg to come watch "ILP" at the Anch Int'l Film Festival on Dec 7th at 10:30 am @ Anchorage Museum (& then support SB178 so we can serve AK's youngest & most vulnerable residents)! www.goelevent.com/AIFF/e/Short...
My daily reminder to myself amidst all the chaos that I am lucky to live in beautiful Alaska, lucky to live in the diverse city of Anchorage on the traditional Dena’ina lands of Dgheyay Kaq, lucky to have children & parents & friends & community & health.
November 24, 2025 at 7:03 PM
My daily reminder to myself amidst all the chaos that I am lucky to live in beautiful Alaska, lucky to live in the diverse city of Anchorage on the traditional Dena’ina lands of Dgheyay Kaq, lucky to have children & parents & friends & community & health.
Bueno, en Utqiagvik, sí, el sol desaparece por 2 meses. Pero un poco más al sur de allá, como en las comunidades cerca a Kotzebue (todavía en el Ártico), el sol sube un poco cada día (estas fotos las saqué en diciembre y enero allá). Y donde vivo yo tenemos unas ~5 - 7 horas de ☀️ en el invierno.
November 21, 2025 at 5:46 AM
Bueno, en Utqiagvik, sí, el sol desaparece por 2 meses. Pero un poco más al sur de allá, como en las comunidades cerca a Kotzebue (todavía en el Ártico), el sol sube un poco cada día (estas fotos las saqué en diciembre y enero allá). Y donde vivo yo tenemos unas ~5 - 7 horas de ☀️ en el invierno.
Also, on a selfish level, I like to visually reminisce about all the beautiful places I've been & things I've learned & people I've spent time with. I wouldn't trade the richness of a life well-lived for fame or $. I mean, I studied art, critical social thought, & social work for a reason, lol.
November 19, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Also, on a selfish level, I like to visually reminisce about all the beautiful places I've been & things I've learned & people I've spent time with. I wouldn't trade the richness of a life well-lived for fame or $. I mean, I studied art, critical social thought, & social work for a reason, lol.
1.) how I wish we lived in a society w/ more pathways to financial security & getting art out there for people who are authentic creators & activists, paths that valued that > salacious fluff & connections to elites; &
2.) how important it is for young women to see paths that match their passions
2.) how important it is for young women to see paths that match their passions
November 19, 2025 at 10:32 PM
1.) how I wish we lived in a society w/ more pathways to financial security & getting art out there for people who are authentic creators & activists, paths that valued that > salacious fluff & connections to elites; &
2.) how important it is for young women to see paths that match their passions
2.) how important it is for young women to see paths that match their passions
I could use to advance my career. It didn't occur to me that I could get famous & connected through pursuing conventional femininity & pursuing old rich men!
As my friend Joe said when I shared this train of thought today:
"Everything I'm not made me everything I am."
I loved my 20's. Truly.
As my friend Joe said when I shared this train of thought today:
"Everything I'm not made me everything I am."
I loved my 20's. Truly.
November 19, 2025 at 10:21 PM
I could use to advance my career. It didn't occur to me that I could get famous & connected through pursuing conventional femininity & pursuing old rich men!
As my friend Joe said when I shared this train of thought today:
"Everything I'm not made me everything I am."
I loved my 20's. Truly.
As my friend Joe said when I shared this train of thought today:
"Everything I'm not made me everything I am."
I loved my 20's. Truly.
...trying to be anti-racist, trying to understand the issues I'd focus my career on & how to conduct community-based participatory research & policy advocacy, that I barely focused on my appearance -- at least in any conventionally-feminine sort of way. And I'd never conceived of it as a commodity
November 19, 2025 at 10:12 PM
...trying to be anti-racist, trying to understand the issues I'd focus my career on & how to conduct community-based participatory research & policy advocacy, that I barely focused on my appearance -- at least in any conventionally-feminine sort of way. And I'd never conceived of it as a commodity
In my 20's, I was so focused on fluency in Spanish, writing a 140-page honors thesis based on original research, teaching 3rd grade in a low-income school district, understanding & advancing social justice movements, working as a rape victim advocate, trying to start a family...
November 19, 2025 at 10:06 PM
In my 20's, I was so focused on fluency in Spanish, writing a 140-page honors thesis based on original research, teaching 3rd grade in a low-income school district, understanding & advancing social justice movements, working as a rape victim advocate, trying to start a family...
Will you permit me a more-personal-than-usual 🧵 based on recent news?
For some reason this infuriating Nuzzi-Lizza-RFK-Olberman-Sanford story has me bemusedly re-thinking my 20's. Like, what if instead of all the school & growth & social justice, I'd focused instead on being pretty & a sugar baby?
For some reason this infuriating Nuzzi-Lizza-RFK-Olberman-Sanford story has me bemusedly re-thinking my 20's. Like, what if instead of all the school & growth & social justice, I'd focused instead on being pretty & a sugar baby?
November 19, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Will you permit me a more-personal-than-usual 🧵 based on recent news?
For some reason this infuriating Nuzzi-Lizza-RFK-Olberman-Sanford story has me bemusedly re-thinking my 20's. Like, what if instead of all the school & growth & social justice, I'd focused instead on being pretty & a sugar baby?
For some reason this infuriating Nuzzi-Lizza-RFK-Olberman-Sanford story has me bemusedly re-thinking my 20's. Like, what if instead of all the school & growth & social justice, I'd focused instead on being pretty & a sugar baby?
Yes yes yes; this is so important for those of us who are pro-human rights, pro-democracy, pro-justice.
November 18, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Yes yes yes; this is so important for those of us who are pro-human rights, pro-democracy, pro-justice.
Este sábado pasado, estuve en el programa “Charlas Sin Filtro,” un Facebook Live de 907 Alaska Espacio Para Latinos. Hablamos de la importancia de la infancia y el cuidado de niños, mis documentales 🎥, y de ACEs (experiencias adversas de la infancia). Vamos a seguir la conversación el 10 de enero.
November 17, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Este sábado pasado, estuve en el programa “Charlas Sin Filtro,” un Facebook Live de 907 Alaska Espacio Para Latinos. Hablamos de la importancia de la infancia y el cuidado de niños, mis documentales 🎥, y de ACEs (experiencias adversas de la infancia). Vamos a seguir la conversación el 10 de enero.
This morning I tried to “train” them to peck at the nipples of their heater water dispenser to get water out. Geez there’s so much to learn for someone like me who’s never kept livestock before.
November 14, 2025 at 7:16 PM
This morning I tried to “train” them to peck at the nipples of their heater water dispenser to get water out. Geez there’s so much to learn for someone like me who’s never kept livestock before.
Sorry, *10:30* at the Anchorage Museum on Dec 7th. (Though our film plays first and seating is limited so I encourage folks to come a little early.)
The whole festival lineup looks great & it's such an honor to screen at this festival, where previous Academy Award winners have screened!
The whole festival lineup looks great & it's such an honor to screen at this festival, where previous Academy Award winners have screened!
November 14, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Sorry, *10:30* at the Anchorage Museum on Dec 7th. (Though our film plays first and seating is limited so I encourage folks to come a little early.)
The whole festival lineup looks great & it's such an honor to screen at this festival, where previous Academy Award winners have screened!
The whole festival lineup looks great & it's such an honor to screen at this festival, where previous Academy Award winners have screened!
In non-terrible news, I finally pushed to make a long-held life goal happen & move towards food sustainability — I got 4 chickens! Pullets from a hatchery in Butte. My dad helped me transport & do some work on a free coop from a neighbor & the yard I bought. Lots of work but I’m glad to be here.
November 14, 2025 at 5:41 AM
In non-terrible news, I finally pushed to make a long-held life goal happen & move towards food sustainability — I got 4 chickens! Pullets from a hatchery in Butte. My dad helped me transport & do some work on a free coop from a neighbor & the yard I bought. Lots of work but I’m glad to be here.
I just found out when Josh & my film "ILP" is playing at the Anchorage International Film Festival! It'll be Sunday, Dec 7th at 10:00 am at the Anchorage Museum. I hope you can join us for this film & for more of the wonderful festival. anchoragefilmfestival.org/festival-sch...
November 14, 2025 at 12:53 AM
I just found out when Josh & my film "ILP" is playing at the Anchorage International Film Festival! It'll be Sunday, Dec 7th at 10:00 am at the Anchorage Museum. I hope you can join us for this film & for more of the wonderful festival. anchoragefilmfestival.org/festival-sch...
Even more fun with the right wax on my skis!
We truly are lucky in Anchorage to have amazing trails for every kind of activity, maintained by small non-profits & by the public-private partnership of our parks dept & parks foundation.
(Handheld 📱 🎥 w/ my poles in the other 🤚🏼, kind of high risk 😝)
We truly are lucky in Anchorage to have amazing trails for every kind of activity, maintained by small non-profits & by the public-private partnership of our parks dept & parks foundation.
(Handheld 📱 🎥 w/ my poles in the other 🤚🏼, kind of high risk 😝)
November 13, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Even more fun with the right wax on my skis!
We truly are lucky in Anchorage to have amazing trails for every kind of activity, maintained by small non-profits & by the public-private partnership of our parks dept & parks foundation.
(Handheld 📱 🎥 w/ my poles in the other 🤚🏼, kind of high risk 😝)
We truly are lucky in Anchorage to have amazing trails for every kind of activity, maintained by small non-profits & by the public-private partnership of our parks dept & parks foundation.
(Handheld 📱 🎥 w/ my poles in the other 🤚🏼, kind of high risk 😝)
Oh Alaska, we are so lucky to live here.
November 12, 2025 at 5:17 AM
Oh Alaska, we are so lucky to live here.
The ease of access to trails & ways to exercise in nature during (almost) every season of the year & every time of day or night — & w/o paying an arm & a leg — was a significant reason why I moved back home to Anch in my late 20’s.
I hope we can keep this.
🎥 from today
(Skis needed wax tho 😬)
I hope we can keep this.
🎥 from today
(Skis needed wax tho 😬)
November 11, 2025 at 7:21 AM
The ease of access to trails & ways to exercise in nature during (almost) every season of the year & every time of day or night — & w/o paying an arm & a leg — was a significant reason why I moved back home to Anch in my late 20’s.
I hope we can keep this.
🎥 from today
(Skis needed wax tho 😬)
I hope we can keep this.
🎥 from today
(Skis needed wax tho 😬)
I’m a sucker for ice fog & hoar frost. I wish I’d gotten more photos while hiking today to add to these ones taken from in and around my car, bc it’s an almost unreal kind of beauty.
Beauty and cold go hand in hand here, & I always sense that there’s a lesson Alaska keeps trying to teach w/ that.
Beauty and cold go hand in hand here, & I always sense that there’s a lesson Alaska keeps trying to teach w/ that.
November 10, 2025 at 12:22 AM
I’m a sucker for ice fog & hoar frost. I wish I’d gotten more photos while hiking today to add to these ones taken from in and around my car, bc it’s an almost unreal kind of beauty.
Beauty and cold go hand in hand here, & I always sense that there’s a lesson Alaska keeps trying to teach w/ that.
Beauty and cold go hand in hand here, & I always sense that there’s a lesson Alaska keeps trying to teach w/ that.