I spent a week in Corvallis, Oregon gathering stories of belonging. It was a broad coalition of campus and community organizations that brought us to town and as a result, we were able to include a broad range of voices. It’s important, especially when we talk about belonging, to have a big tent, to include as many different voices as possible. We all tend to … Continue reading Belonging
At Wild Goose, Festival in North Carolina, we asked, “What do you want the world to understand?” Continue reading Wild Goose
Last week, we worked with the Montana Summer Institute in Big Sky. Their work centers on fostering positive community norms and switching our narrative from a problem-centered process to a solution-centered process. It all resonates with A Peace of My Mind’s approach to the world. We don’t ignore the challenges of the world. In fact, we face them honestly and directly. But we also choose … Continue reading The Montana Institute
There’s so much to share from this conference I attended in New Orleans last week. NCORE is the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education. Thousands of DEI professionals, practitioners, and activists convened on the edge of the French Quarter to learn, connect and compare notes. It’s an interesting time to be doing this work. In some ways, more people than ever are … Continue reading NCORE
A Peace of My Mind visited North Central College and worked with the Leadership, Ethics & Values program. We asked students and staff, “When have you made your greatest impact?” And here’s what they said. How would you answer that question? Continue reading Impact
It was an abrupt interruption of a sound sleep when my alarm went off at 5:30 am today. I had worked hard at the farm for the weekend and my 56-year-old achy body wanted to stay in bed. But that wasn’t the deal I had made with myself. This is the ninth day of a 40-day journey. Waking up before dawn and walking for an … Continue reading Day 9
We could all use a little hope. It’s the belief that something better is possible. That we have the ability to make a difference. That there are solutions available to our complex challenges and that we can find them together. That whatever today is like, tomorrow can be better. We traveled to Alexandria, Virginia to work with LEAD21 on the culmination of a year-long staff … Continue reading Hope
We are settling into a new rhythm. It’s hard to think of compiling a 2022 recap without it turning into a review of this entire journey. As we come off the road, there’s a lot of processing to do. A lot of planning. A lot of adjusting. With all the questions swirling about, I am equal parts eager for some clarity and patient for it … Continue reading 2022 recap
December 21 is the winter solstice. The shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. The longest night. In Minneapolis, where I live, that means that there is only about 8 hours and 47 minutes of daylight. We celebrated with friends over the weekend. Reconnected with some of our community after two years on the road. We walked up a snowy path and gathered … Continue reading A light in the darkness
Last night, Karen and I went to see Till, the movie of the 1955 lynching of Emmett Till. It is a powerful retelling of a difficult and important story in our nation’s history. I’ve been twice to the site where Emmett Till’s body was found , and I wrote about it in Portraits of Peace, Searching for Hope in a Divided America. The passage below … Continue reading Till
