A Peace of My Mind

Charlottesville

November 5, 2018 by johnnoltner

Yesterday was a driving day. From Parkersburg, West Virginia to Richmond, Virginia to pack up an exhibit at University of Richmond. We stopped at a rest area just across the border into Virginia and I looked at the map. “We’ll go right past Charlottesville,” I said. “We should stop and see if we can find the place.” It was just about dusk when we rolled in. 60 degrees and clear skies, which feels pretty good to a Minnesotan in November. […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: Confederate, counter protest, heyer, kind, Life, love, memorial, noh8, peace, protest, robert e lee, together

Dreamers and planners

October 27, 2018 by johnnoltner

“You do all these inspiring things,” she said. “I’m just a planner.” I thought for a minute. One of the things I love about A Peace of My Mind is that it lets me drop into different communities and spark interesting conversations. I meet new people and I see the creative ways that people work toward positive change in the world. One of the challenges is that I don’t get to stay. Before we get too far into the conversation, […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: APA, community, community development, effective, justice, planning, urban planning

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Syracuse University

October 22, 2018 by johnnoltner

We forget to lay down our burdens. We forget that we can heal. We put up walls and isolate and push away when the thing we want most is to connect. We convince ourselves we are powerless and forget the power of five simple words: “I’m sorry.” and… “I forgive you.” A Peace of My Mind visited Syracuse University and asked, “When have you found the courage to bridge a divide in a relationship?”

Categories: Blog • Tags: apologize, bridgebuilding, healing, peace, reconciliation, relationship

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City boy in the country

October 18, 2018 by johnnoltner

I live in the city, but my wife and I have a Christmas tree farm. So I’ve seen the divide. I’ve been on both sides of it. I know how my farm neighbors feel when yet another city person buys the field down the road. I know how my city friends joke about life in the country. I’ve seen kindness and patience on both sides, but I’ve seen lack of understanding and frustration as well. There are differences. In priorities, […]

Categories: Uncategorized

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Alvernia University

October 4, 2018 by johnnoltner

At Alvernia University, we partnered with the Office of Multicultural Engagement and asked, “How does participating in service provide hope?” At times, I have been asked, “Aren’t you just preaching to the choir?” I don’t think that is the case, but even if it were…the truth is, the choir needs encouragement, too. Working for the common good, concern with building community, striving toward justice…these can be lofty goals, tiring work, and when the problems are large, people can become discouraged. […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: alvernia, black and white, encourage, hope, inspirational, inspire, multicultural, photography, preach, quotes, service, stories

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Ela Gandhi

September 27, 2018 by johnnoltner

“We all have power…and when we get together, we have more power.” – Ela Gandhi In 2013, I was planning to bring my exhibit to the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. Ela Gandhi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi, had written the foreword to my first book. In one of the exhibit planning sessions, we discussed what the programming should look like. One of us (I can’t remember who) said, “We should see if Ela Gandhi would fly from South Africa […]

Categories: Podcast • Tags: Ela Gandhi, Gandhi, legacy, nonviolence, peace, south africa

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Millersville University

September 24, 2018 by johnnoltner

At Millersville University, we partnered with the Intercultural Center to ask students, “What is the unique opportunity or challenge of talking about race at this moment in history?” With a studio one day, quick overnight production, and a lecture on our second day, we were able to use our model of storytelling and photography to reflect their stories back to them. It’s a process that allows a community to reflect, refine and articulate their vision in a way that can […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: black and white, challenge, hope, millersville, opportunity, photography, quote, race, story

9/11

September 11, 2018 by johnnoltner

I know two names on the memorial wall. Thomas E. Burnett Jr. and Mohammad Salman Hamdani. Their names are two panels apart, on the South Memorial Pool. Thomas is from the town where I live. Bloomington, Minnesota. My children attended the same high school Thomas did. Our post office is named after him. Thomas E. Burnett Jr. helped force down Flight 93 into an empty farm field in Pennsylvania so that it couldn’t crash into another public place. Mohammad (his […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: 9-11, anniversary, Ground Zero, memorial, NYC, Salman Hamdani, Thomas Burnett

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Fear not

August 24, 2018 by johnnoltner

“It feels as if every corner of America is running on a steady diet of fear. We’re afraid of guns, of our guns being taken; we’re afraid of our enemies; of our cousins who cancelled out our votes; of brown bodies, black bodies, Muslim bodies; of police, of Democrats, of Republicans, of Christians, of non-Christians; of the fact that our Christian churches are dwindling; we are afraid of men, of women who will tell on men; we are afraid of […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: courage, faith, fear, fear not, holden village, peace, stories, storytelling, studio, washington

Holden Village

August 20, 2018 by johnnoltner

“Every now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.” That quote by French poet Guillaume Apollinaire was posted behind the ticket counter at the ferry dock north of Chelan, Washington. We were on our way to Holden Village and it’s a journey to get there. A 1,529 mile drive west. 20 miles by boat up a wilderness lake on the edge of North Cascades National Park. 11 miles up a gravel road […]

Categories: Uncategorized

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A Peace of My Mind

Exploring the meaning of peace, one story at a time.

what does peace mean to you?

Charlottesville

Dreamers and planners

Syracuse University

City boy in the country

Alvernia University

Ela Gandhi

Millersville University

9/11

Fear not

Holden Village