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
Greg Campbell has gone home to die. His liver and kidneys are failing and on Wednesday, March 8, he left the hospital because he didn’t want to die in an institution. He has chosen to die at home where he finds peace and love and safety. We talked about his faith, his desire to teach people that they don’t need to fear death and the … Continue reading Greg Campbell
April Grayson was born and raised in Mississippi. She left the state after college and returned again 10 years later to tell stories about her home state and, in particular, about the Civil Rights Movement and the history of race in Mississippi through oral history and documentary films. April is the director of Community & Capacity Building at the Alluvial Collective, formerly the William Winter … Continue reading April Grayson
As we settle in from life on the road, the editing process has begun. It’s a big job. I interviewed more than 125 people over the past two years. Found them, got to them and sat with them. It was a whirlwind of thoughtful conversations, eye-opening revelations and deep human connections. And as the body of work grew, I knew there would be a day … Continue reading Editing
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
“So I carry all these things for my family. And now I’m the top of my family. I have my mother on her side, but on my father’s side, that’s it. My grandpa’s gone, my father’s gone. There’s nobody else. So I gotta carry it all for my sons. Gotta be strong, you know.” Continue reading Harvey Goodsky, Jr.
It’s Give to the Max Day and we hope you will consider a gift to A Peace of My Mind to help us grow. Our programming is self-sustaining. Exhibit leasing fees and speaking fees keep us engaged with communities, leading workshops and installing art, but it is our donor base that allows us to gather new stories and expand our work. A small but mighty … Continue reading Give MN
Sandy Gokee is Anishinaabe—Bear Clan—and lives in Ashland, Wisconsin. For the interview, we sat outside at a park overlooking Lake Superior as a storm skirted around us, so you might hear a little wind and maybe even thunder in the recording. Sandy introduces herself in her native language, Ojibwemowin. Her Ojibwe name, Wenipashtaabe, means “She Carries a Light Load. She shares her concerns about the … Continue reading Wenipashtaabe – Sandy Gokee
