Hope

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

A light in the darkness

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

Civil Discourse

We spent a week in residence with the Padnos/Sarosik Center for Civil Discourse at Grand Valley State University and their community partner Seeds of Promise in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was election week and a good time to ask the question, “What is one hope you have for our country during these divided times?” If I were to have answered the question, it would have … Continue reading Civil Discourse

Hope

We spent a week this fall at WVU – Potomac State College and asked, “What gives you hope?” I’m reminded of a recent interview I did with Shane Claiborne where he said, “If you want to be courageous, surround yourself with courageous people.” You could say the same for kindness. For generosity. Certainly, for hope. It’s all contagious. It rubs off. Just as much as … Continue reading Hope

Hope

I’ve been thinking about hope lately. How it sustains us, where we find it, how we share it with others. “Love after loss has given me hope.” There is hope in watching the snow slowly recede from the landscape, knowing that spring is on its way. There is hope in seeing a city street renamed to honor an unsung hero whose recognition was long overdue. … Continue reading Hope

Year in review

It’s hard to even know where to begin. 2021 was full and rich and challenging and beautiful. I’m just going to list a few of the key moments as we look forward to an exciting 2022. We drove 40,000 miles and visited 27 states. We logged dozens of new interviews and hundreds of new studio portraits. We stood beside the border wall on the day … Continue reading Year in review

Seasons

I can feel the seasons changing. For the past 11 months, we have been running pretty hard, meeting new people and exploring new terrain.  We’ve encountered new ideas and gathered new stories along the way. We’ve covered 45,000 miles across 32 states. It’s what we could do to move A Peace of My Mind forward in the midst of a pandemic. The public programming we … Continue reading Seasons

HopeWorks Station

Earlier this month I got to visit HopeWorks Station in Everett, Washington.  An innovative housing project in Snohomish County, it holds the possibility of a permanent solution for some of the people experiencing homelessness in the area. A few interesting facts about HopeWorks Station: -65 affordable housing units from 300-453 square feet -focused on serving veterans, youth and families -all units face inward to a … Continue reading HopeWorks Station