listening | A Peace of My Mind

I remember

December 17, 2020 by johnnoltner

Some memories grow into myths. The one that visited me today feels like a dream, with hazy images drifting in and out of focus…but I know it is true. More than ten years ago, I met an older woman by chance and only briefly. Within moments she had led me into a deep and intimate conversation, revealing closely held truths in a way that is only possible with someone you know you will never see again. She was in her […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: lessons, listening, stories, storytelling, wisdom

I see you

May 30, 2020 by johnnoltner

I’m tired today. But I’ll go back out there. Because my tired is nothing in the face of the soul-crushing weariness I see in my brothers and sisters on the street. My tired pales when it’s held side by side with the frustration I hear in the voices of the people. My tired is no excuse when you begin to recognize the heavy burden that has been carried for days and years and decades of calling out and not being […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: a peace of my mind, George Floyd, justice, listening, Minneapolis, photography, protest, race, storytelling

Heather Ehle

August 3, 2017 by johnnoltner

Heather Ehle is executive director of Project Sanctuary, a program designed to help military families heal. With no military background herself, Heather saw families struggling to readjust to civilian life after deployments. She now coordinates retreats, centered in Colorado, to reconnect families and give them support to thrive. Heather describes herself as politically agnostic, which she defines as “having been to Washington one too many times.” “I believe that everybody innately knows what they need in order to be happy and […]

Categories: Podcast • Tags: Colorado, counselor, family, granby, heal, hope, listening, veteran

Sheila Goldtooth

January 22, 2017 by johnnoltner

Sheila Goldtooth teaches Navajo culture and philosophy at Dine College in Chinle, Arizona. She also works as a traditional healer for the Navajo Nation. Her interest in healing began at a very young age when she saw her uncle do the work. She apprenticed with him and now performs ceremonies and blessings for people to help bring them back into balance and harmony, particularly for young people who struggle to balance the pressures and competing demands of western and Navajo societies. […]

Categories: Podcast • Tags: arizona, balance, children, chinle, culture, harmony, healing, Hogan, listening, native american, nature, Navajo, philosophy, traditional healing

This will be short

December 16, 2016 by johnnoltner

Pardon the broad, sweeping generalizations…but here’s the thing… If all the non-white people are saying, “um…there are some issues we need to discuss regarding race.” And all the white people are saying, “Everything is fine…just get over it and let’s move on.” Then…we might have some work to do regarding race. If you don’t see it, consider who you are talking to about the issue. Last week I was artist-in-residence at the Everyday Democracy convening in Baltimore. I set up […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: American Stories, art, black and white, democracy, dialogue, healing, listening, peace, photography, portraits, race, social justice, stories

A Work in Progress

July 28, 2016 by johnnoltner

The Indiegogo campaign is complete. I am grateful for the patience, encouragement, and support that you all offered during the process. We closed the campaign two weeks ago and are now thick in the production process. The September 21 deadline is probably ambitious, but we are going to make it. Here’s a crash course in the editing process: Each of these interviews was roughly an hour long, recorded and later transcribed. An interview of this length generally transcribes to a […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: a peace of my mind, American Stories, APoMM, art, book, crowdfund, hope, Indiegogo, listening, peace, photography, stories

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Stories of Peace

July 10, 2016 by johnnoltner

We have one week left in our Indiegogo campaign to fund our book, A Peace of My Mind: American Stories. There’s work to do. We’d welcome your help to stand with us and do all we can to move toward peace and reconciliation in a difficult time. Help if you can. Share this message far and wide. Together we can turn ripples of hope into waves of compassion. Visit this link to help: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-peace-of-my-mind-american-stories/x/2664576#/

Categories: Blog, Video • Tags: a peace of my mind, American Stories, APoMM, art, book, crowdfund, dialog, healing, hope, Indiegogo, listening, peace, photography, race, restorative justice, social justice, stories, travel

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We’re all in this together

July 9, 2016 by johnnoltner

We’re all in this together Black or white. Gay or straight. Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, or Atheist. Man, woman, or child. Republican or Democrat. Cop, soldier, artist, teacher, banker, farmer, or unemployed… We’re all in this together. When I started A Peace of My Mind, I set out to hear from people of all backgrounds. Especially the ones I didn’t know well. Especially the ones whose voices seemed to be lost in the public debate. It was my own path […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: a peace of my mind, APoMM, art, book, crowdfund, dialog, diversity, Indiegogo, listening, peace, photography, portrait, race, social justice, stories

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Don’t run

July 8, 2016 by johnnoltner

**Note** I remember on 9/11 I had a job photographing corporate headshots for a construction company. It was a full schedule, and the most surreal day I can recall as little snippets of the news filtered in. There was a weight in the air at the loss of life, yet they wanted to continue with the project, so I spent my day asking people to smile, when all I wanted to do was cry. Yesterday I had a deadline project […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: American Stories, APoMM, healing, listening, peace, photography, race, reconcilliation, social justice, sojourners, stories

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Our book update

July 6, 2016 by johnnoltner

I owe you a story from our upcoming book, but the deadlines are looming, and I hope you’ll settle for an update for now. We have 10 days left of our Indiegogo campaign. We have raised more than $10,000 of our $25,000 goal. I just came back from a production meeting with the printer and designer, and as we head into the home stretch, I want to share with you a few things that I believe. I believe we are […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: a peace of my mind, American Stories, APoMM, art, books, diversity, healing, hope, listen, listening, peace, photography, portrait, social justice, stories

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A Peace of My Mind

Building community and bridging divides through portraits and personal stories.

Tag: listening

I remember

I see you

Heather Ehle

Sheila Goldtooth

A Work in Progress