It takes a long time, this pursuit of justice. Sometimes it feels like things move slowly. Sometimes it feels like nothing changes at all. When I interviewed Rev. DeMett Jenkins in Charleston last year, she spoke about her grandfather, Esau Jenkins and the civil rights work he did back in the day. DeMett said, “We’re dealing with the exact same type of stuff that my … Continue reading Faith and Justice
A Peace of My Mind set up our studio for Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Program at the University of Minnesota and asked, “How is Dr. King’s legacy crucial and relevant today?” Continue reading MLK Center
The gallery below is meant to supplement the story you will find in Portraits of Peace: Searching for Hope in a Divided America. The book is available now, anywhere you love to buy books. Enjoy. Continue reading Book illustrations
It stopped me in my tracks. On Sunday, we visited the Peace and Justice Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama. It pays tribute to the 4,000 plus Black people who were lynched in America during a campaign of racial violence that has changed over time, but never really ended. Above your head as you walk through the memorial, large steel beams are suspended, engraved with the names … Continue reading Justice
Will Snowden received his law degree from Seton Hall Law School in New Jersey and worked as a public defender in New Orleans. Through his work in the justice system, he became concerned with weaknesses in our jury system that led to a lack of diversity in jury members and ultimately, unjust outcomes. In response, Will established The Juror Project, whose mission is “to change … Continue reading Will Snowden
Teresa Reyes was born in El Salvador and came to the United States in 1999 when she was 17 years old, nine months pregnant and spoke only Spanish. As she established herself in her new home, she packed lettuce in farm fields, worked in slaughterhouses and taught herself English. She eventually put herself through college and now works as an environmental scientist. We talked about … Continue reading Teresa Reyes
Just wrapping up a busy month in Memphis, with American Stories at Memphis Theological Seminary and American Stories at First Congregational Church. I’ve been to Memphis a few times now, and I’m always drawn in by the combination of history, music, food, and good people. I had the chance tp speak at the seminary, and I also set up a studio to ask, “How does … Continue reading Memphis Theological Seminary
We stood in utter darkness. I was 12 years old, 100 feet underground, in the long, winding passages of Mammoth Cave. The park service guide gathered us in one of the large rooms. He spoke of geology and history. He told us about preservation and heritage. Then he introduced me to the idea of light pollution. He explained that because of stray light in our … Continue reading My New Year’s Wish
Claudia Horwitz is founding director of Stone Circles at the Stone House, a 70-acre retreat center outside Mebane, North Carolina, dedicated to the support of people and organizations working toward social change. Claudia’s efforts grew out of an awareness that social justice work could exact a tremendous toll on people, and her desire to make the work of building social movements more sustainable. “There are … Continue reading Claudia Horwitz
Joanne Bland was 11 years old when she marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Heading from Selma toward Montgomery, the activists were committed to securing voting rights for all Americans, but on March 7, 1965, they were violently attacked by law enforcement officers. It became known as Bloody Sunday. I interviewed Joanne at her home in Selma in August 2015, just 12 days … Continue reading Joanne Bland
