In the end, the best defense against bigotry is forging communities that are strong enough to withstand it. Really knowing each other is the starting place for healing all of our wounds. Learning each other’s stories and struggles leads to a broader sense of who ‘us’ is, and there is no victory over ‘them’ so complete, or so healing, or so effective, as welcoming them into ‘us.’ That is the radical subversion of fear by love.
Klansmen, Crips, Clowns, Memphis and Me
This Saturday the Ku Klux Klan is promising to have one of its largest rallies ever in Memphis, Tennessee. I’m headed there too. The Memphis park formerly known as Forrest Park, after Civil War general, slave trader and first Grand Wizard of the KKK Nathan Bedford Forrest, now bears the innocuous moniker “Health Sciences Park” […]
Interview on peacemaking and activism
David Dault recently interviewed me for his podcast ‘Things Not Seen.’ It was a delightful conversation, and the edited version is here. I hope you will enjoy it. To listen, simply click here.
What I Want For Christmas…
…really comes down to five or ten minutes of your time. And a stamp. And an envelope and a piece of paper. And a decision to spend those minutes in a way that could take a step toward righting a wrong. Ed Chapman is a friend of mine. I’ve written about him before on my […]
White Flour is now a video!
Here’s a way to hear and see this story, that doesn’t require buying the book. Please feel free to share it in any context you like, virtual or actual.
Chances to spend some time in conversation this summer
Along with the whirlwind of activity around the release of my new book, White Flour, and some concert appearances, I’m preparing for a collection of conferences this summer, and I hope you can join me at some of them. One is for youth, and the rest for adults, with youth welcome. I’ll be teaching creative […]
Bloggers on “White Flour”
It is amazing to see all the excitement White Flour is generating, still six weeks out from its publication. Here are a few of the exciting things generated by other folks in response to the book. • Flip Lower, from Birmingham, AL, came up with the idea of ‘White Flour Weekend’ for May 26-27, where […]
White Flour book on the way…
Order the book or support the project here! My new illustrated book will be coming out in late May. It tells a funny, instructive and true story of a creative anti-racism protest by a group calling itself the Coup Clutz Clowns, in Knoxville, Tennessee. If all goes well, the book will be released on May […]
“I’ve Never Liked Politics”
I found this poem searching through a file in my computer called “Works In Progress.” I had forgotten about it entirely, but thought it might be worth sharing…
Harmony for Humanity Interview
This is a recent interview and article published by Harmony for Humanity, please click the link below to read the rest of it. David LaMotte: Making a Difference From the Heart David LaMotte is being the change in so many ways that it’s almost impossible to keep up. LaMotte is an award-winning songwriter and peace […]