There is only one thing I am absolutely sure of when it comes to the future: people who don’t get their hopes up will never see their hopes realized. Nothing can be created that has not first been imagined. It may be slightly tacky to quote oneself, but since they say that all the cells …
Where is the boundary between what’s called implicit or unconscious bias—internalizing and enacting beliefs about specific groups without being consciously aware of doing so or the harm it causes—and culturally encoded entitlement, the conviction of having the prerogative—even the duty—to exert authority over others? Hint: the answer definitely can be found on YouTube. We are …
If you’re ever on social media, you’ll see that people are up in arms over #IMPOTUS’ stated plan to hold a campaign rally (unmasked, at close quarters) in Tulsa, OK, on June 19th. This is a holiday called Juneteenth, commemorating the long freedom struggle of African Americans. The timing is one flashpoint. The rally’s planned …
Months before the 2016 election—but just a few days after police officers killed Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge and Philando Castile not far from the site of George Floyd’s murder—I wrote about the call to abolish the police. Two readers challenged me, the first to write next about her contention that “white people have no …
On Friday, my virtual residency in arts ethics with Francois Matarasso ended with a Zoom conversations with 70 or so participants. I really enjoyed it (and a gratifying number of participants said they did too). If you would like to view the video of that conversation or listen to the audio, you can find links …
I’m excited to be engaged this week in a “virtual residency.” My friend and colleague Francois Matarasso is using his blog “A Restless Art” (where you can also download the excellent book with the same name) to publish daily excerpts from my workshop handout on the “Values and Ethics of Participatory Arts Practice,” then to …
A few days ago I wrote about the utter neglect of equity and wider awareness in arguments for their own funding being issued by “mainstream” arts advocates. “So what should they be saying and doing?” some readers asked. This is my answer. I’d be interested to know yours. First, a little context. There’s a persistent …
What if—as I’ve recently written—the current pandemic is a “hinge moment” in history, offering the possibility of a break from the past? What if the actions taken in response to the pandemic, especially the things that we have repeatedly been told are impossible (such as radically cutting emissions) demonstrate that another world is indeed possible? …
Today, May Day (traditionally a worker’s celebration), could be a hinge moment in U.S. history, when a critical mass of voters and others said “Enough!” to the fat cats attempting to use the pandemic to profit further at public expense. An excellent account of the principles that should guide a compassionate and effective body of …
Full disclosure: This essay is about something that most people I know would dismiss as a pipe-dream. But there’s a difference between (a) the likelihood of an idea being adopted and fulfilled—the usual definition of success—and (b) having an influence. Even if (a) is impossible, (b) is worth pursuing. I would love you to read …