30 Comments
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Charly's avatar

As usual, your essay speaks to my heart. Through works such as yours I am able to chart a (somewhat jagged) course and work to maintain a small measure of internal peace. Studio time, with the chaotic unraveling of revered institutions swirling around, has become a refuge. I have no market for my work, but continue out of love for my craft and the need for exploration and diversion. Please keep the missives coming - sometimes they are the best part of a day, or week for that matter. Hugs and blessings sent your way.

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

Thanks so much, Charly. I can picture you in your studio, channeling the Creative spark. Thanks for reading. I've been busy with other projects, so it felt good to write this essay.

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Stacy Boone's avatar

Excitement and imagination. A moment to reflect and consider what is possible - this is my takeaway from this essay. To find a bit of hope by building into its possibility as structure/guardrails/living/inviting places.

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

Thanks for joining in, Stacy.

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Leah Rampy's avatar

What a terrific and hopeful assignment. May it manifest continued inspiration and become reality. 🩷

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

May it be so, Leah! At any rate, it’ll help me get up in the morning. ☺️

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Leah Rampy's avatar

Maybe some of your students will permit you to share pieces of their project with us. It would be interesting.

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

I’ll ask! It’s early days yet. But soon enough ~ !

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

I loved your building design project, and the video about restorative justice, and I also appreciated reading Sydney Michalski's latest post. Thanks, Julie.

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

Thanks for reading, Diana. Glad you enjoyed it.

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Sal Randolph's avatar

I’m a huge Donella Meadows fan. You probably know this talk of hers on visioning, but just in case you haven’t come across it:

https://vimeo.com/30752926

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

Oooo! Thanks, Sal! Will def take a look. Perfect antidote to despairing times.

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Sal Randolph's avatar

It’s really something. She is so courageous. Among other things, great to show students.

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Lisa Bardack's avatar

Julie, this is so inspiring!! Beautifully written, too, as always. Deep bow to the creativity that emerged from you amidst the madness unfolding, the barrage of jaw dropping events. Yes! Imagination is truly a force! And the way forward. Deep bow, too, to you inspiring your students. To me, this is how we will get beyond the horror that is rearing its greedy head and create the world we want. Your students, the Daily Rap, etc are all small things that create a web that I believe will change this world. Love this so much. Yes, to the Mount Vernon Institute for Peace!

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

Thanks so much, Lisa. As always, for your steady, inspiring presence. And, yes! Can't you just picture it?! MVIP forever!

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Lisa Bardack's avatar

I will be holding the vision for it! Also, deep bow the amazing and wonderful Dr. Lauren Abramson!

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

She's a treasure. I miss our board meetings. Such a wonderful org.

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Gail V. Ritchie's avatar

Creativity is a wonderful antidote to destruction and negativity. Will you share the projects your students design? I’d love to see them.

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

Sure! Early days yet.

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Ben Wakeman's avatar

I love this assignment. Imagination is such a a necessity, especially in the face of adversity. I want to believe peace is the way, it’s just so hard to see that beneath the many layers of ugliness and hatred that are consuming the headlines right now. We marched here in Atlanta yesterday and there were som many caring people who showed up. Maybe there is a way out of these dark times. We need more teachers and thinkers with hearts like yours, Julie.

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

On good days, I’m convinced there are more of us than we might think. This is how we find each other, Ben. By showing up in places like this and in the streets of Atlanta and Annapolis and everywhere else. 💚

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Marisol Muñoz-Kiehne's avatar

Peace revolution.

Non-violent uprising.

Our evolution.

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

☺️💚

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Annie Gottlieb's avatar

I was encouraged by this to go read Sidney Michalski’s Notes, and was shocked to find them anything but peaceful and reparative.

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

Could you please say more? It’s true that resistance to tyranny isn’t always peaceful. I may have mixed my metaphors here . . . 🙃

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maudlyn monroe's avatar

can you clarify what Project 2 was? as an instructor I am curious, and couldn't quite parse it in the essay (perhaps my attention is dulled in clarity bc things)

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Annie Gottlieb's avatar

Anybody just read this. https://substack.com/@sydneymichalski/note/c-105716918?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=16gkv It’s full of the quite standard hatred and contempt of left for right, matched only by the hatred and contempt of right for left. Those trying to divide us have been completely successful.

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

I agree it’s spicy and there are valid points - such as, that lying and scapegoating aren’t “conservative” values. Others of her notes are stories of conversations that do bridge the divide.

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Annie Gottlieb's avatar

To clarify, I believe much if not most of the political and oligarch class deserves our hatred and contempt. 😂 But we wind up tarring with the same brush the ordinary people on "the other side" who are as duped by that class as we, frankly, are.

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

Absolutely. I probably would have done better to share one of her notes about connecting with her neighbors out of genuine, respectful curiosity. I do find myself attracted to clever snark, something I could stand to watch out for.

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