Wow, what an incredible experience to celebrate black artists and be a part of the Human Family gathering in our community, which sits in the center of a 93% white state! In a world that often seeks to divide us, the Human Family gathering served as a powerful reminder of just how deeply we need each other and the strength that can be found in our community foundation.
As I reflect on this sacred space that brought us together in all our colorful fullness and glory, I can't help but feel the deep thirst within us being quenched, even if only for a moment. The music, the art, the spoken word – it was all a testament to the power of love and connection to inspire and "dream into new realities".
The organizer of the event reminisced about a time when "the drums would call the people and the people would dance." She recounted a fond memory of black men gathering in Kennedy Park to play in drum circles, where even the police would stop and take in the music. As our neighbor from Hardwick started beating the drums, we saw the magic that can occur when we hold the beat for each other. The organizer took the stage and shared her truth through an incredibly raw and brilliant musical improvisation. It was a reminder of the endless possibilities when we support each other and how true art has the power to stretch and expand us. There for a moment at the Cabot Public Library, we experienced what it feels like to open ourselves and riff off each other letting go of all we are not — making space for all that we are.
Over the course of the weekend, we felt what it was like to show-up and be loved. We shared in each other's pain and found the courage to let go of our pain, our fear, our shame, and the narratives that do not serve us. The featured artist Daniel Laurent (DL) sang an acapella version of a song he wrote to his aunt, who died of cancer. The lyrics full of tenderness also describe the cruelty of cancer, which knows no bounds. Skin color certainly does not barricade the ravages of disease, pandemics nor basic contagions that have taken away our loved ones. Transported by Daniel’s music and relating to his tears, we felt our exquisite interconnectedness, embracing each other as one.
One piece that shook the very identity of Vermont residents was experiencing Daniel's music video "Outside". It is a gripping work about gun violence and how it destroys the very core of our sense of safety and value as a human. It was a stark contrast to the privilege we experience here, where we tell our children to go outside to feel better, to go for a walk in the woods when they're feeling down.
These are uncertain times, and it can be difficult to find hope and the bridge to lead us closer to each other. With gun violence, suicide, cancer, climate disasters, and a mental health crisis all around us, it is clear that the old ways of living and thinking are not serving us. We need a new way of being together, a new bridge that will lead us to a brighter future.
And when we grip each other's hands, build bridges, and nourish each other with love, the outpouring of creative brilliance provides the vision and the courage for us to take that transformational leap-frog forward. These moments of illumination illustrate just how close we are to the mountaintop and that the promised land is within our reach. Let us hold fast to this foundational feeling, let us nurture this flame of hope, and let us continue to come together as one, for it is only in our shared humanity that we will find the strength to overcome any obstacle and create the world we want to leave to our children. #humanfamily #daniellaurent #outside
Celina, thank you.
I have shared your post.
Hallelujah! ❤️ yessss!