Rooted in Dissent
Reflections at The Sophia Club with historian Jonathan Holloway
Curator and artist Sophia Brous asked if I would sing songs, salt and peppered amidst a talk entitled “The Wisdom of History.” The Joe’s Pub conversation was skillfully facilitated by University of Wisconsin professor Jennifer Ratner-Rosenhagen, a specialist in U.S. intellectual and cultural history. President of Rutgers University, author and historian, Jonathan Holloway was in the hot seat. Help us frame this moment in history, please! I felt myself longing for the conversation, longing for the slow, thoughtful dialogue and to fly to a more zoomed out perspective, away from the Instagram 15-second takes, in order to contemplate where we are, and where we as a nation have come from. Look to elevate the untold stories of the Everyman. Songs like “This Is My Hand,” “Black Sheep” and “She Does Not Brave the War, but She Saves the Day” felt on topic.
The rebel has the microphone. I will die on the hill of intellectual freedom. I value the questioning, the never-ending edge of curiosity. I also long to belong. I want to belong to you and even here, dear Substack reader, I look for us together. I grow weary of defining myself as only rebellious. The black sheep wants to come home to the flock to get warm too. The fighter must return to heal from battle so that they may fight again.
I found great comfort in Jonathan’s reflections so I have transcribed them for you with slight edits for clarity. Let us continue to question, to argue well, to keep reaching for unity with our neighbors. Yes, it is exhausting, but we do belong to each other. May you like me, be edified by the reflections of these brilliant folks and gather your strength for the marathon of us.
Thank you all for supporting me and for reflecting your light. May we grow kindness in the midst of great violence.