BLACK TO EDEN | On Joy
with Peter J. Harris
Whenever I think of Peter J. Harris, he is beaming, radiating, emanating a sense of joy.
So as I begin this monumental project in Black Eden (Idlewild, MI), which is, in so many ways, a dream come true for me, I felt the necessity to start with Peter on joy.
These discussions will be a part of a series as I work through questions surrounding community and cultural work. It will be a way for me to document my own process as I navigate my dreams. I am building a residency space for artists and scientists that includes permacultural community gardens, and I’m also working with community members on learning and developing shared goals. And somewhere in there, I’ll get to my own practice.
I never thought that I would be a homeowner, and the circumstances of this past year make the ideas of joy and progress complicated. So before digging into the amazing local history or dreaming about the future, I have been wanting to reach out to my own trauma so that I can let it rest.
A few months ago Peter asked me to be a part of his forthcoming book See You — Faces of the Black Man of Happiness. I was thrilled to be able to contribute and also to catch up a bit. It was the peak of summer 2020 and I had just finished a last-minute, harrowing move to Michigan after leaving a toxic job during the pandemic.
Often in these difficult moments loved ones attempt to console by saying things like ‘it will get better’ or ‘the best revenge is a life well lived’ or ‘at least you left with some dignity’. These phrases often ring hollow to me even though I know they are meant to help. I want to find a way to hold both truths at once. I had never felt like I was fleeing for my life before, and I know that this year many others have faced similar and worse trials for the first time. I wish there was a way I could ensure that all perpetrators would reach an understanding in themselves and undergo a positive transformation. But I will settle for, or begin by, holding myself tenderly, so that I can build this space for joy.
I want to thank Peter J. Harris so much for sharing some time with me. I hope that you enjoy our conversation; I’ve included some of his other performances, as well. I also want to thank my patrons for their financial and emotional support. Please let me know what you think and if you would like to participate in this series!
www.Blackmanofhappiness.com
Connect with me:
Instagram | @lydiamariehicks @blackeden_idlewild
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