About Shantih
In the very days our focus on this issue fixed
its place in the realm of social and political
awareness, my family and I were participating
in the RedforEd movement in Arizona. As we
walked out of our classrooms with tens of
thousands of other educators, students,
and parents, and then marched to the state
capitol in 100-plus degree heat, we began to
feel stronger, more supported, and even more
hopeful. Our movement became a celebration of
the power and healing to be had from raising
our voices to say what mattered, though the
message was difficult for some to hear. What
began as a demonstration of resolve rose to the
level of triumph, even as our lawmakers failed
us in significant ways.
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During that experience, a voice in the
movement stood out, and we made the decision
to interview Noah Karvelis for our spotlight
feature. A music teacher, Noah has a great
deal to say about the time we are in and where
we are heading. He has been championed and
maligned, but as the face of the movement in
Arizona, he is in a unique position to humanize
the struggles so many of us are facing in these
strange days.
About these days, strange as they are--as
always, our focus in this issue of Shantih is
peace, but sometimes to study something you
have to pick it up, turn it over, and look hard
at the seething world under the smooth.
Looking hard at our present moment, we admit to
feeling pain, worry, rage. Maybe that’s how
we came to feel that a neutral approach to art
in a time of moral upheaval was far from any
notion of the study of peace.
Here we bring you the study of the truth of
now, documented, made beautiful by art, but
no less devastating. In this collection, our
writers bare their scars and furies. We are
in awe of their candor and grace as they wield
words that matter.