What does hope mean to you, and how do you practice it? Lindsy Wallace talks with award-winning musician, writer, and activist Andre Henry about sustaining hope, translating it into action, and how art can help dismantle empires.

In this episode, we:

Talk about his newly released book, All the White Friends I Couldn’t Keep, and who he wrote it for
Go over Andre’s practice of always reading something about hope to remind himself of what’s possible
Ask what the role of art is in the work of justice
Talk about how artists can play so many roles in the movement: creative strategist, messenger, morale keeper, and so on
Discuss what it means for Andre to be an artivist
Consider the power of a committed minority working toward social progress
Talk about relationships he’s lost and what he’s gained in community, hope for change, and space for himself to truly be
Discuss the connection between hope and action, as well as the role has faith played in sustaining hope
Go over Andre’s hope regimen to stay healthy and mitigate despair

Join us in this rich conversation as we dive into how hope is more than optimism: it’s about imagining and creating a better world and writing history. Let us know what you think and what hopeful action you can take in your own communities.

News, Notes, and Links:

You can find Andre on the web, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and SoundCloud.
Order your copy of Andre’s book, All the White Friends I Couldn’t Keep, here.
Check out the book Andre mentioned, Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit, here.
Learn more about the work of Erica Chenoweth, Ph.D. on civil resistance.
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