My self portrait for Art and Life class

Self Portrait Artist Statement

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

-Gandhi; My life motto 

I identify with my Irish and German heritage (flags on left), as well as my maiden name Blackburn, which is Scottish (small flag). I have always thought of myself as a redhead - because it was more red when I was younger, an auburn color. It has now turned to a more brownish color. My family nickname was Fred the Red. My favorite color is various shades of blue and I wear a lot of blue (clothing). I am holding a peace sign with my left hand and there is a peace dove above that because a major part of my life mission is to work toward world peace (hence the symbol at my heart). I included music notes with the dove because I love listening to birds singing. I am also singing in the picture, because I have a broad musical background and love for the arts, which is also related to my doctoral research. There are mountains in the background because I love them, and I included flowers because they bring me joy. The mountains also represent my home state of Pennsylvania. The sun is smiling because sunshine makes me happy. The cat at the bottom symbolizes my love for cats and all the cats I have had as pets/family members so far. The red figures at the bottom are my immediate family members, whom I love dearly - mother, father, brother, and husband. I am able to do what I do in life because of their support - I am standing on their shoulders. The pink figures to the sides represent my teachers, mentors, extended family members, and friends, whom I also love and who have contributed to my life and who I am today. I am shaking hands with “diverse people” on the right, because I try to love, respect, and understand people from all backgrounds. The American flag is backward because I feel my country is going backward in so many ways. It is also black and white, because of the long standing, unresolved racial issues in America. I am currently not proud to call myself an American. The images at the top are my heroes/role models: Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Dalai Lama. I am looking up to them, as I hope to change the world significantly for the better, as they have.

Wise words from John F. Kennedy

"We must face the fact that the United States is neither omnipotent nor omniscient; that we are only 6 percent of the world's population; that we cannot impose our will upon the other 94 percent of mankind; that we cannot right every wrong or reverse every adversity; and that therefore there cannot be an American solution to every world problem."

- John F. Kennedy

Hopeful, uplifting words during difficult times...

"To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness...

And if we act, in however small a way, we don't have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory."

- Howard Zinn

Inspiring Words From Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Regarding Racial Issues In America

Nothing is quite as inspiring regarding racial issues as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech. Sadly we are still in need of these dreams for the future...

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men [and people] are created equal.' I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners [and all others] will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood [and sisterhood]. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state [as well as so many others], sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children [and all children] will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today [and every day!]."

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I will leave you with these encouraging words...

"Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow." [For yourself and others!]

-Doug Firebaugh

If you're interested in issues surrounding institutionalized racism and white privilege in America...please watch this 10 minute video I made:

The Story of a Privileged White Girl: My Blind Awakening

With love and peace, Jennifer :)

A Message from The Man of La Mancha

I went to see the musical The Man of La Mancha tonight - a wonderful community theater rendition. It showed me the power of the arts to entertain and yet also convey deep messages of truth about life and humanity.

My biggest take away message was this:

Everyone has the right to imagine life as it should be, and to inspire others to do so...

Life can be brutal sometimes...but we all have the gift of imagination, and we can choose to imagine a better life/future for ourselves and those we love, and even for those we don't love...

That is the essence of Hope...which is the essence of the Human Spirit...to prevail amidst adversity....


May we all aspire to be our own version of Don Quixote and Dulcinea...
In short, whatever life may throw your way...be the best YOU you can be.

With love and peace, Jennifer :)

A song in honor of my Father...

Love Never Dies

Copyright: Jennifer Blackburn Miller, 2015

(In honor of David John Blackburn - 8/5/1939-8/20/2012

Obituary )

Last night I saw a show

And it made me think of you

And the love that binds us

Through the past, present, and more…

The show taught me

That love never dies

Time just passes by

But memories live on…

Chorus:

La, la…

La, la…

Even though you’ve been gone awhile

My memories are crisp and clear

Of the love you gave each year

Selflessly fathering me…

I will always remember your love

No matter how much time goes by

Love will never die

As life passes us by…

Chorus:

La, La…

La, La…

Love is eternal

And it will live on

Throughout the eons

Beyond our time on earth…

Love is intangible

But it’s so powerful

It communicates so clear

Through each passing year…

Chorus:

La, La…

La, La…

“Tag” Ending:

Love will never die, I know

It’s a strong tie, I know

Our souls will live on, I know

In the great, great beyond…

Repeat…1X

Final Chorus:

La, La, Love never dies…

La, La

La, La, Love never dies…

La, La

Love never dies. 

Love Never Dies Recording

Two nice quotes... :)

"It is only by introducing the young to great literature, drama and music, and to the excitement of great science that we open to them the possibilities that lie within the human spirit - enable them to see visions and dream dreams.

-Eric Anderson

"The Holy Prophet Mohammed came into this world and taught us: 'That man is a Muslim who never hurts anyone by word or deed, but who works for the benefit and happiness of God's creatures. Belief in God is to love one's fellow men [and women]."

-Abdul Ghaffar Khan

Most Muslims are moderate, peaceful people...not extremists. And the message above really speaks to all religions - the main goal is to treat others as you would like to be treated....

A Song of Twilight... :)

After playing the piano and singing a bit this evening, I took a walk at twilight and these two poems came to me...

"A song of twilight:
From the birds.
Eternal wisdom without words.
They lay upon our waiting ears...
To tell the story of the years."

"Fireflies delight the eyes...
And birds their songs do sing.
The moon it casts its' spell below...
To ring the evening in."

One race...the Human race...

"We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race."

- Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations

"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good."

- Thomas Paine

We need to let go of tribalism and overly focusing on minor differences between us. We have much more in common than different. If we could only look past the petty things we zoom in on - we would see that we share many things in common - emotions, life experiences, family, hobbies, etc. We need to unite...now more than ever...as our world increasingly becomes a global village. Focusing on petty differences can lead to wars that we can ill afford - because this day in age, nobody wins. Our true enemy is war itself. Love, or at least tolerate, one another...please...

In Peace, Jennifer

The future potential of humanity...

We have this future potential...

"We have the ability to achieve, if we master the necessary goodwill, a common global society blessed with a shared culture of peace that is nourished by the ethnic, national and local diversities that enrich our lives."

- Mahnaz Afkhami

One way we can change the world is by cultivating peace and freedom within us, and then helping others to do so...

"And once we have the condition of peace and joy in us, we can afford to be in any situation. Even in the situation of hell, we will be able to contribute our peace and serenity. The most important thing is for each of us to have some freedom in our heart, some stability in our heart, some peace in our heart. Only then will we be able to relieve the suffering around us."

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Inspiring quotes about diversity :)

"For those who have seen the Earth from space, and for the hundreds and perhaps thousands more who will, the experience most certainly changes your perspective. The things that we share in our world are far more valuable than those which divide us."

-Donald Williams

"[People] may be said to resemble not the bricks of which a house is built, but the pieces of a picture puzzle, each differing in shape, but matching the rest, and thus bringing out the picture."

- Unknown

"One day our descendants will think it incredible that we paid so much attention to things like the amount of melanin in our skin or the shape of our eyes or our gender instead of the unique identities of each of us as complex human beings."

- Unknown

"If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place."

- Unknown

"We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color."

- Maya Angelou

Thought provoking quotes... :)

"Tolerance, inter-cultural dialogue and respect for diversity are more essential than ever in a world where peoples are becoming more and more closely interconnected."

- Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations

"People of different religions and cultures live side by side in almost every part of the world, and most of us have overlapping identities which unite us with very different groups. We can love what we are, without hating what and who we are not. We can thrive in our own tradition, even as we learn from others, and come to respect their teachings."

- Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations

"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy. Music is the electrical soil in which the spirit lives, thinks and invents."

- Ludwig van Beethoven

My short film from a Race Relations Showcase

This film was composed as a response to a course at Penn State University, THEA 497, Truth and Reconciliation: Race Relations in America – Performing Arts and Artists Moving Us Forward. It chronicles what I learned from that course. I hope you find it informative and educational...

The Story of a Privileged White Girl: My Blind Awakening 

A nice quote... :)

"We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams."

-Jimmy Carter

Wouldn't it be nice if our current president thought so too...as much of the beautiful diversity of our country is due to immigrants, like you and me... If you're not a Native American, you're an immigrant!

Poignant words from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

"Men (humans) hate each other because they fear each other, 
and they fear each other because they don't know each other, 
and they don't know each other because they are often separated from each other."

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Understanding Others

"Without mutual knowledge there can be no mutual understanding; without understanding, there can be no trust and respect; without trust, there can be no peace, only the danger of conflict. This means we have to be willing and able to familiarize ourselves with the way people of other cultures think and perceive the world around them, but without losing our own standpoint in the process. 

- Roman Herzog, Former President of Germany

"Diversity is not casual liberal tolerance of anything not yourself. It is not polite accommodation. Instead, diversity is, in action, the sometimes painful awareness that other people, other races, other voices, other habits of mind have as much integrity of being, as much claim on the world as you do. And I urge you, amid all the differences present to the eye and mind, to reach out to create the bond that will protect us all. We are ALL meant to be here TOGETHER. (emphasis mine)."

- William M. Chase, 'The Language of Action'

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."

- Marcel Proust

The gift of Music :)

"Music speaks what cannot be expressed,
soothes the mind and gives it rest,
heals the heart and makes it whole,
flows from heaven to the soul."

-Unknown

Something to Consider...

"The world is made up of people, but the people of the world forget this. It is hard to believe that, like ourselves, other people are born of women, reared by parents, teased by brothers and sisters, consoled by wives (or husbands or partners)...flattered by grandchildren, and buried by ministers and priests (or other religious leaders) with the blessing of the church and the tears of those left behind."
-Menninger, 1942 Love Against Hate, New York: Harcourt, Brace (parentheses mine)

Consider that this was written during WW II, a very dark point in world history... And we, unfortunately, have many dark aspects in our world still today. This quote reminds me that we're all human, and most of us just want to have what we need in life and live peacefully. I hope we as the human race can work toward a world where everyone has their basic needs met, and there is more peace than violence and destruction... Love, Jennifer

Good quote :)

"With all the diversity in the world, people of different religious groups, color, race, education, development, and maturity, there is one thing in common among all of us. One thing that ties each one of us to every other one, we are all moving into the future, at the same speed, simultaneously on this journey." - Unknown author

We have the power to make the future better than the present if we all work together for the betterment of humanity! I'm committed to this... Are you??

Love and Peace, Jennifer

Coming to terms with white supremacy

As a privileged white female I have had to come to terms with the white supremacy inherent in our culture and in our institutions. Unfortunately, it is becoming even more visible in our social interactions in this country, and in our government as well. While I do not subscribe to the notions of white supremacy, I have to accept the fact that I'm part of it...we all are...because of the society we're living in. This article may seem a bit harsh at times, but it's actually right on... We need to understand this legacy and ourselves better, so that we can redefine what whiteness means and what it will be in the future...preferably more inclusive and appreciative of diversity. Love and Peace, Jennifer

https://theestablishment.co/white-people-i-dont-want-you-to-understand-me-better-i-want-you-to-understand-yourselves-a6fbedd42ddf#.x5520lu9p

A good quote to remember :)

"A Senegalese poet said: 'In the end we will conserve only what we love. We love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.' We must learn about other cultures in order to understand, in order to love, and in order to preserve our common world heritage."

-Yo Yo Ma, White House Conference on Culture and Diplomacy

Humanity: like a jigsaw puzzle

Hello beautiful people,

With all the disunity and divisive things occurring in our world, I like how Rabbi Shapiro describes  below how we all fit into a jigsaw puzzle. With one exception: I don't believe we blend into the whole and disappear when we fit into our own place in the puzzle. Most puzzles still look bumpy even when they are put together. I prefer humanity to be a little bumpy, but a gentle bumpiness that includes everyone's unique and wonderful contributions...

-Love and Peace, Jennifer

"Consider a jigsaw puzzle.  Each piece has its place and no other piece can fit that place.  Yet no one piece makes sense on its own. Each piece needs the whole for its integrity and coherence.  And the whole needs each piece to fulfill its purpose and bring meaning and order to the puzzle.  Once a piece is in its proper place,  its separateness is surrendered.  We know a piece is in its place when it blends with the whole and disappears.

What is true for a puzzle is true for Reality, with one exception:  There is no hand putting us in our place.  We must do that for ourselves.  We must discover our place and take it.  And when we do this, we discover the integrity and meaning of the whole; we discover the divine energy that flows through all things and links each to the other and all to God."

- Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro,  Wisdom of the Jewish Sages