Aug 3, 2021
David LaMotte is an award-winning musician, speaker, and author. I’ve known David and have been a huge fan of his music for about 20 years, watching his concerts in Asheville and Black Mountain many times over the years. But it was through his book, Worldchanging 101: Challenging the Myth of Powerlessness, that I got to know his work in peacebuilding. David is someone who has spent many years of his life cultivating peace, both within himself and in his community. In 2008, he suspended his career in music to accept a Rotary World Fellowship and study International Relations, Peace, and Conflict Resolution at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He has spoken and facilitated conversations about race, privilege, and positive change, and his talk for TEDxAsheville discusses how music can teach us how to understand peace and conflict. He is the Co-Founder and President of PEG Partners, a non-profit for literacy, critical thought, and artistic expression in Guatemala, and was named “Madison World Changer” for his work in the country.
Today, David is writing his next book, tentatively titled “Harmony: What Music Can Teach Us About Peacemaking in a Troubled Time.”
David joins me today to dive deep into what peacemaking is. We discuss the importance of building inner peace so we can portray it outward in our homes and communities. We explain the etymology of pacifism and highlight why it’s not just about being passive. We describe the role of hope in activism, the usefulness of vulnerability as a means of change, and the impact of creativity in interrupting hate and prejudice. We also underscore the power of names and words as well as contemplate the wisdom of the civil rights movement and activists such as John Lewis and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“The work of peacebuilding is about approaching conflict in constructive ways.” - David LaMotte
This week on Relationships! Let’s Talk About It:
Related Content:
Resources Mentioned:
Connect with David LaMotte:
Let’s Talk About It!
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Relationships! Let’s Talk About It - the show to help you forge deeper, more meaningful connections and relationships with those around you. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review.
Check out our Guided Audio Practices and Meditations at Relationships! Let’s Learn About It.
You can check out the original songs I have sung in my podcast at Pripo’s Podcast Songs.
Don’t forget to visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Share your favorite episodes on social media to help others build better, more meaningful relationships.
And if our content has helped you forge deeper connections and more meaningful relationships, be sure to help support the show by visiting our Support the Podcast page!
Theme music “These Streets” provided by Adi the Monk