John Calvi and "The Ones Who Aren't Here" Song

In this mini-episode, host Dwight Dunston returns to his conversation with Quaker healer John Calvi. They explore the history of John’s seminal song, "The Ones Who Aren't Here," and the weight of carrying love across time and loss.

John shares the song's origins, written in his 20s during a time of "personal exile". Reflecting on the "fierce closet" of the early 80s, John notes, "As Pete Seeger said, you build a good building, can be used for a lot of different things over time". For John, the song became a "good building" for those seeking community during the AIDS crisis.

The episode features a 1982 recording from WWUH radio. John reflects: "Perhaps ministry is that rare, too rare, song that teaches the pain as it lifts us up towards knowing what is possible".

In this episode, we discuss:

• The social origins of "The Ones Who Aren't Here".
• Healing touch as Quaker ministry during the AIDS crisis.
• John’s work with the late nonviolence educator William J. Kreidler.

Resources:

• "The Ones Who Aren't Here" (Song): https://youtu.be/3EANcOHwLbc (1982 Recording)
• John Calvi: https://johncalvi.com/
• Suede (Singer - Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suede_(singer)
• Meg Christian: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meg_Christian
• LGBTQ Religious Archives Network (Calvi Profile): https://lgbtqreligiousarchives.org/profiles/john-calvi
• William J. Kreidler (Memorial Archive): https://williamjkreidler.com/
• "Nonviolence in the Classroom" (Reference to William Kreidler's work): https://biblioteca.cejamericas.org/handle/2015/4078

Guest Bio: John Calvi is a Quaker healer and songwriter who offered massage and healing touch during the AIDS crisis. A member of Putney (VT) Friends Meeting, he has had his music recorded by artists such as Meg Christian and Suede.

NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page.

The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/
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The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people.

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