Humanity: An Anthology, Volume 1

"…where are the moments of joy, of beauty, of grace within this doomsday path humans are on? From where or how do we come up with reasons that make it worthwhile to continue living? To rush out of our beds to greet the day? To smile? To laugh? Well, for me, these moments would occur through the positive interactions made possible by love and respect for other people, creatures and the environment…" (Eileen R. Tabios) In HUMANITY, we are presented with humanity's explorations, often struggles, with itself in a variety of contexts. From the anthology's contributors-poets, environmental advocates, an ethnomusicologist, a physician, an ethnoecologist, a music minister, a clergywoman, a fictionist, and multiculturalists-we glimpse an overall picture of strength and fragility, of empathy, and myriad hopes. #humanitytheanthology #humanity Advance words: "The writings in Humanity are global in scope; but rather than explicating or attempting to impose a global system or authoritarian state upon the reader, these works run on thoughtful exploration of human feeling, experience, and action. Here you will find encounters between profoundly different cultures, the authors working their way through threads of humanity or animality and mythology like fibers twisted in varied textures and hues throughout a shawl. Here you will find views into personal experiences that have shaped each writer, sometimes causing pain, grief, anger, or wonder. In a world where humans are increasingly becoming aware of their own destructive impulses, a sense of urgency, though sometimes subtle, lies behind the lines. What, in this human condition, is worthwhile? The writers burrow deeply into memories, some following clues toward connection and empathy-others seeking clarity of thought and action-because if anything is clearer now than ever before, it's that consequences can and will happen, and change is required; resistance cannot be shallow, but depends on both openness and carefully thought-out acts that will carry us forward with awareness of "history and all its complex entanglements," as well as its possible futures. -Jean Vengua, author of Prau and Corporeal