Update from Feb. 21, 2025: In 2021-2023, I published more than 70 posts on Sift. Shift. Lift. It was a labour of love, exploring the arts, social justice movements, and critical moments in history. I was proud of the space I had created, but I stopped.
Why? Two reasons: it took considerable time, time that I wanted to redirect to the novel I was (and still am) writing, and—more importantly—I was scared. I was getting trolled in the comments by neo-Nazis.
Now, as the world around me shape-shifts and I see history repeating itself on multiple stages, I am drawn back to Substack and to Sift. Shift. Lift. I plan to start posting again, although less frequently than before. And, I am starting by reposting the previous articles with updates. I hope you will join me.
Each month, Sift. Shift. Lift. introduces you and other likeminded readers to the work of academics, artists and activists digging up forgotten, and often horrible, histories, and then bringing them into the light. Engaging your head, your heart and your hands in the struggle, one wicked problem at a time.
We’ll sift through the layers of confusion (or propaganda) to get to the root of each month’s topic. Just click on the carefully curated links to credible sources to dig deep.
We’ll check out art and artists whose work helps shift awareness and assumptions about the issue or historical event in question. Expect to see work by visual artists, filmmakers, playwrights, musicians and storytellers working in myriad genres.
Finally, we’ll consider what we can do to lift up those individuals or organizations striving to transform themselves and our world through compassionate action.
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