Those who Imagined: Our lovers, lunatics, and poets

Faces, 2023 Salzburg Academy on Media & Global Change

The faces and thoughts of the Salzburg Media Academy cohort of 2023. Below is a photobook of all students, faculty, and interns who imagined together.

We asked all participants to read, reflect, and respond to Walt Whitman’s poem O Me! O Life!

The Prompt: That you are here — that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

O Me! O Life!
BY WALT WHITMAN
Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,
The question, O me! so sad, recurring — What good amid these, O me, O life?
Answer.
That you are here — that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

Aela: “All we have to do is to decide what to do with the time that is given to us” — JRR Tolkien

Carol: Use of my voice/words for encouragement/support of people/causes that matter. Paraphrasing Tom Stoppard: words are sacred & deserve respect. The right words in the right order can nudge us all — and the world — a little….

Shreenath: Sometimes best things are not visible,
be patient O dear.
The light will shine and you will see,
the new version you are about to be…

Violet: Such a blessing to exist.

Mellie: We are all trying to find ourselves, while authentically contributing to the world.

Belén: If we don’t fight for our future soul, no one will.

Molly: It’s a pleasure to learn from others and increase my love of life.

Andrea: To bring the care and presence we live in Salzburg into our daily interactions.

Carla: To ensure that your heart is always a haven for hope, courage and love.

Gustavo: Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d

Julia: Sowing seeds of change with care, in this world we’ll leave a trace.

Sarah: That we can create together, change together, and learn from one another’s stories.

Abigail: We must always push on to be more present, more mindful, more patient and kind. We can never be too kind.

Aliyah: Never get too comfortable, that’s when you are the most vulnerable.

Emma: What a tragedy it is to lose a life worth living.

Heejin: Walk into beauty. Dance with eternity. Respond accordingly to greater mystery with your life.

Anthony: Enjoy the play, engage with the plot; be part of the play, rewrite the plot.

Rika: There is no meaning for life, all things will vanish soon.

Liu: Of the speech freedom and equitable future, I see the future coming my way

Paul: “We are put on earth a little space. That we may learn to bear the beams of love” — William Blake

Bobbie: “That visibility which makes us most vulnerable is that which also is the source of our greatest strength.” — Audre Lorde

Dana: I guess I will continue this confusing life,
Continuously asking myself
What good amid these, O me, O life?

Mai: Cherishing the small joys of daily life and being grateful for everything around us.

Surya: Har Pal Yahan, Jee Bhar Jiyo,
Jo Hai Sama, Kal Ho Naa Ho (google the translation)

Fernando: Life is magic, it’s a roller coaster, sometimes it gives you and sometimes it takes you away. But life is completely worth it.

Polie: Time has been so generous to us. Let’s cherish what we have and be the best version of ourselves!

Yau: Whoever is on the road is a friend, but bosom friends are rare in the world.

Madison: Find pieces of yourself through seeking and nurturing connections with others! ❤

Sanjeev: Breathe.

Manuel: Take a step back and with it take a deep breath. Enjoy every second like it’s the last.

Sonia: It was nice meeting all of you.

Valeriia: The hope, the belief in a better future — that is what holds us together.

Maxim: Some things are not for us to decide,
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.

Daughn: That you are seen, you are heard, and you are brave. Be proud of the life you love and love the life you live.

Jad: Of the wretched rising, of the oppressed revolting, when conscious minds and brave hearts meet

Qim: To create ripples… ripples of hope, love and a better world.

Tobias: Do what you love & love what you do :)

Jackie: Over the past years, countless times of failure happened. But worth to remember that IMpossible.

David: Who deserves to be alive and not in a hearse?
Thank you for your verse, and mine and ours.

Keziah: Embrace whatever time you have left.

Meghan: “As you move through this life and this world, you change things slightly; you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you.” — Anthony Bourdain

Cameron: I want to create communities that inspire inclusion, collaboration, and empowerment.

Stephen: Let me be an instrument.
Where there is doubt, let me bring faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.

Karen: To make a contribution , however small, is better than not to try at all.

Antoine: It always seems impossible until its done.

Martyna: Tomorrow’s legacy starts with us today.

Christina: we are all the actors consumed by the plot.

Jessica and Aiden: At this stage in my life, with a young child, he seems to be the verse I will contribute.

Yiru: Never become, always becoming.

Audrey: To contribute to a positive change in people’s lives around me.

Chris: I gotta be conscious, I gotta be free, I gotta be righteous, I gotta be free, I gotta be able to counter attack, I gotta be stable, I gotta be Black

Emerson: There are many goings home; to get to yours, hold on to your dreaming.

Flora: Amidst nature’s embrace, technology thrives, healing hearts and minds.

Mary: So long as we play with love, life and identity will never separate or cease.

Naomi: Life’s short… get Schlossed.

Roman: I choose to be present because presence is all we have.

Shuting: There is always the possibility of finding hope and light.

Jamie: The beauty of reality is that we are dreaming while we are awake.

Manuel: Take a step back and with it take a deep breath. Enjoy every second like it’s the last.

Sam: Oh you! Cities may go but your fellows will stay. Have faith in them regained.

Madison: Our future is curated by our ability to push boundaries and stay curious!

Lauren: Pieces of gold lay within you, ready to shine in the light.

Nena: Of the world that shimmers, I love everything.

Ann: Life is the greatest show on the Earth.

Winona: Do More Things That Bring Us Real And Honest Joy.

Shreya: That I am as conflicted, as doubtful…as I am resolute, assured and (in)complete in this world.

Juan: Portraying myself fifty years from now, remembering these days as if they’d been yesterday.

Leonard: That here on Earth, God’s work must truly be our own.

Meredith: Life is beautifully chaotic like the childlike spirit that frolics, giggles, and runs around in the gardens.

Pramath: Your life is your perennial search for meaning in your life.

Tessa: El tiempo es como oro, don’t waste valuable time on anything that doesn’t matter to you.

Antonia: Of the people you meet and stories you hear will a new insightful experience appear.

Aya: “Yesterday is but today’s memory, and tomorrow is today’s dream.” ~ Khalil Gibran

Desiree: To Be Extraordinary, To Be Fierce, To Be An Educator, To Be A Scholar, And To Be Me.

Jun: All intellectual improvement arises from leisure.

Regina: Don’t let life go without living it; be present, learn and enjoy from yourself and the others.

Mary Grace: The world’s severity and brutality will never extinguish its beauty.

Nishant: Leave some space in your life for life to happen to you too!

Anunaya Chaubey, Claudia Kozman, Pablo Martinez, Sangita Sresthova, and Amish Desai also imagined inclusive and equitable futures with us.

They join us in solidarity!