THE JOURNAL OF BAHÁ’Í STUDIES La Revue des études bahá’íes/La Revista de estudios bahá’ís Volume 30, number 3 Fall 2020 A Publication of the Association for Bahá’í Studies–North America THE JOURNAL OF BAHÁ’Í STUDIES LA REVUE DES ÉTUDES BAHÁ’ÍES/LA REVISTA DE ESTUDIOS BAHÁ’ÍS Volume 30 Number 3 Fall 2020 Publications Mail Registration No. 09448 EDITOR Michael Sabet EDITOR EMERITUS John S. Hatcher POETRY EDITOR Peter E. Murphy EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Nilufar Gordon EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Ann Boyles, Roshan Danesh, Nilufar Gordon, Pierre-Yves Mocquais, Bahhaj Taherzadeh French translation: Louise Mailhot and Juliette Goudreau Spanish translation: Amelia Cardeña The Journal of Bahá’í Studies (USPS #013-468) is published by the Association for Bahá’í Studies–North America. The views expressed in this Journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Editorial Board or Executive Committee of the Association for Bahá’í Studies, or authoritative explications of Bahá’í teachings. Periodicals postage paid at Champlain, NY, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Address changes should be sent to IMS of NY, 100 Walnut St. #3, P.O. Box 1518, Champlain, NY, USA 12919-1518. For details call IMS at 1(800) 428-3003. Articles in The Journal of Bahá’í Studies are available on EBSCO Publishing’s aggregated database. This journal is abstracted in Science of Religion Abstracts, Religion Index One: Periodicals, Index Islamicus, and Index to Book Reviews in Religion, and catalogued at American Theological Library Association and the Institut de L’Information Scientifique et Technique. Annual subscription fees (in Canadian funds): Individual subscriptions: Canada $70; United States: $80; International: $90. Institutional subscriptions: $100. Single copies: $20/issue. Details available at bahaistudies.ca/publications/subscription/ Correspondence regarding subscriptions should be addressed to Association for Bahá’í Studies, 34 Copernicus Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7K4 Canada. E-mail: <abs-na [at] bahaistudies.ca>. Tel.: 613-233-1903. Address editorial correspondence to <editor [at] bahaistudies.ca>. Printed in Canada on recycled paper. ISSN 0838–0430 © Association for Bahá’í Studies 2020. All rights reserved. THE JOURNAL OF BAHÁ’Í STUDIES LA REVUE DES ÉTUDES BAHÁ’ÍES/LA REVISTA DE ESTUDIOS BAHÁ’ÍS Volume 30 Number 3 Fall 2020 Contents 3 E C From the Editor’s Desk 9 M K The Constructive Imaginary 25 M L. P Why Constructive Resilience? An Autobiographical Essay 37 E S Views from a Black Artist in the Century of Light 53 D S New Black Power: Constructive Resilience and the Eff orts of African American Bahá’ís 65 L M Africanity, Womanism, and Constructive Resilience: Some Refl ections 77 S D. S When We In/visibilize Our Nobility . 93 C B Community Agency and Islamic Education in Contemporary Zanzibar 105 B W Faith in Action: Refl ections on Constructive Resilience from Nicaragua 115 H H Vision and the Pursuit of Constructive Social Change 123 Biographical Notes Cover M. B W Abhá People (2008, watercolor and ink on paper, 15” x 13” Collection Washington-de Souza Family) 2 The Journal of Bahá’í Studies 30.3 2020 Artwork M. B W (1937-2008) Photos by M H All art images appear courtesy of the Bunch Washington Foundation. Special thanks to the family of Les and Violet Payne for “Sophisticated Lady.” 8 Holding the Greatest Name. Year unknown. Transparent Collage, 10” x 8” 24 The Greatest Name. Year unknown. Transparent Collage, 11” x 8” 36 Curlean. 1998. 1976. Transparent Collage, 12” x 101⁄2” 50 Pearls. 1998.Transparent Collage, 243⁄4”x 42” 52 Two Seas. Year Unknown. Transparent Collage, 16” x 12” 76 Sophisticated Lady. 1978. Transparent Collage, 121⁄2” x 18” 92 Alaina. Transparent Collage, 24” x 36” 103 Eastern Beauty. Year unknown. Transparent Collage, 16” x 111⁄2” 104 Romy and Me. 1989. Transparent Collage, 15” x 111⁄2” 114 Sojourner Truth. 1978. Transparent Collage, 121⁄2” x 18” 3 articles, prepare papers, and con- From the Editor’s sult on contemporary perspectives Desk and related Bahá’í concepts. In our understanding, this encourage- T E C ment of collaborative scholarly endeav- ors does not have a merely functional This issue of the Journal of Bahá’í or pragmatic benefi t. It is rooted in a Studies is the fruit of collaboration particular conception of knowledge, between nine authors, writing on the namely, that an elicitive and refl exive topic of constructive resilience. The mode of engaging with ideas creates development of this issue has been an insights, elucidates questions that are experiment in collaborative process- obscure, and generates understanding. es of scholarship, and it stands as one Indeed, this mode of engagement early milestone in learning about this is integral to the language of Revela- kind of collaboration. Before turning to tion itself in the Bahá’í Faith, where the rich topic of constructive resilience we often see the Voice of the Divine itself, we wish to share with you, the speaking to humanity about how hu- Journal’s readers, some of the broad- manity should communicate back to er context of collaborative work at the the Divine. How many times does Association for Bahá’í Studies in gen- Bahá’u’lláh instruct us to “Say…” eral, and invite those interested in this when speaking to our Creator, before area of learning to consider how they Himself responding in that Voice. If might contribute to it. such an ethic of reciprocity animates In its 24 July 2013 letter to the our eff orts to grapple with questions National Spiritual Assembly of the about the very purpose and truth of our Bahá’ís of Canada on the topic of the existence, how much value it must also Association for Bahá’í Studies, the have as a method of engaging together Universal House of Justice highlight- in our quest to gain knowledge about ed the possibilities for the Association the world around us. to foster a collaborative approach to It has been encouraging to see col- scholarship. It advised that, laboration in this vein burgeon in the past few years throughout the Bahá’í [f]or example, a number of small world. The Association for Bahá’í seminars could be held to assist in- Studies has striven to be a part of these dividuals from certain professions eff orts, designating a Committee for or academic disciplines to exam- Collaborative Initiatives specifi cally ine some aspect of the discourse to help support them. Working groups of their fi eld. Specifi c topics could organized within professional and ac- be selected, and a group of partic- ademic disciplines, as well as reading ipants with experience could share groups and cross-disciplinary seminars 4 The Journal of Bahá’í Studies 30.3 2020 devoted to specifi c topics, have been endeavor, including the work of schol- convened, in which participants are ars, is untouched by the Revelation of learning together. It is exciting to think Bahá’u’lláh, under whose infl uence of what these will yield in the future. humanity’s understandings of the ac- This issue of the Journal of Bahá’í tivity of scholarship will continue to Studies is another step in our journey mature and evolve. As we share these of learning about collective processes refl ections on the context and process of scholarship. Its nine essays are the through which this issue emerged, we product of a collaborative process, invite readers, and those involved in self-organized by the authors, that un- collaborative processes of scholarship, folded over a period of three years. In to refl ect on how we can continue to neither its process nor its substance is it build on these eff orts, and advance an endpoint, but, as stated at the outset, ever more eff ective, inclusive, and im- a milestone, allowing us another op- pactful practices. We welcome you to portunity to see what is being learned, send us your thoughts, including ideas and where the paths may lead next. for collaborative initiatives, at editor@ This issue also builds on recent ef- bahaistudies.ca. forts in the Journal to publish entire issues on single topics or themes, often dealing with questions of social change Another area of learning that deserves or racial justice. Examples include particular attention pertains to the Volume 26, No. 3, centering on Indige- styles of writing found in this issue. nous experiences, and Volume 29, No. Each essay in this collection is shorter 1–2, on “the most challenging issue.” than the typical Journal article, allow- Those special issues also represented ing a greater number of voices to con- eff orts to advance a more collaborative tribute. Together, the essays present a process in a range of ways, while ad- stylistic continuum, from traditionally dressing some of the challenges seen academic to personal and introspective. in contemporary scholarship. For ex- At its core, scholarship is a matter of ample, Volume 26.3, with the guidance generating and disseminating knowl- of an Indigenous guest editor, sought to edge. Scholars who seek to share the uphold a standard of cultural humility knowledge generated by refl ection on and emphasize voices and experiences their own life experience must neces- from which much must be learnt. It is sarily speak in a diff erent voice from our hope to continue that learning, in- those studying phenomena outside cluding by building on the insight that themselves, if they are to do justice to has come through the development of their story. The Journal has previously the current issue. welcomed submissions that sit at vari- Scholars’ methodologies for gen- ous places on this continuum as appro- erating insight and understanding are priate given their subject matter, and we dynamic and fl uid.