Seattle CVI Professor Reflects on Community in Clemente

CVI student Salvador Hernandez

For Veterans Day, Johnny Horton, a professor in Seattle's Clemente Veterans Initiative (CVI) at Antioch University Seattle, wrote a powerful piece in Crosscut about teaching literature in the Clemente classroom.

Profiling several of the veterans in his classes, including George Williams, Johnny makes it clear that the experience of CVI goes far beyond the texts. t becomes a place of bonding and healing.

At their best, the humanities create a community where members can share their experiences honestly without the fear of being judged. The second syllable of the word “community” descends from the Latin munitio, meaning fortification. It’s related to ammunition. Ultimately, I think the humanities build a community that fortifies against the dangers of isolation. The humanities reinforce our communal nature through communication. In this way, it feels religious, like communion.

--Johnny Horton in Crosscut

You can read the full article, along with viewing photos of some of the veterans in CVI, here.