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Havilah Giannetta | Writer
Havilah Giannetta | Writer
Havilah Giannetta | Writer
January 18, 1985 - November 10, 2024
Sharing a genuine community with fellow artists is exhilarating and inspiring. The creative energy, encouragement, and relationships make their imprint on both the people and the art created. Magic happens. On the flip side, when a vibrant life from the community is lost, grief is felt deeply.
Sadly, Epiphany Space’s community experienced one of those deep losses this past month with the tragic death of our dear creative sister, Havilah Giannetta.
Havilah became a part of the Epiphany family in 2014 and one of Epiphany Space’s first Artists in Residence in 2017, along with Dr. Lauretta Coumarbatch. During her residency, Havilah wrote the majority of the first draft of her debut memoir, The Reclamation of Havilah. Havilah dreamed of returning to Epiphany Space in Los Angeles, reading excerpts from her published memoir.
Havilah was an incredible woman who was true to herself and loved others deeply. Her vibrant light and passion filled the rooms she entered. Her laugh, her smile, and cheeky humor echo in our minds as we remember her. Havilah was always ready to speak truthful, loving words of encouragement and see the best in us. She knew how to live in community well.
Havilah’s life marked me and my family. Our lives intertwined on so many levels, even after she moved from Los Angeles, there were always updates about her creative pursuits and life adventures. My inbox would greet me with dreams and visions she had of me and Epiphany Space, many of these full of timely insight.
Our deep grief at her loss is a sign of how deeply we were loved and how deeply we loved back. Havilah lived a genuine, authentic life, and her life challenges us to be present in each day, live authentically, and love well. Our lives are forever beautifully marked by Havilah.
Melissa Gibson Smith
Havilah was a soul sister. After she left L.A. and moved to NYC, she and I always met up in my hometown of Manhattan. We'd have brunch, coffee, and dinner, all over the city. We'd go for walks, text, and call each other appraising each other of our collective efforts to improve our lives. She would encourage me, help me see Spirit's imprint on my journey, pray for me, and ask me tough questions. Havilah always challenged me, for as naturally driven as I am, she never stopped expecting miracles for me. Nothing about what I desired shocked her. We held space for each other's grief, reveled in the mystery of the divine, and held each other accountable for co-creating magic.
She left an indelible legacy behind that I am honored to cherish. Havilah was indeed a sister to me. Her loss has already emboldened me to take major risks and be a level of brave that I've never been before. Because life is far too fragile and short to stand on the sidelines, I'll miss you forever, my dear friend and I hope to make you proud of me soon. You were the best of the real ones.
Rice Omary
If you spent any time near Epiphany Space between 2015 and 2017, you knew Havilah. Even if you just crossed paths briefly, her presence was not subtle or demure. And if you made her laugh it was a wonderful, wild cacophony of joy. Havilah is a raging fire of a human being, and everyone who interacted with her got to experience that warmth. Less of a cozy candle flame and more of a bonfire on the beach, contained but powerful. Compelling. Havilah's passion is contagious, it makes you want more out of life.
If you got into a conversation with Havilah, you knew she was writing a book. She has been devoted to crafting her memoirs (original working title: Jersey Mystic) the entire time I've known her. Hearing her stories of spontaneous travel to Australia and the UK with no contacts or place to stay, and the supernatural experiences she's had, it made all of us care about this hefty tome (weighing in at over 1000 pages in the first draft) getting skinny enough to be published and finding its way to the market. She persevered through years, working away at her life story while juggling jobs and moving cross-country, plus two rounds of fundraising. She was committed.
I'm amazed that I got to see Havilah on Zoom the day before she died. I had plans to spend the day writing, and casually invited a few friends to hop online and join me. So I got to have a quick update on her editing progress and her new plans for restructuring her book. Those plans are now in the hands of capable friends who have been helping edit and shape the book all along, but if you'd like to hear a few excerpts, Havilah made these videos on YouTube.
Who is like Havilah Giannetta? She is one of a kind. This is a huge loss, and I don't know if I'll ever fully comprehend it. But I know she is thrilled to be where she is, and one day I hope to hear that wonderful laugh of hers again.
Cortney Matz
I can’t pinpoint the moment I met Havilah. It feels like I just knew her. I probably met her at Epiphany Space, and probably through Cortney. Maybe it was at church. The exact moment escapes me—but life has never been the same.
When I think of Havilah, I’m reminded of late-night work sessions and the unforgettable night we met our friend Charles (ask me about that story sometime—it truly needs to be acted out). I think of long walks in the Hollywood Hills where we’d talk about God, men, writing, and everything in between. There was the time she turned me into her human cue sheet, taping her notes to me so she could read them while I filmed her funding video. I remember her tucked away in the prayer room at Epiphany Space, writing her memoir, always wrapped up because she was perpetually cold. She was one of our very first Artists in Residence at Epiphany Space, a legacy that continues to inspire.
Havilah had a deep, unshakable faith and an incredible ability to act on what she felt called to do. She was definitely one of a kind and I will miss her tremendously.
Becky Murdoch
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Havilah was tragically struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while out for a walk in rural Illinois on Sunday, November 10, 2024.
Born in Atlantic City, NJ, and raised just outside Charlottesville, VA, Havilah graduated from Columbia College in 2007 as a Kluge Scholar, earning her BA in English Literature.
She spent five years in Los Angeles, where she became an integral part of the Epiphany Space community. A devout Christian, Havilah had a deep love for travel and cultivated friendships that spanned the globe.
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Epiphany Space is a global artist community, with hubs in Los Angeles and Columbus, GA. We gather creative professionals to help each other online and in person.
We are a 501c3, Non-profit Organization.