When my family visited the nation of Cameroon last year, it was a linguistically challenging trip. Cameroon’s main colonial language was French. Out of the six of us, I was the only one who’d ever studied French—and that was thirty … Continue reading The Sound of Many Languages
We see ourselves and others with a tarnished view, not an accurate, clear, clean reflection, but one tarnished by our own sin and pain as well as the other person’s. Continue reading See Through the Tarnish: Sparkle, Shine, & Glow
What if empathy were not only an interpersonal skill but a collective responsibility? When something bad happens, we wish that others could see things from our perspective. If only they knew what we know, if only they had gone through … Continue reading Collective Empathy
This is a story about the first time I realized there was something wrong with the world. But at six years old, I didn’t blame the world. I blamed me. It never stood a chance… at least not in that … Continue reading “It’s All In Your Head”
In our divided world where everyone seems to be self-protecting, drawing up sides, canceling out their dissent, and boosting egos or right-ness, creating sincere, safe spaces for hard conversations is a missing practice in our communities. These kinds of conversations, … Continue reading Brave Leadership: Bridging Divides & Building Peace
“…I will learn to deeply care. I will allow myself to feel your pain, to come close enough to be trusted to help you carry the unreasonable burdens that have been placed on you…” Continue reading Empathy is Required for Godliness
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines empathy in plain language. The word empathy is a noun. It means “the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another.” Let me bring this … Continue reading “50 Shades of Black (an Empathic Journey)”
As the media is constantly bombarding viewers with the growing debate around the subjects of colorblind and critical race theory, I often think about my childhood and what my parents taught us about racism and how to deal with it. … Continue reading A Season of Recognition and Reconciliation
I was sitting in a writing workshop with a group of writers, and our assignment was to make a family tree. We could employ some creative license in making our trees. I set out putting together my creation, complete with … Continue reading When Your Roots Are Severed
Three-Fifths 