Like many of you, all of us at Alabama Chanin are deeply angry and gut-wrenchingly grieved about the unrest in our nation and the racism towards our brothers and sisters. However, this time is not about us; this is a time to dig in and learn to do better. We’ve worked for almost 20 years to lead by example with open-hearted curiosity and compassion. This is a time for both.

For today, we take a knee with all of those across the globe who are protesting for a better world. And as we kneel, we search for inspirational women and men to help us find a voice and forge a path forward towards beauty and justice. Look for more on our inspirations, heroines, and heroes in the coming days.

In the words of Bryan Stevenson, “There is a strength, a power even, in understanding brokenness, because embracing our brokenness creates a need and desire for mercy, and perhaps a corresponding need to show mercy. When you experience mercy, you learn things that are hard to learn otherwise. You see things you can’t otherwise see; you hear things you can’t otherwise hear. You begin to recognize the humanity that resides in each of us.”