“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus for creating change.” – Max Carver
We think Max Carver got it right and that if we truly care about community building and making positive changes in the world, we have to invest in learning about how to become even more empathic as empathy is at the heart of true understanding. We asked some deeply empathic leaders to share their perspectives below.
Latoya Williams
Life Challenges I have faced throughout the years allowed me to develop empathy for others. I have been molested, beaten, homeless, cheated on, lost a child, beat cancer, struggled with anxiety and depression. And through those challenges and life events I never felt heard. I just knew I never wanted anyone else to feel unheard. Read more>>
Ron Smith
Being raised in rural North Louisiana, there are many things that influenced my drive. My dad and mom were my greatest examples of resiliency. Without formal education beyond high school, and middle school respectively, I saw them work hard to keep myself and my 7 siblings on a path to be prepared for adulthood. They were among the many families in the small village of Belcher that were always very giving of their time… Read more>>
Jeanette Woods
Empathy is huge in my work. As a user experience design professional, I have been able to learn how to cultivate empathy for the people I create products for. Also, in my professional and personal experience, I have overcome quite a bit of adversity, which has led me to better empathize with others. Read more>>
Heather C. Orr
I’ve had a series of heartbreaking losses since I was a child. I also experienced some near-death situations that gave me the gift of appreciating the small things in life. I’ve watched many people I cared about suffer from addiction, take their own lives, or pass away too soon. I’ve helped many of my beloved pets cross the rainbow bridge. Read more>>
Chris Limeres
It all really came to fruition with how I was healing from the past through therapy and creating a protective layer around myself in order to heal my inner child. It’s still an ongoing process, as our minds are so fragile when it comes to the stimuli we take in, whether it’s through the media we consume or family situations. As a creative in any avenue of business, I need to be more emotionally connected than before. Read more>>
Tessa Bell
First of all, we need to understand that empathy is actually a neurological pathway that is developed between your self and other. That self is in quotes. And that pathway is originally developed very early in life when we are first coming to understand that we are separate from our mother. If during that separation process, there is a lot of spiritual soul projecting love on the part of the primary caregiver to the child as the child develops the Ed they understand that they are lovable and they naturally love and return. Read more>>
