“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.
Svetlana Banks
I was born with a genetic disorder, spinal muscular atrophy. I was able to walk independently until about the age of seven, and by my teenage years, I was already using a wheelchair. I had a lot of time to watch, wait, and think. Read more>>
Evon Felix
I have to say that based on my family history, I should not have the amount of empathy that I do. My family, especially on my mom’s side had a history of men that were abusive towards their spouses or girlfriends. So all of the women including me had to be fiercely independent and have top level resilience in the face of any types of struggles or challenges. Read more>>
Sofia SkyDancer
My upbringing helped me to develop empathy for clients seeking to explore and find acceptance with their sexual selves. I attended a strict all-girls convent school in the countryside of England. Although this grammar school offered a supportive learning environment, there was a great deal of anti-sexual conditioning. Read more>>
Natalie Wren
My name is Natalie Irene Wren, and I own and operate a music and arts school in Bakersfield California. When I was young, I wasn’t very empathetic. Infact, I was quite the terror. I was semi-well off. My father was active in my life, teaching me how to play music. He had a successful career as a repairman, and we lived in an antique converted home. Read more>>
Eric Goodman
I had a lifesaving operation at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital when he was 15 years old. I was in ICU for weeks, the hospital for months, and a full-body cast for nine months. I had to have therapy to learn how to walk again. Read more>>
Sonia Dominguez
Empathy holds a special place in my life and my identity. Unfortunately, as human beings we are not born with the innate ability to empathize, especially in situations where that can be extremely difficult. What now is a great part of my identity and theme for how I live my life did not always come easy to me. Read more>>
Zulay Romero
Choosing a topic turned out to be quite a challenge. I have much to share about resilience, burnout, feeling like the only one in the room, and more. However, I genuinely believe that my lived experiences all come together in shaping how I empathize with my clients, my family, and my loved ones. Read more>>
Peter Xifaras
Looking back at my childhood, my parents instilled a sense of empathy towards others early on. However, as with many children at a young age, it’s hard to grasp empathy based on the limited life experience of a child. Read more>>
Classye James
My journey toward developing empathy has been profoundly shaped by the trials and tribulations I’ve faced in my personal life. Through experiences of trauma, grief, and success, I’ve cultivated a profound understanding of the complexities that define the human experience. Read more>>
JEFF K%NZ
I believe my father taught me empathy at a very young age. He would always make a point show me empathy when I was going through something. He took the time out for empathy, he made room for it. My father has always been a very helpful, and reliable person. Read more>>
Eileen Wurst
From a young age, I discovered my ability to connect with and understand the pain of others, whether they were people, plants, or animals. My studies and work were eventually centered around navigating both the traditional mainstream and non-traditional alternative healing worlds. Read more>>
Yasmin Bratcher
“My husband often remarks that he can articulate this better than I can. I recall the early days of our relationship when I would strike up conversations with individuals holding cardboard signs or those sleeping on park benches, eager to offer assistance to anyone in need. Read more>>
Kenneth Schweiger
My decision to work professionally as an oil painter came later in life. It was not always something I had planned to do, or even felt qualified to become. It was the kindness and generosity of the teaching staff at the Minneapolis Atelier that created the right environment. Read more>>
Seiren
In 2017 I graduated with a Health Sciences Associate and an EMT-B card in Rochester Ny. My intention was always to go into nursing as a profession but EMS was a great way to get hands on experience, sharpen your assessment skills, and learn autonomy. Read more>>
Paula Rhodes
I was so very torn when it came to picking which panel discussion question to choose, as two for me are so entwined. This one, and the one involving how I found my “purpose.” The journey of finding purpose I think is continual and ever-evolving, but one of my loudest ones now is to grow empathy in others, to weaponize it if I could, as that would solve so many of this world’s problems. Read more>>
