Over the last month, I have shared stories from ten years of work.
- Stories of neighbors meeting one another.
- Stories of young people learning to build relationships across differences.
- Stories of growing partnerships and civic renewal efforts.
- Stories of people choosing hope over despair.
As we conclude this campaign, I want to return to a simple question:
What kind of society do we deserve?
I believe we deserve a society where people can disagree without dehumanizing one another.
- A society where differences are not treated as threats.
- A society where neighbors know one another.
- A society where people feel that they belong.
- A society where our children learn how to work with people who are different from themselves.
- A society where trust is stronger than fear.
- A society where we recognize that our futures are bound together.
The truth is that none of those things happen automatically.
Every generation inherits a social contract from those who came before.
And every generation must decide whether it will strengthen that contract or allow it to weaken.
Our generation faces that decision now.
- Many people are tempted by despair.
- Many have concluded that division is permanent.
- Many have lost faith that Americans can find a way forward together.
I understand those feelings.
I have felt them myself.
But after ten years of this work, I remain hopeful.
Not because the challenges are small.
Not because progress is guaranteed.
But because I have seen what happens when people meet one another.
- I have seen strangers become partners.
- I have seen fear give way to understanding.
- I have seen communities discover strengths they did not know they possessed.
- I have seen people choose courage when fear would have been easier.
Again and again, I have witnessed something powerful:
Human beings still want connection.
They still want belonging.
They still want to contribute to something larger than themselves.
That desire is one of the greatest resources we have.
In fact, the pain we experience in this moment is precisely because we want a world where everyone belongs and everyone can thrive.
At Paths to Understanding, we are committed to creating the conditions where that desire can flourish.
- We are helping neighbors meet neighbors.
- We are helping young people learn the skills of cooperation and belonging.
- We are amplifying stories of wisdom and hope.
- We are strengthening networks of civic renewal leaders.
- We are helping build the relationships that healthy communities require.
And we cannot do it without you.
If you have already supported this campaign, thank you.
If you have been considering a gift, I invite you to make one today.
Every contribution helps create opportunities for connection, trust, and belonging. Every gift helps us continue building the society we deserve.
Thank you for believing that another future is possible. And thank you for helping make it real.
Lastly, I am nearly done with a manuscript called, The Society We Deserve: Rebuilding Trust, Belonging, and Our Life Together. We hope to have it published by September.
With gratitude,
Rev. Terry Kyllo
Executive Director
Paths to Understanding