Having come so close to losing my life in the split second it takes to pull a trigger, I’ve learned firsthand that our most precious gift, our most irreplaceable asset, is life itself. This experience—along with my upbringing and my faith—has fueled my life’s work: preventing and disrupting hate and violence through empathy, forgiveness, understanding, and acceptance. Hate is a disease, one that spreads if left unchecked. But together, we have the power to eradicate it by embracing love for ourselves and one another, by seeing each other first and foremost as human beings.

In that moment, trying to save my attacker’s life was an act rooted in the belief that each of us has the power to change—both ourselves and the world around us. It is this hope that drives my vision for a world without hate and violence and their devastating consequences. As I’ve traveled and connected with communities of all backgrounds and ideologies, I’ve seen that the path to a safer, more peaceful, and more just world lies in our collective rejection of intolerance, hate, and violence.

By reaching beyond these barriers, we can build a world founded on mutual respect, dignity, empathy, and understanding. It won’t be easy, but together, we can realize this vision and create a future where every individual’s life is protected, valued, and celebrated.