the wall of inspiration

A few stories of people who engaged “the enemy” with compassion and creativity, and then witnessed transformative outcomes.

Megan phelps-roper and david abitbol

In her viral TED Talk, Megan Phelps-Roper — once a staunch member of the anti-Semitic and homophobic Westboro Baptist Church — tells the amazing story of how a civil dialogue that began on twitter led her to renounce her church and build a new life.

daryl davis and the KKK

“How can they hate me if they don’t know me?” That’s the driving question behind black musician Daryl Davis’ surprising hobby: he befriends members of the Ku Klux Klan. More surprising: his KKK friends often become former KKK members, turning over their hoods and robes to Daryl, which he adds to his growing collection.

tiffany whittier and michael kent

Michael Kent, a convicted felon, was also a committed neo-Nazi until he met his case officer, Tiffany Whittier. The pair formed an unlikely but close friendship, one that eventually led Michael to leave the neo-Nazi movement. In Michael’s words: “She loved the hate right out of me.”

Derek Black & Friends

Derek Black was, quite literally, born to be a white nationalist. His father created what was at the time the first and largest white nationalist website. His godfather was the infamous KKK Grand Wizard, David Duke. Derek, too, was a firm believer, until a small group of college friends decided to engage him.