Restoring Hope

I thought a lot about what I wanted the takeaway to be from this month’s post on Just Mercy and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. And I kept coming back to this idea of hope.

In doing research for AT&T Believes, our grassroots initiative to lift cities up across the country, I did what comes naturally – I read. I wanted to better understand issues that are burdening American society – poverty, gun violence, criminal injustice…

These two books, with more than a century between them, brought me to the conclusion that the key ingredient for healthy lives – and communities – is hope. And whenever conditions rob people of hope, social problems and injustice are sure to follow.

Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy and a human rights attorney, has said, “We cannot be full, evolved human beings until we care about human rights and basic dignity.” When we truly care about others, what we want for them is opportunity – opportunity that leads to hope.

Caring starts with simple kindness and respect. In that regard, I’m often reminded of something my mom has said to me about my role: “John, I don't know how you keep all that stuff organized in your head. But I hope that you'll find time to be nice to somebody every day."

These books reflect her concern for others – and the importance of promise and hope in their lives. They’re necessary reminders that without hope, without second chances, without respect and opportunity, the odds become stacked against far too many Americans.

It seems to me bigger institutions have fallen down on the job of carrying on the legacy of leaders like Frederick Douglass and other beacons of hope. And so whatever little light AT&T can shine to help restore hope in the community, I’m going to make sure we do it.

As Stevenson reminds us: all of our survival is tied to the survival of everyone.

There are many books on related topics. Two others that impressed me are Amazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol and Gang Leader for a Day by Sudhir Venkatesh.

 I’m interested in your comments. What insights into “human rights and basic dignity” did you gain from these books? What others would you recommend? What are your thoughts on solving our pressing social problems and reviving hope?