Cleaning Out Your Kitchen: Clean, Safe Kitchenware

It's been so fun to be able to share these past few weeks about Jase and I's process of renovating and filling our home. While this process has been much longer than expected, it really began, not when we decided to renovate our home, but when I made the switch to Clean Living. When I think of how much we've changed over time, from products we use in our home, to practices and more, we really have been on this journey for a while! If I've learned anything it's that Clean Living isn't just a one time switch, it's really a lifestyle you adopt and constantly adapt to.As we've renovated our home, we've been so fortunate to use materials that are toxic-free and to fill it with clean, modern products and brands that we've come to love. This has inspired the current series we're in on the blog that we're calling Making a Home. For the past few weeks, I've been able to share with you just a few of these products and brands, and in the next couple weeks, I'll continue to share with you more about specific areas of our home, as well as a few before and afters of our renovation!I also love that I've been able to share with you so many things that I'm constantly getting questions about whether here on the blog or over social media – from clean mattresses that I love, to everyday clean products that I use in my own home. One of the other topics that I am always getting questions about is our kitchen! And of course, the kitchen is such an important topic in all our homes. It's where we prepare our meals, share time with family, and partake in practices and routines that bring us so much joy. I'm excited to share with you this week a  few clean products and brands that I love to use every day in my own kitchen, and really have become a staple in our own home.I love these pots and pans from Food52. They are absolutely the best when it comes to using nonstick, cookware that doesn't contain any added chemicals or toxins that cook into the food we eat or the air we breathe. They're actually made from sand with diamond-infused ceramic coating, and they promise to never peel or tear like other traditional nonstick pans – which is such a win-win!No kitchen is truly set without a cast-iron skillet, and I love this one! It's right on Amazon and super affordable when compared to other brands and competitors. I use mine for a variety of different recipes and dishes in my home and it's simply the best.I just love this kitchenware set that is made from natural wood. The spoons and spatulas not only work perfectly when cooking or serving up different dishes, but they're cute enough to leave on your kitchen counter or to use when hosting. They're handmade, along with a variety of other cute items from this brand that you can use in and throughout your kitchen!Rikumo is a brand that I've come to love for their kitchenware especially with a few items from them that I use in my kitchen on a regular basis! Again, I love a good cast iron, and while their cast iron pan is a just little more expensive than the skillet I listed above, it's definitely worth the investment. Other items from them that are on-hand in my kitchen is their copper graiter as well as their stainless steel kitchen tool set – All of which work just as great as they look!This is something I use absolutely every day in my kitchen, my Vitamix blender! It can seem like a bit of an investment for a blender, but when it's something you use every day, it's worth having an item that's durable and gets the job done! Seriously the best and available amazon – Need I say more?Lastly – I love having these towels on hand, especially because it cuts down on our paper waste. They're a great neutral color that works well in my kitchen, but they also have a few other color varieties to choose from!I hope you're enjoying following along with our Making A Home process and learning more about all the clean, safe steps we've taken along the way! If you're interested in learning more or making the switch to Clean Living, take a look The Clean Sweep, my 90-day program where I walk through practices, products, and food that create a clean lifestyle. And for more on specific clean products I'm loving right now, follow along at The Clean Stuff Instagram. x

Thinking Bigger: New Rhythms and Routines

What an interesting time it has been! I know we have touched so much on this on the blog, but it’s so true. This time has been unlike any other. I recently launched a new series on the blog called Thinking Bigger, and this week I wanted to touch on the idea of new routines and rhythms. I think one of the reasons we keep talking about this time is because it has caused us to pause – We’ve paused from our everyday life, from our routines, our appointments, our errands, our offices, classes, and schedules. And that pause has caused us to think. And we’ve been thinking a lot! Although some of that thinking can cause fear, much of it has been an assessment of what we used to do every day in comparison to what we’re doing now. Things I used to view as such a chore have now become cherished routines. Activities I used to never have time for are now new staples in my schedule – like planning evening meals and eating dinner with Jase, planting a garden, reading a book, or taking joy and excitement in grocery shopping at the local farm. With all this new that has come about in this season, and in light of many of us on the brink of communities opening up again, I’ve caught myself almost sad that “a return to normalcy” would mean potentially losing those routines and rhythms I’ve come to love so much in this time. What will life look like when we are able to be busy again? When those appointments, and errands, and classes, and work will fill our schedules once more?I think rather than being sad, it’s okay to ask this question, and I think it can be a positive in return. We’ve been talking about this time so much on the blog because I think we’re excited about the opportunity that all this pause has given us to become better. Better at being more present at home, better at implementing routines that are healthy and creating healthy environments, better at being intentional about our activities, thoughts, and how we fill our time. I don't know about you, but I don’t want to leave my new cherished routines behind when all this is over. I want to use whatever I have left of this pause to continue to practice them, and instill them in the rhythms of my every day so that, when I have the opportunity to fill my schedule a bit more, I will still make time for those things I came to appreciate so greatly when my schedule was less full. What new routines and rhythms have you begun or been practicing in this season that have made you better? What rhythms can you start now that you can carry with you when this time is over? My hope for you all is that you have found practices and activities that you have come to cherish during this time, those that have made you feel whole and healthy. And for those of you who haven’t yet, I hope that you take whatever time we have left in this pause to find what fills you up in that way – So that all of us can leave this time feeling and being better than when we went in. x

Self-Care Tip: Bath Must-Haves

While there are many things about this season that have been challenging and difficult to process, I’ve been taking extra time to be grateful for the things I do have, and find light in the little activities that bring joy, rest, and make me feel whole. I think now more than ever, it’s important to find ways to take care of yourself, and to allow yourself to find peace. One of my favorite ways to practice extra self-care is by taking a bath! Here are a few Self-Care Tips and my Bath Must-Haves that have quickly become a part of my everyday routine: I often talk about this brand because I absolutely love their products! These bath soaks are made with many great (and of course, clean) ingredients including essential oils that add such a calming and soothing aspect to my bath routine! (I’ve stocked up on their bath line and love to rotate through them as a part of my bath routine).Any time I take a bath, I’ll use this beforehand! Dry brushing has so many great benefits, but before baths, especially, it’s a great way to practice self-care by activating your body’s release of toxins before you soak. These bath salts are simply the best! I love this brand because the ingredients are pure and raw, and they also assist in fighting off toxic build up in the body while hydrating and nourishing my skin - a self-care must! This scrub is an item that takes my time for self-care to the next level. It’s made with brown sugar and hydrating sweet almond oil that not only smells amazing but also leaves my skin feeling so moisturized afterwards! This sponge I’ve talked about a few times before because I simply love it! Not only is it a bath must-have staple for me, but the amount of body wash it’s helped me save has been amazing. It has quickly become a self-care item I cannot do without.I’ll use this particular bath soak on nights when I’m extra tired and need help getting rest. It’s also a great aid to your body when you feel you might be getting sick or are already under the weather! When I’m feeling stressed and want to relax, I make sure to use these bath salts that help calm my mind and soothe my muscles! I love the way it smells and knowing that it’s helping my body while I cut out time for self-care is such a bonus. However you’re feeling in this season, I hope you find time to do something that adds extra care and relaxation into your routine! x[show_shopthepost_widget id="4014588"]

Pretty Images That Inspire Us Creatively

Whenever we stumble across beautiful images on blogs or Pinterest, it’s hard not to feel a sudden wave of inspiration flood over us. Does that happen to you? We love browsing our favorite blogs, Pinterest and Instagram to see pretty images that inspire us creatively. A few of our favorite sites include Darling Mag, Glitter Guide, Because I'm Addicted, Brunch on Chestnut, The Everygirl, Sincerely Jules and so many more.  Not only are gorgeous images inspiring, but they are also mood boosting and mind-opening. I often find myself wanting to write, cook, rearrange my apartment, or just sit back and dream after seeing images that inspire me. The below images are images that inspire us, from interiors, to fresh blooms, to crashing waves on the shore. Enjoy and we hope that they inspire you, too. Also, happy friday and here's to a wonderful, relaxing, and fun weekend.

images: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

blue print furniture just got better.

Fall is already good enough, but I have news to make it even better. The lovely gem of a furniture store called Blue Print in Dallas now has some of their best sellers and antique pieces viewable online. I am giddy over it + major advantage: I can browse from Cali. The place is my all time spot for interior inspiration. Take a look and let me know what you think!Scroll below for a few of my favorites!!I can't get enough of these bubble chandeliers.This stunning dining table provides the perfect neutral palette to build on.This cabinet makes a great first impression in an entry way, and it makes a TV look prettier. It can be used in so many spaces!A beautiful way to add color into your home. Save

Finding Promise in a Pot of Gold

Keep Your Promises. Today is St. Patrick’s Day and on a day like today, the symbols of rainbows, pots of gold, shamrocks, and leprechauns sprinkle the air as the sensation of luck feels all the more closer to us. We have grown up with the excitement of finding a pot of gold under this lucky rainbow. Today, retail deals continue to play on this special symbol of luck and promise, “Get 20% off with your purchase,” “It’s your lucky day with this deal!” But, for most of us, even after this distinguished day, our search for our own pot of gold under the rainbow does not cease. After this day where we celebrate luck and good fortune, we still continue to vehemently pursue our own luck and our own promise. But, where will our quest for promise lead us? Where do our desires drive us in our pursuit of luck and good fortune? What promise will we find at the end of our pot of gold?We have been told growing up, “Always keep your promises.” The value of this ideal has been instilled in us since childhood because the action of keeping a promise shows a dedication to commitment. When we follow through with our promises, we are seen as trustworthy; we prove that we can be relied upon, that our word has value. But, in the same way that we have learned the value of keeping our promises, in gaining someone’s trust, we have also learned of its value through our own mistakes. We may never see the value of trustworthiness until we have understood the devastation of disappointing someone. Have you ever broken your promise to someone? Have you ever gone back on your word? Even further, have you ever been caught in the action of breaking your promise or going back on your word? Alternatively, have you ever promised something that is beyond your control? “I promise you, it is all going to work out,” “That will never happen to you,” “You won’t lose your job,” “He’ll realize that he’s really missing out and that he made a huge mistake.” The truth is, we mutter unspoken promises all the time. But, when we mutter these promises, how dedicated are we to seeing them through? Once we realize the power in our words and the value in keeping to our word, committing to our promises, we may begin to question how flippantly we hand out promises. In fact, we should begin to question how flippantly we hand out promises. We may not be able to fix someone’s work situation and secure the future of their career. We may not be able to get our best-friend’s ex to realize what they are is missing out on, or what a monumental mistake they have made. We may not be able to assure that everything actually will be okay. We definitely cannot predict nor control the future. But, the fact is, that is not our job. It is not our job to predict the future, to assure someone else’s happiness, to control other people’s circumstances, even if we think it is in their best interest. Our best, noblest, and purest intentions do not allow for the obsession we have in having control.So, what happens when we let go of control? What happens when we begin to deeply examine the weight of our promises? How will the intentional choice of and commitment to our promises affect our relationships? First, we may begin to notice that our promises, themselves, do not seem as important as the context and circumstances surrounding what we are promising to someone. It may be easier, or seem appropriate in the moment, to treat our promises like a dose of medication that rights all the wrongs in the world. Our promises become, instead, an easy solution, a right answer. But, what if we begin to dig deeper into the dirt and muck that warrant a right answer, a solution, or a promise. What if, instead of committing to making a promise, we commit to our relationships? What if we stay with a friend who has just lost their job? What if we cry with our friend who is brokenhearted from a broken relationship? What if we question with our friend if everything really will be okay? Instead of promising that everything will work out, what if we accept that we do not know if it will even work out? Once we let go of control, our eyes are opened to the people instead of the promises that lie before us. When we let go of control, we become free to support the people we are seeking to fulfill promises to. When our need for control is diminished, we begin to see more, to feel deeper, and to love better. Maybe then, we begin to choose our promises more wisely. Maybe then, we begin to become people that adhere to their words. Maybe then, we allow ourselves to feel what our friends are feeling and to be present with them instead of actively searching for a fulfilling promise, a dose of luck, at the bottom of a seemingly endless pot of gold.So, try your luck today. Maybe instead of searching for gold in whatever pot of gold you have, you search for gold in the relationships that surround you. There will be times that we go back on our word, that we leave our promises unfulfilled. But, when we begin to see the promise in someone else instead of another thing, another ambition, another attainment, or another pursuit, we may see that those promises begin to fulfill themselves through our commitment to our relationships. So, today, instead of seeking a pot of gold, you may ask yourself who, instead, is holding your pot of gold.

A Woman's World

Today is International Women’s Day. It is a day where we can celebrate the worldwide achievement of women, but also a day where we can challenge ourselves to “be aware [that] progress has slowed in many places across the world, so urgent action is needed to accelerate gender parity.” This year’s theme is centers on the pledge for parity. The Oxford English Dictionary defines parity as “equality or equivalence, especially as regards status, pay, or value.” Honoring this interpretation of parity, International Women’s Day 2016 seeks to illuminate the progress by which women in this global community continue to progressively contribute to societal, political, economic, cultural, and individual achievement. However, despite much to celebrate, International Women’s Day also seeks to convict people across the world that there is much yet to achieve. A study conducted by the World Economic Forum “predicted in 2014 that it would take until 2095 to achieve global gender parity. Then one year later in 2015, they estimated that a slowdown in the already glacial pace of progress meant the gender gap wouldn't close entirely until 2133.” However, by pledging for parity, “[e]veryone - men and women - can pledge to take a concrete step to help achieve gender parity more quickly - whether to help women and girls achieve their ambitions, call for gender-balanced leadership, respect and value difference, develop more inclusive and flexible cultures or root out workplace bias.” As a woman, I find it easy to align myself with the mission and ambitions of this day. But, this day, as it stands as pillar for worldwide transformation and the achievement of gender equity, is not only relevant for women. Each of us, men and women, can relate to the goals of a global women’s rights movement. Why? Because we are all human. Each of us, at some point in our lives, has realized the weight and value of our inherent rights. We have had instances and moments that have defined the significance of these rights- instances where we have experienced these rights to have been threatened, to have become partially lost, or wholly erased; moments where we have dedicated our lives to fighting for and achieving these rights for ourselves and for those like us. Therefore, since we have all experienced the importance of these inherent human rights, the ambitions of International Women’s Day should be no less vital for the flourishment of our global community. In joining together to achieve gender equity, we may come to realize that each of us possess a unique voice, each of our hearts are burdened by a specific issue or cause, and each of our souls are ignited by a distinct purpose. See, the beauty of our collective global community is that we can use each of our individualities to affect world-change. When we come together to advance the cause and ambitions of a certain group of people, we give strength to that cause in order to catapult it to fruition. For these reasons, we join together to acknowledge the purpose, celebrate the achievements, and advance the ambitions of International Women’s Day. With this year’s theme, pledge for parity, you can apply your individual passions, strengths, and talents towards achieving gender equity by focusing on one of five vital advancements: help women and girls achieve their ambitions, challenge conscious and unconscious bias, call for gender-balanced leadership, value women and men’s contributions equally, and create inclusive, flexible cultures. From my experiences abroad, to my passion in the study of my major, to the enriching friendships that have influenced my life, I was led to pledge to help women and girls achieve their ambitions. For me, this pledge reflects the personal ambitions, longings, and influences that have been placed on my heart. By committing to my pledge, I was humbled by the experiences that have allowed my path to cross with the paths of women and girls in Mexico, Honduras, South Africa, and Uganda. I was enlightened of the various conversations that I have had with these women and girls in developing countries around the world and the way in which they trusted me with their stories. I was reminded of how their individual accounts of bravery, perseverance and achievement, however great or small, has inspired me to use my voice to support their dreams, passions, and talents. But, by committing to my pledge, I was also reminded of all the ways that women in my life have inspired the pursuit of my own dreams, challenged my ability to push past individually or socially constructed parameters, and contribute my unique personhood to the world’s achievements. One of these women is my best friend, Nimah, who is currently on a Fulbright Scholarship, teaching English and implementing artistic practices to students in Kolkata, India. Over the past eight months, I have been encouraged and inspired to watch her gentleness, kindness, empathy, compassion, and selflessness in shaping the dreams and ambitions of her group of students. I have been amazed to see how she has been challenged, how she has triumphed, and how she has grown in sharing her life, light, and heart with her students. On this day, along with many others, I celebrate the incredible women like Nimah who are enlightening the world around them. In turn, I am inspired to use whatever passions, strengths, talents, and ideas that I have to uniquely and positively influence the world around me. To me, that is the beauty that is threaded throughout the goals and ambitions of this day- that, together, our strengths and dreams can inspire one another to change the world. So, today, celebrate what makes you unique by offering that uniqueness, that strength, and that undeniable spirit to enable the voices of women and girls around the world. Today, be reminded that your voices are powerful, that your dreams carry undeniable weight, and that your passions burn effervescently with a flame that cannot be quenched so that you can pass on your torch to those around the world whose light may be dimmed. Today, use your own experiences, fearlessly define your own dreams, and unapologetically exceed any limitations crafted by yourself or by others so that you may inspire women and girls around the world to do the same. Today, celebrate a woman's world. 

“We must tell girls their voices are important.”- Malala Yousafzai

You Matter

Just last week, I took a spontaneous trip to Trader Joe’s after a long day at work. I decided that some fresh blooms and a good bottle of rosé would remedy the evening. As I approached the register, the clerk looked at me smirked. “Have any hot plans tonight?” he queried. With a genuine and all-too-familiar laugh, I admitted that those goodies were all for me. “Treat yo self,” he assured me. His response was as quick and intuitive as a coach’s reassuring pep talk to one of his players- “You’ll get ‘em next time, sport.” For some context, “Treat yo self” was a catchphrase first made famous by the television show Parks and Recreation in 2011, when Tom Haverford, portrayed by Aziz Ansari, and Donna Meagle, portrayed by Retta, celebrate their annual “Treat Yo Self” Day by splurging on clothes, messages, and any other of life’s pleasures. Since then, the phrase has gone viral. But, amid the humor and the playfulness that the phrase implies, there rings a bit of sincerity to it. When do we actually treat ourselves? Do we focus on ourselves, on our own growth? Or, do we shy away from it, convincing ourselves that prioritizing our own growth is in some way selfish? Can we allow ourselves to prioritize what fills our souls and grows our character? In one of my favorite passages from the novel, Eat, Pray, Love, Liz seeks to answer this question, saying,

“I did not know yet what I deserved. I still maybe don’t fully know what I deserve. But I do know that I have collected myself of late- through the enjoyment of harmless pleasures- into somebody much more intact. The easiest, most fundamentally human way to say it is that I have put on weight. I exist more now than I did four months ago. I will leave [this place, experience, season, etc.] noticeably bigger than when I arrived here. And I will leave with the hope that the expansion of one person- the magnification of one life- is indeed an act of worth in this world. Even if that life, just this one time, happens to be nobody’s but my own.”

This month, we have explored topics of exploring our happiness, practicing devotion, and finding a necessary balance between the two. Using the novel Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, we have examined the depths of our souls, the longings of our hearts, and the directions of our dreams. We have found that we can become empowered to pursue our dreams, to secure our happiness, and to allow our faith and devotion to carve deeper crevices of meaning in our lives. But, we must always remember that the belief in our worth is the nourishment by which the roots of change and transformation can spread forth into our lives. We can chase after our dreams until our hearts grow weary, we can endlessly pursue what we believe will make us happy, and we can expend our energy to our devotion or faith. But, all these endeavors will not lead us to find the peace and joy of our hearts unless we are prompted by confidently believing in our worth.This lesson of self-discovery is paralleled even in the way that I came to read this gripping tale of another woman’s quest to find herself. I acquired my copy of Elizabeth Gilbert’s famous novel from a second-hand bookstore. I love my copy of her novel because it has been worn, torn, and loved by a complete stranger before it was even placed into my hands. With each page turned, each convicting phrase and transparent story underlined, I got a sense of the story of the book’s previous owner. Stumbling upon this unique copy also came at a crucial point in my life. I had just returned home from a study-abroad trip in Cape Town, South Africa- a beautiful place I had learned to call my home for five months. It seemed, then, that not only was a captivating and life-altering story about to unfold before me, but also the way in which this tale affected the previous book-owner. It was the collision of these multiple worlds, the experience of the author, of the previous book-owner, and of my own ventures abroad that would significantly affect the way I would perceive the world. You see, we all have a story to tell. Better yet, the worth of each of our stories is insurmountable. The wears and tears on each of our pages, the highlighted portions, the important events, the memorable quotes, the tearjerkers, the relatable characters, the cameo appearances, and the inspirational revelations are all things that make each of our stories unique. Our individual plotlines are unlike anything experienced before. Those things altogether make each of our stories invaluable. We must only, then, begin to learn how to tell them.In telling your story and driving your plotline, treat yourself to an incredible, adventurous, and incandescently beautiful life. Chase after your dreams, pursue what makes you happy, grow in your faith, find and grow secure in your contentment, and do all these things based off the belief of you worth. Live your life in such a radiant way, even if sometimes it is for no other person than yourself. Breathe life into your unique story. Believe that you matter. And, go boldly in the direction that your life is leading you. Treat yourself to the enjoyment of your unique and vibrant life.

I Believe in the Power of Us

Throughout her novel Eat, Pray, Love, Liz Gilbert recounts her own personal narrative of growing up and growing into who she was designed or destined to be. During her time growing in meditation and strengthening her faith in her stay at an ashram in India, Liz is steered through the mountains and valleys of stretching her faith beyond the scope of her human and physical limitations. She comes to define faith intricately and beautifully, saying,

“There’s a reason we refer to ‘leaps of faith’- because the decision to consent to any notion of divinity is a mighty jump from the rational over to the unknowable, and I don’t care how diligently scholars of every religion will try to sit you down with their sacks of books and prove to you through scripture that their faith is indeed rational; it isn’t. If faith were rational, it wouldn’t be- by definition- faith. Faith is belief in what you cannot see or prove or touch. Faith is walking face-first and full-speed into the dark. If we truly knew all the answers in advance as to the meaning of life and the nature of God and the destiny of our souls, our belief would not be a leap of faith and it would not be a courageous act of humanity; it would just be … a prudent insurance policy.”

In the same way that we live by faith by our religion, in our spirituality, or in our relationship with God, we live by faith in the discovery of our purpose. As Liz described, having belief in divinity requires an exorbitant amount of faith. Having faith, by definition, is not rational, it does not succumb to normalcy, and it does not fit into our construct of social standards. Rather, it requires us to shed our expectations of living a “normal life” in order to submit to the will of a divine being, of God. Moreover, we can transcribe this divine faith on a personal level. We can relate this aspect of “blind faith” that Liz discovers in her process of growing in faith to our own processes of growing in our purpose. Discovering our purpose and realizing the worth of living by our purpose requires that we have faith in ourselves. This faith may, at times, lead us away from what we have come to believe as having a “normal life.” This faith may, at other times, call us to challenge or bend our ideas of our own social constructs that we have formed in our own lives. Ultimately, this faith in ourselves may cause us to blindly wander into the unknown and to be content with the outcome independent of whether or not we believe it will bring us our own version of happiness.Once we take the “leap of faith” to discover our purpose, to believe in our purpose, and to follow where it may lead, we will become more capable of enabling others to realize their purpose. You see, by our own strength, our purpose only leads us so far. When we discover that the belief in our own worth is intertwined with that same belief of all others around us, we will realize the strength that the unity of all those beliefs can yield. We may, then, believe in the power of encouraging others to realize their worth and to take a leap of faith in order to live according to their worth. Although this may seem like a broad theoretical ideal, practicing this tactic of enabling can be found in our every-day relationships. In some instances, this act of strengthening another person’s faith may be found in initiating an encouraging conversation with a friend. This revival of faith may also be found in simply getting to know a coworker better. It may be found in crafting intentional time to get to know the people in our lives so we can better strengthen, equip, and challenge them to believe in themselves and to live according to their worth. Still, enabling another person to take a leap of faith may require us to make some form of sacrifice on our part. We may be led to use our own resources, finances, circumstances, or talents in order to support the dreams of another person. We do so, not from a sense of reluctance or obligation, but, rather, from a belief that strengthening the faith of even one sole person ultimately strengthens the lot of that in the whole world. You see, when we have seen the power of our own faith, and when we believe that power can continue to surpass any of our own limitations, our eyes will be that much more open to envisioning the undeniable and impenetrable strength of the faiths of all others. We see that believing in and strengthening the faith we have in ourselves comes in two parts. First, it enables us to surpass fixed social constructions and limitations that we have either set for ourselves or that we have seen established in our lives. When we take that “leap of faith” in living by our purpose, we will see our faith soar to new heights. But more than that, believing in and strengthening the faith we have in ourselves will allow us to believe in the faith of those around us. This second part, then, is the catalyst for change in our world. This second part, the faith in ourselves that enables us to strengthen the faith of others, will become the agent of transformation that confronts discrimination, that largely minimizes or wholly eradicates oppression, and that, ultimately, strengthens the bond of humanity beyond anything we could conceive it to be. This faith for one another, then, has the power to change the world. So, all you have to do now, is believe.