Champions of Dialogue
FROM THE PAST TO THE PRESENT, INDIVIDUALS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE USING THEIR VOICES TO INSPIRE AND BRING ABOUT A POSITIVE CHANGE IN THE WORLD.
WHO IS YOUR CHAMPION OF DIALOGUE?
JR
Art That Fades, Connections That Last
“The images, like life, are ephemeral. Once pasted, the art piece lives on its own… The process is all about participation of volunteers, visitors, and souvenir catchers.”
SIMONE BILES
Balancing Act: Championing Mental Health on the World Stage
“I say put mental health first because if you don’t then you’re not going to enjoy your sport and you’re not going to succeed as much as you want to.”
SAMMIE VANCE
Building Connections and Protecting the Planet, One Bench at a Time
“You don’t just have to be an adult to make a difference, you can be a kid too. One kind act can go a long way. Start with a smile, and who knows it could lead to a conversation and maybe even a new friendship.”
JONATHAN BAILEY
Bridgerton Star: Storytelling with Pride On and Off Screen
“The superpower of being on the outside looking in means that when you’re older, you are drawn to storytelling and creatives who are singular and exciting and I think queer people have a real strength to them, which could be celebrated.”
ERIN MEYER
Navigating Cultural Conversations
“Effective cross-cultural communication is not about changing who you are, but about understanding who others are.”
SULEIKA JAOUAD
Penning Resilience: Winning Over Illness through Writing
“Writing can be a way of metabolizing experiences, a way of transmuting pain into something meaningful. It’s a way of being active in your own recovery, a way of saying: this happened, and it hurt, and it is still with me, but I am here.”
LILLY SINGH
From YouTube Sensation to the First Female Host of a Late Night Show, Breaking Gender Barriers One Project at a Time
“Not every story needs to be about everyone, but there should be stories for everyone.”
BILLIE EILISH
Championing the Power of Dialogue through Her Lyrics
“I want to have music that people can listen to. If I write a song that you feel like you relate to, and when you hear it you go ‘that’s my song’ – it’s yours!”
KARAMO BROWN
A Champion of Dialogue Through Life’s Journey
“Being vulnerable is not a sign of weakness. It's a sign of strength. It shows you care. It shows you're human. It shows you're courageous.”
GLENNON DOYLE
Champion of Women’s Empowerment and Emotional Honesty, Creating Community Through the Power of Truth
“Life is freaking hard. We are all doing hard things every day – we love and lose; we forge and end friendships; battle addiction, illness, and loneliness; care for children and parents; struggle in our jobs, our marriages, our divorces; we try to set and hold boundaries – and we fight for equality, purpose, joy, and peace right in the midst of all the hard.”
MICHELLE OBAMA
Becoming a Champion of Dialogue on the World Stage
“If we can open up a little bit more to each other and share our stories, our real stories, that’s what breaks down barriers. But in order to do that, you have to believe that your story has value. Be vulnerable. Dare to be vulnerable.”
VANESSA NAKATE
No Action Is Too Small: Igniting the Climate Movement with Her Voice
Whatever you do—if it’s doing that small project in your community, speaking to your family or friends—that is something that you are doing for the environment, for the planet, for the people. No action is too small to transform the world.
NELSON MANDELA
Father of Modern South Africa and Trailblazer of Unity, Freedom and Equality
“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
MALALA YOUSAFZAI
Championing Girls' Education and Equality
When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.