07/04/2026
Freedom is a promise that each generation is invited to strengthen.
Today, many people gather to celebrate Independence Day in the U.S. It is also a moment to reflect on the ideals that continue to call us forward.
Freedom grows when every person is treated with dignity. Democracy grows when people listen across differences, participate with courage, and care for the well-being of one another. Compassion invites us to move beyond celebration into responsibility. It reminds us that the work of building welcoming communities belongs to all of us. This understanding of the expansiveness of freedom is why we have the Compassion Corridor: For every single person in our community to walk along it, free, equal and dignified.
Our democratic ideals have always asked each generation to do the work of creating a more just, more inclusive, and more compassionate society. That work continues today.
Join Leanne, Co-Executive Director of Compassionate Atlanta and Shannon Willow of Shannon Willow Arts as they stand in front of Lungs of Mother Earth in Scottdale, and take a couple of deep compassionate breaths for strength to continue the work: One for yourself and one for freedom.
Each of us must continue to renew our hope for a future where freedom, belonging, and opportunity continue to expand for every member of our human family.
