We asked entrepreneurs, artists, creatives and folks from every walk of life to share stories of kindness with us because we believe that hearing about kindness inspires more kindness. Our world needs more kindness.
Camille Ipsen
Several years into my business, I was approached by a large media company to produce a variety of original cross stitch patterns to be featured on their website. I was thrilled! Some of my products had been in major publications before, but this felt like a really big step. They were very specific about the content and timeline. In fact, they were specific about everything – except the price. My contact asked me how much I wanted to be compensated for the project. Read more>>
Joanna Andreae
I just wrote a piece about the Jewel song from the ’90s where she sings, “In the end, only kindness matters.” I’ve been thinking a lot about kindness and I do believe focusing on it, and relating to it, and remembering it throughout the day is perhaps the only thing that truly does matter. My life is an amalgamation of others’ kindnesses. Read more>>
Caroline Truong
The kindest moments that stand out is when creative peers show support. This has been done in all kinds of ways – small to big – things like giving advice on business or career, simply saying “looks good” about work I’ve made, on social media giving comments or sharing posts, or spending a few minutes to share a tip on using tool. It feels the kindest right now because I’m in a season where I’m shifting my art practice to fit my family life as a mom and wife. Read more>>
kaylie babajan
About 10 years ago, a regular at the bar I worked at asked me a question that changed the trajectory of my life. He had notice my usual chipper and upbeat energy was gone during my shift, and had asked what was wrong. To which I remember answering something like’ “I went to my high school reunion this weekend, and it was good to see everyone but it was hard to be reminded that I haven’t finished college, or even started college really. Read more>>
Krista Miller
I love this question because I don’t think I’ve ever had the chance to quite talk about this moment in the way I wanted to. It’s a memory for me that starts all the way back in 2006 or so. My best friend’s parent’s had just purchased a lake house on Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Georgia. Mind you, this was a time before smart phones. We were lucky if we had enough signal to call anyone once we arrived (honestly, I miss the feeling of being totally unplugged). Read more>>
Kristy Bevis
This past November, a couple of months after my 40th birthday, I found out I have a rare salivary gland cancer in my neck which would require radiation therapy. I opted to undergo treatment in Birmingham, Alabama, a couple of hours from my home in Florence. This required me to spend my weekdays away from my shop, my friends and co-workers, and toughest of all, my husband and 3-year-old daughter. Read more>>
Cora Truelove
Most memorable moment for me! Backstory, as far as I can remember, I was 8 years old when i started to notice my body failing on me. From passing out to my bones hurting and popping, at 11 years old I found out that I have scoliosis. I had surgery at the Scottish Rite Hospital of Dallas in 2015, at 13 years of age. Most memorable moment was after surgery this sweet woman walked into the room and said “I heard someone here loves art!” Read more>>
JerèAlexandra
kindness has been shown to me by many people across my life. But, this one kindness sticks out because this person had no real link to me or my personal life. After a family emergency cleared all of my savings, I was struggling to stay afloat financially. I started looking into withdrawing money from my 401k to take care of things. Doing so, involved speaking to my company HR rep to fill out the paperwork. Unfortunately, my reason wasn’t valid so she had to deny my request. Read more>>
Altreisha Foster
I migrated from Jamaica in 2001 for a better life. A better life because I was raised poor, broken and desolate but I was smart and got accepted into Howard University. I left Jamaica with less than 1000 USD with no place to stay and my tuition unpaid. I was blessed to have met a Jamaican family on my 2nd day on Campus and offered me a place to stay. That opportunity changed the the trajectory of my life forever. Read more>>
Erin Cline
I had been selling collage art through a third party site for about two years. My sales are usually very low – I have another full time job, so the income is secondary to the enjoyment I get from creating – so it’s hard to get a gauge on if anyone is actually seeing or enjoying the work I’m making and posting. Out of nowhere I received a very nice DM from someone I know through through the internet but had never really talked art with. Read more>>
Billy Visnaw
I always believed that one of the kindest acts anyone can do is give someone a chance, while I can think of many times in my career, life or content creation pursuits that have had an important effect on my life, the one that stands out the most to me is my team at Tales of Initiative. During the pandemic my old career couldn’t sustain itself as it was an in person customer service focused sales position, Read more>>
Beth Whitney
I was 18 on a school program in South Africa when I dreamed I got a call telling me my dad had died. The next day was Valentine’s Day and I got an actual call, very similar to the dream, but saying my brother had died in a car accident. There were about 20 of us students traveling together in South Africa, and I remember walking into a church where the group was after this call. Someone gently took my arm and the others surrounded me and mourned with me. Read more>>
Michelle Andres
Acts of kindness can have a bigger impact than the giver realizes. I’ve been blessed to have many kind people in my life. There’s one instance, in particular, that stands out professionally. I know a woman who used to run a successful and beautifully curated gallery. She is an avid collector with a sharp artistic eye and a generous heart. At one of my first shows, she bought a large resin diptych for a design project she was working on. I was so appreciative and flattered. Read more>>
Ellen Koment
For many years I have had an amazing collector, Dr Jack Leissring, who has over 200 of my paintings, and has helped me in so many ways. When I was given a Wurlitzer Foundation residency grant, he bought some paintings so that I would have the money to go. The gift of New Mexico. When I had cancer, he bought paintings and sent me money every month for a year, and many other times. But recently he has put out a book of all the paintings in his collection.. Read more>>