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.

Savon Butler

3 months ago Patty let me slip on her wetsuit, handed me a surfboard, and walked me out to the shore. The air had that crisp bite that pulled me right back to my hometown in Juneau. Every step through the sand was this tug-of-war between the nerves in my belly and the spark of excitement that got me there. We made small talk, and before I knew it, I let slip the doubt hanging around in my gut—wondering out loud if I even wanted to surf that day. I felt like a chicken on the edge of a wide-open road, thinking maybe I didn’t belong there. Read more>>

Carrie Beene

When I was in my 20’s I was working at The Odeon in NYC as a waitress. My boyfriend at the time was a photographer and he shot some 4×5 slides of my paintings. I had them in my locker at work after picking them up that day and at the end of my shift they were in my bag when I was having my after shift cocktail at the employee table together with another waitress who knew I had picked them up and asked to see them. I was excited that she asked because there was a late table of people sitting across the room. Sitting at that table was Julian Schnabel, Francesco Clemente, several big art collectors and the director of the Metropolitan Museum. Read more>>

Sophie Furman

One of the kindest things that anyone’s ever done for me is the amount of friends and fellow friendly colleagues that I’ve made over the years in the creative industry. Everyone is so eager to help, and has loads of advice not only about illustration but about life things in general. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without this thriving community around me! Read more>>

Stephen Burt

If there is one thing that many artists cultivate it is kindness (at least in my experience). As a creative we know how difficult it is out there. Kath Caraccio- Master printer in NYC. stands out in my mind as one of the best exemplars of kindness in the art world. I was just out of graduate school in 1991 and looking for work. Kathy didn’t have a job for me but she allowed me use of her studio to continue to make work when I was too broke to rent a studio… I still call her the Patron Saint of Printmaking for the generosity she has shown me and countless others over the years. As artists we need to pay it forward… Read more>>