Challenges to Hope

This series of messages focus on barriers that individuals and society face in achieving their dreams.

Jumping High

Alice (Coachman) Davis was born in 1923 in Georgia. She had 9 siblings. Early on, she had an athletic talent that made her special. Her talent was held back due to a lack of access to athletic facilities for African Americans. At the time women were discouraged from...
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Right Hand Artistry

Henrietta was born in 1907 in Delaware. She was the oldest child in the family. Her father, Convers, was a noted illustrator of books (e.g., Treasure Island), magazines (e.g., Saturday Evening Post), and corporate advertisements (e.g., Coke-Cola). He always wanted to...
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A Body of Sound

It was the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics, and the torch was entering the stadium. As the torch relay team circled the stadium, they were accompanied by a percussionist, Evelyn Glennie. Please watch a short clip here Evelyn Glennie Olympic Games 2012 -...
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Hope for a More Just Society

Anthony Hinton was born in 1956 in Alabama. When he was 29, he was employed in a warehouse and living with his mother. He was arrested for the murder of two fast food managers during an armed robbery. A third fast food manager who survived the robbery attempt...
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Voiceless Hope

Martin Pistorius was born in South Africa in 1975. When he was 12 years old, he began developing symptoms that the doctors were unable to diagnose. At first, he was unable to move. Later, he slipped into a vegetative state. His doctors did not expect him to live and...
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A Barrier Buster in Veterinarian Science

Aleen Cust was born in Ireland in 1868. She was 10 when her father died, and she was sent to England to become the ward of a military officer. At an early age, she had hopes of becoming a veterinarian. Her family didn’t approve of her pursuit of veterinary science as...
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Overcoming Self-Doubt

Martin Chalfie was born in Chicago in 1947. He studied biochemistry because it combined his interests in math, chemistry, and biology. A summer lab experience left him very discouraged and he began to doubt himself. The one area where Martin was confident was...
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Hope and Suffering

Walt Whitman grew up in a family of nine children. He ended his formal education when he was 11 in order to earn money for his family. He acquired printing skills. While he worked on various publishing and printing jobs, he had hopes of becoming a writer and poet. In...
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Going from Hatred to Hopes

Daisy (Gatson) Bates had reason to hate. When she was a baby, her mother was killed when she resisted three white men who were trying to rape her. Her father left town fearing for his own life. Daisy was adopted by friends of the family. When Daisy was old enough to...
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Elevating Hopes

As Jeanne walked through the atrium of the corporate office for a 7am meeting, she was surprised to see one of her staff looking contently at one of the paintings on display. Luke was a “diamond in the rough” who Jeanne had taken a chance on hiring. Luke was brilliant...
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