Zora Neale Hurston said, “Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” Big Mama would have understood that. She taught me that love isn’t hiding from what’s wrong. Love moves your soul to do something right. Lord knows we need that movement today. We live in a combative political climate where decisions from Washington are reaching kitchen tables, churches and neighborhoods. Too often, disagreement becomes disrespect, difference becomes division, and politics asks us to choose a side before choosing humanity.We Dine, Project Unity’s structured conversations where strangers gather over a meal, share their lived experiences and—most importantly—listen. I’ve seen what happens at those tables. Nobody has to surrender their beliefs. Nobody has to pretend differences don’t exist. But something changes when we stop arguing long enough to hear somebody’s story. Humanity enters the room. ers. Elections can divide neighborhoods. But love can make ordinary people do extraordinary things. Big Mama taught me: when somebody is hungry, love doesn’t ask how they voted. When somebody is hurting, love doesn’t check their party registration. When your neighbor is frightened, love doesn’t wait for permission. Love shows up. So Big Mama’s call this week is simple: Come out of hiding. Sit at somebody’s table. Feed somebody. Listen to somebody. Protect somebody. Give. Serve. Vote. Repair something division has broken. Don’t just talk about love. Let love move you. Because Big Mama said, “Love will always move the soul to do right.” This week—and every week— LET LOVE RULE. That personal “I’ve seen what happens at those tables” section makes this much more authentically your Big Mama Said column instead of simply reporting on a program.
Yet something powerful keeps happening. Love keeps showing up. Every since I faclitated America Speaks I have spent more than a decade sitting at tables and helping create spaces for courageous conversations among people who don’t always look alike, vote alike, worship alike or think alike. I’ve also participated in Together hat is love crawling out of its
hiding place.
We see that same love when
churches feed hungry families,
neighbors protect vulnerable
neighbors, volunteers serve
people whose politics they
don’t know, and communities
choose compassion over combat.
Government can change policy. Politicians can build barri
