A New Chapter in Empathy

Shaping the Empathetic Leaders of Tomorrow

Eight days ago, a dream came true! My daughter, Zion, and I released a children’s book centered on compassion, addressing homelessness, and emphasizing the importance of service. This book educates children, particularly those aged 4-8, about the significance of valuing everyone, especially their peers who could be facing homelessness and poverty.

We are grateful we had the chance to launch it on an 11Alive News Show called Atlanta and Co., where we shared the book’s backstory and how it started when Zion was in the second grade and launched a campaign that got her school involved in serving the needs of unhoused students. As the years went on, she started doing other projects to share the importance of caring for students facing homelessness.

Zion and I with the host after discussing our new project with Love Beyond Walls.

It has been deeply inspiring to have parents across the country embrace the book, reading it to their children and sharing how it has sparked conversations about compassion and understanding.

Jeff Tyler expressed how important it was to read a book about compassion with his daughter Justice, even as a baby, while Nicole Garner Scott found inspiration in using it as a bedtime story for her son. Also, a special education teacher in California modified the book’s contents and conducted a lesson on compassion for her students.

These messages underscore our belief in the power of storytelling to shape the next generation's heart with empathy for those who are often forgotten.

Jeff Tyler is reading to his daughter, Justice.

Since its launch, the book has been placed in 25 elementary schools and inspired another Love Beyond Walls project to serve students around GA and other states. With this project, we will work closely with schools to provide essential resources for students who may have needs or live in families that need support.

As we continue to raise awareness about children and youth homelessness—one of the fastest-growing populations in the U.S.—it’s crucial to acknowledge the estimated 4.2 million young people and children who experience homelessness in various forms each night (According to NCSL).¹

Understanding their struggles is about recognizing numbers and acknowledging the deep impact on their emotional, social, and mental well-being.

Imagine if we created a world where our children learn to fight invisibility with compassion, see service as not having an age limit, and feel inspired to help make our world a better place, even for their peers.

Imagine if we taught them with our actions that it is okay to love our neighbors and affirm their dignity and that it is okay to use your gifts to make those around us feel like they belong.

Imagine if we could show them that dignity belongs to all.

Lastly, we would like to give a huge shoutout to our publisher, IVP Kids, who embraced the message of Love Beyond Walls and allowed Zion and me to discuss why this project was so important in a Q&A interview.

We believe in this vision and know it can inspire our children to build a world where everyone is valued and their dignity is affirmed. We are grateful for those who have dared to join us on this journey as we dream about creating a world where no one is invisible.

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Order “Zion Learns To See: Opening Our Eyes To Homelessness” [HERE]

If you want to explore homelessness in the U.S., please consider reading “I See You: How Love Opens Our Eyes to Invisible People.”

Explore my book “When We Stand: The Power of Seeking Justice Together” to learn about the impact of community involvement and collective action on social change.

Discover “All God’s Children: How Confronting Buried History Can Build Racial Solidarity to gain insight into the significance of understanding the historical narratives that shape people and how you might stand in solidarity with your neighbor.

Or, subscribe to the Love Beyond Walls Newsletter—by visiting the site and signing up.

1. “Report Youth Homelessness Overview.” National Conference of State Legislatures. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://www.ncsl.org/human-services/youth-homelessness-overview.