In a democracy, there must be room for all of us. You need to be able to embrace those who are different from yourself and inspire empathy in others.

Empathy is the ability to take off your own glasses and try to see the world through someone else’s eyes. It’s not about feeling the same (compassion) or agreeing (sympathy), but about genuinely trying to understand how another person experiences the world—without making it about yourself. When we approach each other with curiosity and respect, we can move beyond prejudices and frustrations and come closer to each other’s perspectives. Empathy doesn’t make us the same, but it makes us better at being different—together.