No matter where I wander in this world, I get asked "where are you from," as well as many (and often rude) insinuations about my ancestry. In a world that seems so afraid of addressing the obvious, for fear of confronting their own shadows in broad daylight, I realize that what is needed most of all is a call for authenticity.

"All I ask for is your heart" is a call to act with courage and to dive into its depths, discovering what pieces lie inside and how they fit together to form our collective beauty.

What lies beneath the surface in all of us? Can we accept it in ourselves and others? Can we accept those around us, with their multitudes of identities, stories, backgrounds, and struggles? If not, can we at least learn to be kind, humble, and understanding toward one another’s differences? These days, it almost seems like too big of an ask.

But I believe that it is not.

"Cuore: All I ask for is your heart," because, in this life and beyond, what's left of our heart space is truly all we need to build bridges between one another. In a time where fear-based propaganda is pushing people into succumbing to hate and accepting the rise of neo-fascism, the greater act of courage is to see beyond our safe little silos and see the world for what it is beyond our individual doorsteps. It only seems impossible because billions are being invested to keep us afraid of one another.

Do you have the heart to speak out amidst hate?