As I walked through Pocahontas Island — the oldest free Black community in the United States — on my 3,000-mile journey across America, I felt the weight of history and the hope of tomorrow.

This walk, which began on Sept. 1, 2025, in New York City has now taken me through Virginia. I have been distant from all the discord online but have seen enough to see how this division is tearing our nation apart. The reason for my walk is to call for a restoration of merit, faith, and the American Dream and none of this discord moves us in that direction, a direction, a goal I believe that I believe most of us aspire to.

On this walk, I’ve been given a gift I didn’t expect: silence. Hours of quiet on the road have allowed me to reflect, pray, and listen—to God, to myself, and to the people I meet along the way. The Bible tells us in James 1:19, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” That verse has guided me on this walk, reminding me that true understanding begins with listening.

AT LANCASTER MARKET, I WITNESSED AN AMERICA THAT STILL WORKS — NO POLITICS REQUIRED

In today’s world, we’re polarized, angry, and quick to judge. Online, a single disagreement can turn into a shouting match, where we reduce the entirety of an individual to that one perceived political offense. But out here in the real world, face-to-face with folks from all walks of life, I’m seeing something different.

In today’s world, we’re polarized, angry, and quick to judge. Online, a single disagreement can turn into a shouting match, where we reduce the entirety of an individual to that one perceived political offense. But out here in the real world, face-to-face with folks from all walks of life, I’m seeing something different.

I’ve met people I might have clashed with on social media—over politics, race, or policy — yet in person, I’ve discovered their hearts. A farmer disagreed with my views on education reform, especially school choice, but shared how he prays for his kids every night. A young mother argued with me about who was responsible for the government shutdown but then told me about her dream to start a business. These conversations revealed people’s souls, not just opinions.

FREDERICKSBURG’S FIELDS STILL SPEAK. I PRAY THAT AMERICA WILL LISTEN TO FREEDOM’S ECHO

This reminds me of Proverbs 18:13, which says, “To answer before listening—that is folly and shame.” Too often, we’re guilty of that online. We attack without hearing the other side. We fall for clickbait headlines. But on this walk, the silence has restored my patience. It’s taught me to sit with someone, hear their story, and find common ground. I might not agree with everything they say, but I see their humanity. And that’s where healing begins.

Pocahontas Island was a powerful stop for me. It is the oldest free Black community in America. In the early 1800s, its population included both free Black residents and enslaved individuals. Those who were free could own property and live independently, a rarity in the pre-Civil War South. They faced problems greater than ours. Their freedom was perilous — slavery was everywhere. Yet, they focused on freedom.

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We’re losing sight of that today. As I mentioned earlier, I’m walking to help us restore merit, faith, and the American Dream as our guiding light. Far too many are more interested in petty squabbles, historical revisionism. They are destroying the fabric of America with their toxic form of identity politics and tribalism — and some are even making money off our attention. Who loses in the end? We do.

That is why this walk has been such a blessing for me, especially the silence and the face-to-face conversations. It’s given me time to pray and hear God’s voice, as Psalm 46:10 urges, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

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We can disagree and still love each other. But we must listen to one another. In seeing the humanity in our fellow Americans, we are reminded of what unites us in this great country. That is the way forward.

So let’s silence the hate, restore our faith, and reclaim the American Dream—together, starting today.

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