The calls come in during twilight. At first, the tone is a whisper. They're trying to see if I'm someone they're comfortable with. I look for a common interest: food, film, music-anything that connects us as humans. After that, I let them lead. I've been taking phone calls from strangers for a few months now. This practice started after I was digitally shamed on Twitter. I had written an op-ed in The New York Times worrying about our culture of shame. I empathized with a white teen growing up in a conservative, Midwestern home. In my heart, I know a couple things to be true. We're all human beings that deserve the opportunity to change or grow. Speaking our truth is better than scolding or silencing the voices that we don't like. It's healthy to disagree.
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