At the start of the pandemic, chaos, fear, and mistrust were poisoning our communities, leading governments around the world to implement lockdowns for our protection, which we willingly complied with. For months, we adopted a mindset of self-preservation, distancing, disconnecting, and being quick to reject one another. This instinctual response became our prevailing human mission, but months into the quarantine, a small neighborhood in DC made a bold decision to fill the void created by isolation.

At the heart of this movement was a group of children whose search for and building of community not only served as inspiration but also motivated us to prioritize safety and extend unwavering support to one another as an expression of love. The story of the Shepherd Street Fun Club, a group of kids who discovered the importance of community during dark times, rekindled the lost faith within us adults.