Friends of the Derate the Hate podcast know that I love stories of those who triumph over adversity, and those who persevere through the toughest times in life to come out on the other side and start their own journey towards bettering the world. Being able to forgive is not something that comes easily to everyone, and to some people, it comes as a total surprise when it happens, but it’s forgiveness that often times provides us with a path forward.

This week’s guest, Chris Singleton, is a former minor league baseball player drafted by the Chicago Cubs. He became a nationally-renowned speaker with a message of resilience, forgiveness and unity following the loss of his mother in the 2015 Mother Emanuel Church mass shooting in Charleston, SC. Chris now shares his message with over 50 organizations and 30,000 students annually. His clients include: Boeing, The Houston Texans, Microsoft, Biogen, Volvo, The Washington Wizards and over 100,000 students and educators across the world. One of his children’s books, Different – A Story About Loving Your Neighbor, was a best seller in its category and has been featured by numerous outlets, including The Obama Foundation.