As part of our journey in 2021 and in celebration and partnership with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race, we are sharing the stories of six local heroes who are impacting positive change in their communities. In addition to bringing awareness and education to each of their respective organizations, we will also be donating $10 of every top sold in the Run As One™ Collection at The Peachtree Health & Fitness Expo presented by Publix to support the Atlanta community.
As anyone who’s been understands, visiting the National Center for Civil and Human Rights can be a profound experience. And for many, just one visit can spur them into becoming further involved in their mission to educate and ensure equal dignity for all.
Tiffany Hemby’s story begins in North Carolina in a loving, close-knit family. From an early age, she was taught the value of treating others how you wanted to be treated. To treat people with kindness, because you get out of life what you put into it.
Even with this positive attitude instilled in her, she did notice her father’s reaction when it came to remembering moments in Civil Rights history. Tiffany says, “Growing up while watching all of the civil rights movies and documentaries, my father felt uneasy about those movies and he seemed to have such a horrible disposition as if these movies and documentaries brought back such bad memories and that left me wanting to know more. I wanted to know every detail of these events, so I could feel what he felt.”
Fast forward to 2014 and Tiffany had moved to Atlanta. Her move coincided with the opening of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights and she visited as soon as she could. “It taught me about the Civil Rights Movement and the daily fight for human rights all over the world. It allowed me to take a first-hand look at the struggles our ancestors went through for us to have a better life today. To have a place people could visit and learn about all of the events that took place during the civil rights movement was monumental.”
Her favorite exhibit? “The March on Washington, because over 200,000 people of all races came together for a common cause of protesting for racial equality.” After several years of visiting and experiencing this and other moving exhibits, Tiffany knew it was time to get involved more because “currently, our society is dealing with a lot of social justice issues, and always have. It has just been brought more to the forefront.”
“I chose to volunteer at the center because I wanted to witness the impact that the museum had on other visitors, as well as educating myself so that I could do my part in helping to spread the message of Equal Dignity and Social Equality,” she explains. “Volunteering at the Center has affected me by making me more aware of the people involved in the struggle and fight for equality.”
To Tiffany, nothing is more important than universal human rights, which means establishing and protecting human rights across the globe. Volunteering at the NCCHR is just one step in that process. So how does Tiffany propose that people help achieve that goal in their everyday lives? “Treat others how you want to be treated, no matter what their race, religion or overall differences may be.”
And that’s advice we can all take to heart as we work together for tomorrow.
Unique Stories. Similar Goals. United In Our Desire To Turn Potential Into Positive Change. #RunAsOne #AJCPRR
Published: May 2021