Shannon Day

The Lovers & Fighters of America is a weekly column here at Ravishly featuring

Enoteca Maria is truly a place where cultures are celebrated through cuisine. And a recent project, launched by the restaurant, takes this celebration to another level by offering non-chefs an opportunity to learn from the restaurant’s nonnas.

Not only are Alex Radelich and Dalton Lemert taking to the road with their mission to change the world one act of kindness at a time, but they are encouraging others to do the same, and suggest you lead your own Explore Kindness Trips.

Bustos first got the notion to offer haircuts to those in need in May of 2012 during a trip to his family’s home country, the Philippines. He was overwhelmed by the impact of the poverty there, and so rented a chair at a local barber shop for the day and offered free haircuts to children in the neighborhood.

O’Grady, and the many people who volunteer their time to work with Sofia’s Angels across the U.S.A., remind us that we only live once and that giving without expectation, like Sofia did, is what true kindness is all about.

'The Lovers & Fighters of America' is a weekly column here at Ravishly featuring behind-the-scenes stories of inspirational people taking a stance against hate. This week, we’re featuring Jaxon — a 26-year-old, Criminal Justice graduate from Massachusetts. Jaxon’s is a story of self-discovery and strength, a bright light at a time when the oppressive stance of the far-right looms — like an ominous dark cloud — over the trans community.

This story of two strangers at a park reminds us of the value in human kindness and friendship. Friendship amidst bigotry.

In 2008, Jimenez co-founded United We Dream. As Executive Director, she has helped develop the non-profit into the largest immigrant youth-led organization in the country. With Jimenez at the helm, UWD has grown to a powerful network of 57 affiliates in 25 states, with over 300,000 members.