Ruth South

My passion for racial healing stems from a deeply personal space—a moment of stillness and reflection where I found myself grieving the ongoing pain carried by Black people across the Caribbean, the Americas, and the African diaspora. I found myself thinking about how the world enjoys Sugar, Cotton, Cocoa, Coffee, Tea and Tobacco that my enslaved ancestors died for. Their lives were invaluable, valued only as economic commodities. Not valued, loved or cared for as fellow humans.

Though slavery was officially abolished over 150 years ago, the trauma lives on: in our bodies, in our stories, in our silence, and in the systems that still divide us. It manifests in generational wounds, the loss of identity, and the struggle to simply be seen and valued.

At the same time, I also hold compassion for all people affected by the legacy of racism—including those who have inherited the roles of privilege or perpetration without choice. This is not about blame. This is about healing. True healing asks us all—regardless of our background—to look inward, to acknowledge pain, and to take part in repair. We are all in need of a kind of “reparation of the mind,” a spiritual and emotional restoration that allows us to see one another not as adversaries, but as partners in peace.

I created CARE as a space where community, empathy, and justice intersect. A space where people can grow, learn, and reconnect with their shared humanity. The award-winning memorial wreath and floral tribute I developed is one small act of remembrance—an offering to the ancestors who were silenced, and a symbol of hope that their voices will never be forgotten again.

• It is my deepest wish that, through divine intervention and collective intention, the chains of racism, discrimination, and prejudice will be broken once and for all. And when that day comes, no one will have lost—we will all have gained.
• Gained understanding.
• Gained compassion.
• Gained each other.
• Gained peace,
• Gained truth, and Gained each other