Time Passes, Time Heals: The 10th Anniversary of 9/11

We look ahead to the 10th anniversary of 9/11 as a day of somber national reflection. However, through this grave time, APB speakers have also found strength and inspiration. We have compiled some of their applicable thoughts and writings in this special blog post – the first in a series commemorating the upcoming anniversary of 9/11.

Gail Sheehy: Living with Hope for the Future

Author and literary journalist Gail Sheehy spent almost two years with residents in a town hard hit by 9/11. She writes about this moving and educational experience in her book Passages in Caregiving. "We as Americans are faced with a profound national passage," she writes. "Each of us has to confront the fact that we too as Americans now live in a world of horror and simultaneously we must go on living with hope, faith in the future, and freedom. That is an existential passage that every single one of us has to find our way through." That is exactly how this year’s anniversary will be commemorated, with hope and faith in the future.


Nick Kristof: Angels from the Rubble

Human rights advocate and reporter, Nicholas D. Kristof, found some people have dealt with the 9/11 devastations with inspiring organizations of education and development, and poverty-alleviation projects. In his article "9/11 Unleashed Their Better Angels," he addresses that "in times of fear and darkness, we tend to suppress the better angels of our nature. Instead, [others] unleashed theirs." He speaks of these humanitarian efforts as reflections of how moral and mental toughness can truly chip away at terrorism.


Jamie Lee Curtis: Channeling Tragedy into Greater Good

The positive spirit and sense of national pride that followed the attacks will surely be reawakened during this anniversary. Playing a part in channeling tragedy into an opportunity for good is actress and speaker Jamie Lee Curtis, who has joined the advisory committee for the Brooke Jackman Foundation. The foundation, which awards grants for literacy programs and distributes backpacks filled with books, was inspired by Brooke Jackman, who had a strong interest in helping children and lost her life during the 9/11 attacks.


Shirin Ebadi: Becoming Better

Nobel Peace Laureate and activist Shirin Ebadi will be speaking in the Second Global Conference on World’s Religions After 9/11, which aims to bring together religions of the world to address global issues, in the hope that this will help all of us become better human beings.




Herman Boone: Motivating Youth to Spark Change

You don’t have to be an adult to inspire. Volunteers ages 13-19 gathered for The Big Event, a community service program which last year honored the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Retired state championship coach and motivational speaker Herman Boone was the VIP speaker for the event. Pointing out that the volunteers' attendance represented the power of the 9/11 National Day of Service, Coach Boone drove home the message that "Volunteering gives you a chance to change things. You might not be able to donate money, but you can donate time."

We will always remember the tragic events of 9/11 with sadness, but these amazing individuals remind us that we must also harness our shared national spirit of faith and fortitude to look ahead to our future.

We look forward to sharing more insights from our speakers in the months leading up to the 10-year anniversary of 9/11. We encourage you to follow this blog or connect with us on Twitter or Facebook for updates. For similar speakers, view our Remembering 9/11 catalog.