One of the ways I feed my soul, hope, and character is through inspirational stories. Below is a list of some of my favorites.

People:

Articles:
“Why the Dams had to be Destroyed” — An inspiriting article about the Karuk Tribe in California fighting for 20 years to bring down the dams that were killing the salmon, polluting the water, and destroying the land.
Molli Meyers. “Why the Dams had to be Destroyed.” National Geographic. January 2025, pp. 45-47.

Books:
Lessons in Chemistry — Confession: I almost quit reading a few chapters in. I am really glad I didn’t because I find the impact Elizabeth has on other women by simply being herself incredibly inspiring.
Garmus, Bonnie. Lessons in Chemistry: A Novel. Doubleday, 2022.

Movies:
Believe in Me — (2007) Based on a true story, Believe in Me is set in the mid 60’s and is the story of a young man whose dreams of coaching boys high school basketball are derailed when the school board assigns him to the girls’ basketball team instead. The girls and the coach eventually earn each other’s trust, and despite the opposition of the small conservative town, learn how to play to win.

Secretariat — (2010) A housewife becomes the unlikely owner of a racehorse, then risks it all to make him a champion.

Hidden Figures — (2017) Three brilliant African American women at NASA — Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson — serve as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race and galvanized the world.

Freedom Writers — 2007) The movie version of….The Freedom Writers Diary, Book by Erin Gruwell and Freedom Writers
The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them is a non-fiction 1999 book written by The Freedom Writers, a group of students from Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, and their teacher Erin Gruwell.

Sports Movies:
When the Game Stands Tall — (2014) In 2003, high-school football coach Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel) and his De La Salle Spartans have just completed an incredible 151 consecutive victories and 12-straight state championships. While the team’s seniors receive offers from colleges all over the country, the advancing juniors look forward to making their mark. However, beloved “Coach Lad” has a brush with calamity, while the Spartans face their most-challenging, most-unpredictable season yet.

Miracle — (2004) Miracle tells the true story of Herb Brooks (Russell), the player-turned-coach who led the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to victory over the seemingly invincible Russian squad.

We are Marshall — (2006) In 1970, Marshall University and the small town of Huntington, W.Va., reel when a plane crash claims the lives of 75 of the school’s football players, staff members and boosters. New coach Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey) arrives on the scene in March 1971, determined to rebuild Marshall’s Thundering Herd and heal a grieving community in the process.

Woodlawn — (2015) Following government-mandated desegregation in 1973, Tony Nathan (Caleb Castille) joins fellow African-American students at Woodlawn High School in Birmingham, Ala. As violence and anger erupt in the city, Woodlawn football coach Tandy Gerelds (Nic Bishop) allows an outsider (Sean Astin) to speak to his players. His message of hope and love leads to a spiritual awakening that inspires star athlete Nathan, his teammates and other members of the community to overcome the hate that surrounds them.

McFarland — (2015) Based on the true story, a group of novice runners from McFarland, an economically challenged town in California, give their all to build a cross-country team.