In a world often divided by ideologies, opinions, and social constructs, the Human Solidarity Project stands as a beacon of unity. Co-founded by Berwick Mahdi Davenport and Dustin Washington, the initiative brings people together by addressing the roots of disconnection and empowering individuals to create meaningful change in their lives and communities. The Human Solidarity Project is rewriting the narrative of solidarity and transformation, drawing in supporters like actor Hank Azaria.
A Shift Toward Connection
During his conversation on the Riveo Impact Lab podcast, Mahdi shared the pivotal realization that led to the evolution of the Human Solidarity Project from traditional anti-racism workshops to a broader framework focused on human solidarity. “So for us, the transformation happened when we noticed that what we were doing in our anti-racism workshops was being counterproductive to bringing people together,” Mahdi explained. “It’s something that Hank always says when we’re talking. He always reminds me that one of the things that people want more than anything is connection. When we were facilitating anti-racism workshops, our goal was not connection.”
“He always reminds me that one of the things that people want more than anything is connection.”
Instead of fostering connection, Mahdi was concerned the workshops were reinforcing division rather than bridging it. “Our goal was getting people who agreed with us to side with us. Anybody else who didn’t agree, we just pushed them aside. We created a lot of conflict, which was the opposite of what we wanted to create. And when we shift to understanding that connection was what we all wanted… And when that became the goal, we shifted from anti-racism into the Human Solidarity Project.”
Hank echoed this sentiment, reflecting on his own journey of personal transformation following the controversy around his portrayal of Apu on The Simpsons. “It was a lot of outcry about my doing the voice of Apu on The Simpsons, the Indian Kwik-E-Mart attendant. So deciding whether or not to continue with that voice really launched me into having to learn about how real or not was the outcry. It essentially was a window into racism in America and how it might express itself, consciously or unconsciously, in the media, in programs, in television shows, movies. How much were we messaging stuff that we didn’t mean to message? How was our impact not matching our intent?”
Hank discussed the process of attending various trainings and seminars in order to learn more. Through this, he met Mahdi and others at the Human Solidarity Project, “I would walk in a lot of these rooms, and I had a lot to learn, but I was sort of seen as a white whale, if you’ll pardon the bad pun. And sometimes I got kind of, it got taken out on me a bit. And I was really appreciative that they (the Human Solidarity Project) were very truthful, but also a very loving and compassionate at the same time.”
Empowering Personal Transformation
The heart of the Human Solidarity Project’s mission is helping individuals recognize and harness their power to create change.
As Mahdi explained, “We would talk about it all the time when we were doing anti-racism work, but we weren’t putting people in touch with their own power. And that’s the driving force of all of this.” He continued by explaining, “Oftentimes, we look at change from a global perspective, right? But when you go into people’s individual lives, you seem to find people who are suffering and find people who are struggling and not knowing what to do to transform them.”
This philosophy translates into real-life impact. Mahdi emphasized that change starts at the individual level: “We used to talk about systemic change all the time, but to be honest with you, we didn’t know how to bring about systemic change. The reason why we didn’t was because we didn’t know how to bring about the transformation we wanted in our own personal lives. When we started being able to transform our own personal lives, we could see how you could transform systems and institutions, and we could see that we have to change the way people think about themselves first, before you get them to change the way they think about other people.”
“To be honest with you, we didn’t know how to bring about systemic change. The reason why we didn’t was because we didn’t know how to bring about the transformation we wanted in our own personal lives. When we started being able to transform our own personal lives, we could see how you could transform systems and institutions.”
A Personal Journey of Impact
Hank’s commitment to transformation and connection shines through his work – like his one man show which depicts his struggles with being in the public eye while dealing with addiction, and his Bruce Springsteen Tribute Band in which all net proceeds to benefit the Four Through Nine Foundation. “I’ve always believed in giving back organically, meaning what’s really touched my life, what actually matters to me.” he said. After navigating the complexities of the Apu controversy, Hank added projects that align with the Human Solidarity Project’s mission to his list of philanthropic endeavors.
“I realized my impact wasn’t matching my intent,” Hank shared when he addressed giving up voicing Apu. “I really needed to make this decision… and at first, I was quite defensive.” He explained that through his journey with different forms of recovery, including sobriety, coming out of denial and healing from trauma played a massive role.
“I realized my impact wasn’t matching my intent.”
Through his work with the Human Solidarity Project, Hank gained a deeper understanding of the importance of healing personally before engaging in broader systemic change. “You have to first understand how you can transform and empower yourself before you can approach systems and see how you might want to change them, because you won’t know it when you see it. If you don’t know how to do it for yourself, how are you going to know how to do it at the group level or community level or societal level?”
“You have to first understand how you can transform and empower yourself before you can approach systems and see how you might want to change them…If you don’t know how to do it for yourself, how are you going to know how to do it at the group level or community level or societal level?”
The Vision for a Better World
When asked about their vision for the future, both Hank and Mahdi painted a picture of a world rooted in connection. Hank described a hope for a shift away from the extremism perpetuated by media and social algorithms. “We all seem to agree that most of us live in the gray middle,” he observed.
Mahdi added, “People would naturally connect…. So unnatural things have to be created to intentionally create and sow division. That’s why, at the Human Solidarity Project, we’re saying, if we’re going to get rid of racism, the fastest way to do it is to bring about solidarity, bring people together, since racism was designed to bring people apart.”
“People would naturally connect…. So unnatural things have to be created to intentionally create and sow division. That’s why, at the Human Solidarity Project, we’re saying, if we’re going to get rid of racism, the fastest way to do it is to bring about solidarity, bring people together, since racism was designed to bring people apart.”
“People ask us all the time, ‘How can we globalize this? How do we make this impact society?’ And the answer is, take it to heart personally,” Hank explained. “Eventually, policy is important too, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t seem to stick unless the human heart and mind changes.”
Take the First Step
The Human Solidarity Project’s impact extends far beyond its programs. It’s a movement that encourages everyone to reflect on their own habits and beliefs. “Recognize the patterns that hold you back,” Mahdi advised.
He continued by sharing the “four Rs” taught by the Human Solidarity Project. “The first R is to recognize. Recognize the habits that you are caught up in, that keep giving you the opposite of what you want. Once you recognize it, now you have to accept responsibility for it being your habit.” Mahdi explained that accepting responsibility alone isn’t enough, “If I’m not clear about the price that I’ve been paying to have this habit, then I’m not going to have the leverage on myself to get myself to really accept responsibility for it. It’s not just saying ‘I accept responsibility.’ It’s about actually taking action to transform the situation.”
“Recognize the habits that you are caught up in, that keep giving you the opposite of what you want. Once you recognize it, now you have to accept responsibility for it being your habit. If I’m not clear about the price that I’ve been paying to have this habit, then I’m not going to have the leverage on myself to get myself to really accept responsibility for it. It’s not just saying ‘I accept responsibility.’ It’s about actually taking action to transform the situation.”
He went on to explain the final two steps, “Replace the old habit with a new habit, one that you see moving you in the direction that you want to go. The last R is repeat. You repeat it until it becomes the practice. Ninety days usually sets it in, into your subconscious mind where you then have replaced an old habit that has been taking you unconsciously to where you don’t want to go.”
For small business owners and individuals looking to make a difference, the message is clear: start with yourself. “You’re always having an impact,” Mahdi stated. “It’s up to you to decide whether it’s positive or negative.”
“You’re always having an impact. It’s up to you to decide whether it’s positive or negative.”
Join the Movement
The Human Solidarity Project is proof that transformation is possible—on both personal and societal levels. To learn more about the initiative or to get involved, visit Human Solidarity Project.
And don’t forget to listen to the full Riveo Impact Lab podcast episode featuring Hank Azaria and Mahdi Davenport, where they delve even deeper into their journeys and the transformative power of connection.
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