The Golden Rule in Action: A Morning of Inspiration at the Surprise Area Interfaith & Golden Rule Breakfast

There are moments when you walk into a room and immediately know you are surrounded by people who care deeply about making a difference.

The Surprise Area Interfaith & Golden Rule Breakfast was one of those moments.

I was surrounded by some of the most inspiring people—community leaders, faith leaders, nonprofit organizations, businesses, volunteers, and individuals who are committed to making our community a kinder, more compassionate, and more inclusive place.

For me, the morning was a powerful reminder of why the Golden Rule matters so much.

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

It sounds simple. But when we truly put those words into action, they can change lives.

What Does the Golden Rule Mean at Control Alt Delete?

At Control Alt Delete, the Golden Rule is more than a principle. It is part of how we approach every Survivor who comes to us through a referral.

When an advocate reaches out to Control Alt Delete on behalf of a Survivor who is ready to escape domestic violence, that moment matters.

The Survivor may be frightened. They may have spent months or even years trying to reach the point where they are finally ready to leave.

Our job isn’t to judge their circumstances.

Our job is to help remove the barriers standing between that Survivor and safety.

That philosophy also shapes how we define inclusion.

Inclusion Means Seeing the Person, Not the Data

One of the things that makes Control Alt Delete different is that we do not ask for or track demographic data points about the Survivors we help.

We don’t need to know someone’s race, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, or other personal characteristics to determine whether they deserve help.

Why?

Because a person’s need for safety shouldn’t depend on a demographic category.

They are a Survivor who is ready to escape domestic violence. That is enough.

We believe inclusion can sometimes mean removing the categories altogether and simply seeing the person in front of us.

If we were the ones frightened, trapped, and trying to get ourselves or our families somewhere safe, we wouldn’t want to be judged or reduced to a set of data points.

We would want someone to believe us.

We would want someone to listen.

And we would want someone to say:

“You matter. You’re ready to leave. Let’s figure out what is standing in your way.”

That is the Golden Rule in action.

Kindness Is More Than Words

One of my biggest takeaways from the Surprise Area Interfaith & Golden Rule Breakfast was that kindness is not passive.

Kindness is action.

It is choosing compassion over judgment.

It is choosing inclusion over exclusion.

It is recognizing that every person has value.

And sometimes, kindness means asking a simple but incredibly important question:

“What barrier is standing in their way, and what can I do to help remove it?”

That question is at the core of what we do at Control Alt Delete.

Our organization is focused on crisis response. We work through a referral-based model with advocates and agencies that are helping Survivors who are ready to escape current domestic violence situations.

We don’t believe Survivors should have to navigate another complicated system when they are already facing one of the most difficult moments of their lives.

We believe in meeting the moment with compassion, dignity, and swift action.

Surrounded by Inspiring People

Being part of the Surprise Area Interfaith & Golden Rule Breakfast was an incredible reminder that none of us has to make a difference alone.

I was surrounded by people who are dedicating their time, talents, resources, faith, and energy to making our community better.

That is what makes events like this so meaningful.

We may represent different organizations.

We may come from different backgrounds.

We may have different beliefs.

But we can still find common ground in something as fundamental as the Golden Rule:

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Imagine what our communities could look like if we all practiced that every day.

Imagine if, instead of asking why someone needs help, we asked how we could help.

Imagine if we looked past labels and saw the person.

Imagine if kindness became the standard.

That is the kind of community I want to help build.

And I am grateful to have spent a morning surrounded by so many inspiring people who are working toward that same goal.

Thank you to the Surprise Area Interfaith community for creating a space where kindness, inclusion, and service could come together.

I left the breakfast inspired, encouraged, and reminded that the Golden Rule isn’t just something we say.

It is something we can choose to live.

And when we do, kindness has the power to change lives.

About Control Alt Delete

Control Alt Delete is a 100% volunteer-run nonprofit organization dedicated to removing the barriers that keep people trapped in domestic violence. Through a referral-based crisis response model, Control Alt Delete provides one-time assistance to help Survivors who are ready to escape reach safety.

Everyone deserves safety. Everyone deserves dignity. Everyone deserves the opportunity to begin again.