Today, I speak not merely as Renée L. Brown, a Black woman who has overcome some of life’s harshest challenges, but as one appointed by God to call for a profound transformation in how we value one another. This is not simply a personal mission; it is a divine mandate. I have been chosen to lead a cause larger than myself, one that insists on a return to the virtues that sustain humanity. I am here to declare that if we do not change our beliefs, if we continue to allow status, wealth, and power to dictate worth, we are on a path of self-destruction.
In a world where greed and control have replaced compassion and integrity, we have lost sight of what makes us truly human. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “If you have not found something you are willing to die for, you are not fit to live.” I have found that cause. I am willing to stand, to sacrifice, and to fight for the restoration of our humanity through a revolution of values— a movement that places character above all else. In 1968, Dr. King called for a “Radical revolution of values” in his “Beyond Vietnam” speech. I believe that this is a call to break free from the shallow, divisive structures that dehumanize us and to embrace what I call “character currency”—the virtues that reflect the Holy One who created us all.
Growing Up with Character Currency
I grew up in a household where wealth was not measured in dollars or possessions but in character. Raised by my great-grandmother, a woman of unshakable faith, I was taught that virtues like compassion, humility, and strength were the true markers of a life well-lived. I later called these virtues “character currency,” the kind of riches that could not be taken away or bought. This character currency was our most precious inheritance, and it reflected the traits of the Divine—love, wisdom, mercy, and courage.
Regardless of how little we had, we always had a heart to help others. If a friend needed a place to sleep, my great-grandmother opened our modest home offering what little we had. In moments like this, I understood that our worth is not defined by what we own but by how we live, by the kindness and compassion we show to others. It was these early lessons in character currency that planted the seeds of the B.E.A.S.T. mindset—a framework built on Bravery, Enthusiasm, Authenticity, Self-control, and Thankfulness. This mindset became my guide, a divine compass in a world that often values everything but character.
The Value Gap and the Urgency of Change
My journey has been shaped by a world that all too often devalues people based on race, gender, and status. As Dr. Eddie Glaude explains in Democracy in Black, America suffers from a “value gap,” a deeply embedded hierarchy that values white lives over Black lives, men over women, and wealth over integrity. This value gap divides us, creating a culture that rewards power, greed, and self-interest, while undermining the dignity of those who have been historically marginalized. It is a societal wound that cannot be healed by policies alone; it requires a fundamental shift in our beliefs and values.
David Brooks, in How America Got Mean, speaks to this crisis, noting that our society no longer teaches us the essential virtues of kindness, empathy, and humility. We have lost the capacity to see one another as inherently worthy. Instead, we judge each other by superficial measures, feeding a cycle of isolation, hostility, and moral decay. If we continue down this path, we will not only destroy our social fabric but also risk losing our humanity.
This is why I accept, with humility and resolve, my role in the revolution of values. I am here to help bridge this gap, to stand as a testament that we can—and must—return to a life rooted in character, purpose, and service to one another. This is not simply my choice; it is my calling.
The Divine Call to Lead a Revolution of Values
This Revolution of Values is more than a social movement; it is a spiritual awakening, a divine call to re-center our lives around virtues that elevate and sustain us. It is a plea to value each other as sacred, to see beyond skin color, gender, or social status, and to embrace the truth that we are all children of God, equally worthy and beloved. This revolution calls us to replace the hollow pursuits of power and prestige with character currency— the virtues that bring us closer to the Divine.
My path has not been easy. I have faced homelessness, raised a daughter with a life-threatening diagnosis, battled discrimination in corporate America, and fought my own health battles. Through it all, I leaned on the B.E.A.S.T. mindset, guided by the same virtues that my great-grandmother instilled in me. The B.E.A.S.T. mindset—Bravery, Enthusiasm, Authenticity, Self-control, and Thankfulness—allowed me to not only survive but to fulfill this higher calling. I am here because I believe, with every fiber of my being, that God has given me this purpose: to lead others to break free from the old, oppressive beliefs that have kept us divided and to embrace a life of character, compassion, and service.
Authenticity Over Anger: A Call to Be Who We Are
Too often, Black women are stereotyped as “angry” when we speak up for justice or stand firm in our convictions. But we are not angry— we are authentic. We are driven by a sense of purpose, by a calling to stand for what is right, rooted in virtues. Authenticity means aligning our actions with our values, our words with truth, and our purpose with a higher calling.
We are not here to conform to a world that diminishes our worth or to fight battles with the tools of bitterness and hostility. Instead, we fight with the currency of character—with bravery to speak truth, enthusiasm to uplift, authenticity to remain true to ourselves, self-control to act wisely, and thankfulness to celebrate life’s blessings even in hardship.
This is not an easy path. Authenticity demands courage to be misunderstood, to be criticized, and to stand alone if necessary. But it is the only path that leads to true freedom and transformation. Dr. King called for a revolution of values, and I call on you to join me in this divine movement, to break free from the chains of superficiality and division, and to embrace the divine character within us all.
Together, we can create a world where worth is not dictated by status or wealth but by the content of our character. Together, we can bridge the value gap and restore our collective humanity.
So, I leave you with this challenge: Let us be authentic, not angry. Let us be bold, not bitter. Let us be agents of change, not captives of despair. This is our call. This is our moment. And with character as our currency, this is the revolution we were made to lead.