When we talk about “our people,” we mean the groups we belong to: our families, our friends, our communities, and even our nations. Humans naturally live in communities; we need others for survival, support, and identity. The question is: how do these groups shape who we are?

Community shapes our values and choices: sometimes in positive ways (support, accountability, shared meaning), but sometimes in negative ways (peer pressure, exclusion, division). The challenge is to recognize the power of “our people” and to decide which groups we will allow to define us. Think about this: Who do you consider “your people”? Are they your family? Your closest friends? Your neighborhood? Or do you believe it includes all of humanity? Whoever they are, those groups shape you, and you shape them.