Hate Should Never Be Part of Your Vocabulary

Blog - Month of October 2026
By - Jerome D. Ryans, President & CEO, Tampa Housing Authority
Words have power. They can encourage someone who is struggling, inspire someone who has
lost hope, or bring people together when circumstances threaten to divide us. But words can
also wound, create barriers, and deepen the very divisions that keep communities from moving
forward.
That is why I believe hate should never be a part of your vocabulary. We live in a world where
disagreements are inevitable. We will not always share the same opinions, backgrounds,
experiences, or perspectives. But disagreement does not require disrespect, and differences do
not require division.
As leaders, as neighbors, as parents, as coworkers, and simply as human beings, we have a
responsibility to think carefully about the words we choose.
It is easy to criticize what we do not understand. It is easy to judge someone based on a single
interaction, a headline, a social media post, or an assumption. It is much harder and much more
meaningful to pause, listen, learn, and seek understanding.
That is where leadership begins. Leadership is not simply about having a title or being in a
position of authority. Leadership is demonstrated by how we treat people, particularly when we
disagree with them. It is demonstrated by whether we choose to build bridges instead of walls
and whether we look for solutions instead of assigning blame.
Throughout my years of public service, I have learned that communities are strongest when
people recognize what they have in common rather than focusing solely on what separates
them.
At the Tampa Housing Authority, our work is about much more than buildings, programs, and
services. It is about people. It is about families, children, seniors, working individuals, and
communities that deserve opportunity, dignity, and respect.
Every day, we have an opportunity to demonstrate those values. That does not mean we ignore
injustice. It does not mean we remain silent when something is wrong. And it certainly does not
mean that we cannot have difficult conversations.
In fact, difficult conversations are sometimes necessary. But we can address difficult issues
without allowing hatred to define us. We can stand firmly for what we believe while still
recognizing the humanity of those with whom we disagree.
There is tremendous strength in choosing respect. There is strength in choosing compassion.
There is strength in choosing forgiveness. And there is strength in choosing to understand
before we judge.
I also believe this lesson begins at home. Our children are watching how we speak about people
who are different from us. They are watching how we respond when someone disappoints us or
disagrees with us. They are learning from the language we use and the behavior we
demonstrate.
If we want a more compassionate and united community tomorrow, we must model it today.
We cannot expect the next generation to build bridges if we spend our time teaching them how
to build walls.
So, I encourage each of us to examine our vocabulary, not simply the words we speak aloud, but
the words we allow to take root in our hearts. Replace hate with understanding. Replace
judgment with curiosity. Replace division with dialogue. Replace bitterness with forgiveness.
And replace fear of differences with an appreciation for the richness those differences bring to
our communities.
We may not always agree. We may come from different places and travel different paths. But
we all share something fundamental: the desire to be respected, valued, heard, and treated with
dignity. Let us choose words that reflect that shared humanity. Let us be intentional about the
example we set. And let us remember that every interaction gives us a choice: We can add to
the division, or we can be part of the solution.
Hate should never be part of your vocabulary. Choose words that heal, actions that uplift, and
a life that makes your community stronger. That is the kind of leadership our communities
need and the kind of legacy worth leaving behind.