UCSD - University of California - San Diego

05/29/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/29/2026 11:31

How Can We Better Connect with Each Other

Published Date

May 29, 2026

Article Content

How can we bring connection back in a very real way?

UC San Diego student-facing leaders attempted to tackle that question at the UC San Diego Wellness Summit: Strength in Kindness and Shared Humanity, featuring bestselling author Shola Richards.

The summit, co-sponsored by the University of California Office of the President, Student Health and Well-Being and Campus Performance and Events Office, featured a keynote by Richards and an engaging panel discussion between Richards and UC San Diego Executive Director of Student Health and Well-Being Ed Junkins, MD, MPH.

"It was my vision that we would bring together leaders, students and those of us who think about wellness every day to be inspired," Junkins says. "Shola is the person I imagined would do this lift for UC San Diego."

Richards founded Go Together Global, a workplace consulting company, after 11 years at UCLA Health. Richards shared that during particularly hard times in his life, what saved him was a quote: 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.' "The most radical act we can do right now together is go into the storm and do so together," shares Richards. "We're not built to do this alone."

"We're not built to do this alone." - Shola Richards

Richards bases his teachings on the African philosophy of 'Ubuntu,' defined as I am because we are: "'Ubuntu' says there's no place where I end and you begin. At the heart of 'Ubuntu' is understanding why people aren't kinder."

That persistent quest for kindness drives Richards, who encourages people to ask yourself three questions before you speak or do anything: is it kind (the heart), is it true (the mind), is it necessary (the gut)? "You don't have to do the right thing every day," he added, "but you just have to do the right thing just today."

Following are a few highlights from Richards' presentation:

On Kindness versus Niceness…

"Being 'nice' and 'kind' are not the same thing. Niceness is being polite and agreeable; it's the birthplace for passive aggressiveness. Kindness is demonstrated through the actions that show you genuinely care about another living individual. True kindness costs something. To be kind is so much harder than to be nice."

On Being Kind to Yourself…

"The ultimate act of self-kindness is being kind to future you. I am obsessed with making future Shola proud. When you have a difficult conversation now, you're doing it for future you who doesn't have to hold that anxiety. When you start being kind to yourself, it starts spilling over to others. Before the day ends, do one small thing for future you."

On Boundaries and Toxic Relationships…

"We cannot be effective individuals without boundaries. The only people who'll be upset with you enforcing your boundaries are the people who'll be upset with you for not respecting your boundaries. The best gift you can give to yourself is to eliminate toxic relationships from your life. Some people in your life need to be loved from a distance."

On Trust and Vulnerability…

"Trust is everything. Whether you're building a work culture or a life, you can't do anything without trust. When you come to work, you must connect to your 'hire' self. You also have to be willing to be vulnerable. I have to put myself at some sort of risk to let people know we're in this together. Kindness, presence, honesty, trust and compassion are required consistently in every interaction. Be present and make people feel safe."

On Kind Gossip…

"'Kossip' is kind plus gossip. Unlike gossip, you're saying kind things behind someone's back. We're neurologically wired to be distrustful of compliments. It builds cultures just like gossip destroys it. But being kind has way more influence on someone's behavior. The difference is control versus choice. If people were watching you behind the scenes, what would they say about you? Show up consistently in a way people will want to follow."

On Having Hard Conversations…

"Be the buffalo, not the cow. When a storm comes, the cow tries to turn away from the storm but the buffalo persists in the storm. The storm is coming either way, and every single person has a storm they've chosen not to enter. But there are three keys to have hard but necessary conversations: Name the cost of the inaction (the why); decide what success looks like (the what); and lead with what you want (the how)."

On Fostering Kind Cultures…

"The people who are choosing to be the tip of the spear will hopefully blaze the path where kindness is normalized. What's the point of showering if we're only going to get dirty again? For us to get to a place where kindness is rewarded, hopefully we get a critical mass of people who are doing this and we can turn the tide. Do the work that won't be monetized quickly, but will create a culture that will encourage people to stay. The party starts when someone gets on the dance floor first."

UCSD - University of California - San Diego published this content on May 29, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 29, 2026 at 17:31 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]