Crossing the Great Divide in a Fast Car

And I-I, had a feeling that I belonged
I-I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone

— Tracy Chapman, “Fast Car“

At the 2024 Grammys, Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs came together for a performance of “Fast Car” and brought down the house.

The improbability of them appearing together added to the impact. Luke is 33, a white, straight country singer from Dickson Tennessee. Tracy, the elder at 59, is a black, queer, folk singer from the San Francisco Bay Area. How could these two become collaborators? What kind of harmony could come out of this? Transcendent harmony, apparently.

That Sunday evening, Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs got in her fast car (with Ms. Chapman driving), and bridged the divide between age, gender, race, sexual orientation, and geography. The words, sung from the heart by both artists, found profound and poignant meaning as they wafted out over our quarreling and divided nation.

They lifted our hearts with hope, and the possibility that we could bridge the gaps that divide us. In a world filled with so much brokenness, we witnessed a moment of wholeness. The world is hungry for messages of hope such as the one they delivered together. By Monday, Fast Car was #1 on the iTunes list.

Their performance reminds us that, if we can put our arms around each other, then we might feel that we all belong and we can be someone. Be someone.

I will try to remember that when I encounter someone who is experiencing homelessness, the grocery store clerk who doesn’t believe in climate change, and my 90-year-old father.

You can find the full original post at Medium.

Click here to watch Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs sing “Fast Car” at the Grammys.

Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-car-driving-down-a-dirt-road-in-the-desert-C_EWEvz_zLw

Kevin John Fong
All of my life, I have sought to shift narratives and patterns that limit our potential and tear apart our social fabric. To that end, I founded the Kahakulei Institute, whose mission is to weave people and possibilities to cultivate communities of belonging. I am a featured host on the CNBC News series, “Changing the Narrative,” and author of The Five Elements: An East Asian Approach to Achieve Organizational Health, Professional Growth, and Personal Well-Being .

Join the Conversation

Your voice matters! Join the discussion by posting a comment or replying to an existing one. We’d love to hear what you think. Stay friendly, stay curious!

Read the Stories and Meet the People Who Wrote Them
Wander around and see which stories speak to you. Each story contributes to our collective experiences, creating a bridge of shared understanding.

Share Your Story and Be a Bridge Builder
Reflect on a meaningful saying, quote, poem or song. It could be an old family saying, a quote that inspires you, or a heart-touching poem or song.

Support Us
Our project relies on volunteer efforts, your support would be greatly appreciated to help keep this initiative going. Thank you for considering supporting us!

Take a Peek Inside Our Wonderful World of Stories

Man’s heart away from nature becomes hard

Monks and holy guides of many different faiths agree that each person has their own “grace.” As Thomas Merton writes, “And each way is a grace, a special way is a special grace.”

An ancient statue of Quan Yin, seated and with flowing robes and a scroll in her hand

Were it not for shadows, there would be no beauty

On the mantel above my fireplace sits a representation of Quan Yin. I keep her there where I can always see her, because she embodies my intention and my spiritual practice as a human being and as a writer.

A partial view, seen from the back, of a mother reaching down with her hand to her toddler, as they walk

Nobody seems to mind

I lived in my suburban townhouse for nine years before I set foot inside a neighbor’s house. I knew their names and enough for a few minutes of small talk, but after that it felt safer to hurry back inside…

A bee on a lavender plant in a field of lavender.

What stands in the way becomes the way

My husband and I moved to Vermont, in part, because of our love for the land and farming. We filled our new homestead with native plants to support pollinators. This year, our farmer neighbor decided to plant corn on our border – corn laced with pesticides…