On Friday America lost two civil rights icons, the Reverend Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian and Congressman John Lewis.

In this time of tremendous inequality and inequity, as calls for systemic change continue, the lives and deeds of these two men offer hope and a roadmap to prosperity and equality. As civil rights leaders and champions, they held up our collective conscience and helped us with the struggle to be that more perfect Union.

Vivian called for our country and our fellow citizens to see each other for our humanity and the dignity that must be afforded to all in a nation born on the aspirational principle that all are created equal. Well before the passage of the Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act, Vivian marched, organized and proselytized the gospel of equal rights and equal justice under the law. In 1947 he was part of what has widely been recognized as one of the first nonviolent protests in the U.S. civil rights era. Until his final days, he remained a stalwart champion for civil rights. He worked alongside hundreds in the fight for freedom and justice, including alongside Ms. Rosa Parks.

When asked about Vivian, Parks once said: “Even after things had supposedly been taken care of and we had our rights, he was still out there, inspiring the next generation, including me.”

One of those inspired civil activists was Rep. Lewis, who also passed away on Friday. Lewis' historic fight against racial injustice spanned many decades. In his early days of activism he stood up a student civil rights movement grounded in nonviolence, he was a Freedom Rider, he risked his life to organize and lead hundreds of people during the march to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, and much more. While Lewis carried the physical scars of the brutal beating he received at the hands of Alabama state troopers during the march in Selma, his soul remained healed. He never called for revenge, nor expressed hatred for his abusers. Instead, he called for forgiveness, understanding and even love for those who were diametrically opposed to his cause, not to mention his right to be treated equally. Still, he called for a continuation for the fight for justice, humanity, freedom, dignity and prosperity.

I never had the opportunity to meet either man, although I will continually live in the benefit of their presence. It is only because of their deeds, their teachings and sacrifices that I and other persons of color have the opportunity to lead. It is because of their examples that I feel the duty to ensure we understand and embrace what equity can and should mean to every person and recognize the responsibility we have in our community of philanthropy to make that our reality. We work in a field premised on the belief that it is our responsibility to engage in deeds for the love of humankind. These two American icons will be known for their acts in the quest for civil rights, transformative work that was grounded in the true definition of philanthropy.

I am tremendously grateful that we had these two heroes in our world and I am profoundly struck by the responsibility each of us has to carry forward their work. As one of our early civil rights leaders, Harriet Tubman quoted John 14:3 from the Bible just before her own passing, “...I go and prepare a place for you...” Thank you, Reverend Vivian and Congressman Lewis for preparing our way. 

*This article has been updated with a correction to reflect that Harriet Tubman quoted John 14:3 from the Bible before her own passing.