For Sara Ting, President & Founder of World Unity, Inc., leadership success is not about standard measures but is rooted in an innermost personal search for meaning fueled by an early childhood question: “Why am I here on earth? What is my purpose?” This same question has shaped her life’s work, devoted to establishing a more equitable and harmonized world.
Sara reaffirms that success is a personal journey, driven by personal values and the type of contribution one desires to make. Socrates’ mantra, “Know thyself,” reiterates her belief in knowing oneself as the secret to a purposeful and influential life.
Defining Impact: Success in Diversity and Inclusion
In the complex world of inclusion and diversity, Sara’s measure of success is the real difference that one creates in human lives. It’s enabling others to love themselves and each other, creating inclusive cultures everywhere on the planet, and fostering such noble qualities as being open-minded, humble, compassionate, and forgiving. Enabling marginalized voices and appreciating collaboration are essential in her vision of the world as appreciative of all people. Her source of inspiration is the “Sun Poem,” which she thinks conveys a universal truth concerning equality.
Mother Teresa’s somber words concerning the agony of being unwanted also add to the urgency of her mission. Sara interprets her group’s activities as an imperative response to this “disease,” disseminating the “Sun Poem” at no cost as a vehicle of change. Sara believes that actual change in eliminating unconscious biases must come from within individuals, something the “Sun Poem” can ignite a change within.
A Poetic Journey: From Personal Journal to Global Stage
Sara’s career, as a first-generation Chinese American and a fine arts major, took an important turn with the “Sun Poem” of 1978. Privately written, it became the focus of public service campaigns in 1985. A turning point in 1987, hearing how the poem encouraged forgiveness showed its larger potential, resulting in the establishment of World Unity Inc. in 1993.
The organization supports equality by promoting self-awareness through the “Sun Poem” and empowering individuals through the arts, education, and innovative concepts. One bold and ambitious initiative is to build the World Unity Landmark showcasing the Sun Poem. Sara’s background as a freelance reporter and two decades of experience as a poet-in-residence developed her communication and inspirational capabilities.
The “Sun Poem” also inspired her “Small Book with Big Ideas” trilogy, which has received notable recognition. Her influence extends to a TEDx Talk on overcoming unconscious biases and a recent Beacon of Light Award in Dubai.
Cultivating Inclusivity Through Focused Initiatives
The overall mission of World Unity Inc., as prompted by the “Sun Poem,” is equality by reflecting on the poem and becoming more self-aware and empowered. A long-term project is the World Unity Landmark, symbolizing equality for all people. The poem’s question—are you greater than the sun?—prompts self-examination of one’s own biases.
The organization fulfills its purpose through many central initiatives:
- Annual Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Gala: A 27-year institution, the gala brings together leaders to advance Sun Poem-inspired initiatives and provides a chief source of funding, engaging many global and regional businesses and institutions.
- National Public Service Campaigns: Posting the “Sun Poem” on digital billboards across the country magnifies the message of equality and unity, receiving positive feedback and engaging a wide audience.
- Singing Equality Across America and Around the World: This school-based program employs the song “We All See the Stars,” based on the “Sun Poem,” to teach values of equality to children, with worldwide reach and positive effects documented by students.
- Encouraging the TEDx Talk: The “Uncover and Overcome All Unconscious Biases” TEDx Talk is an asset for professional growth, embraced by many organizations and institutions worldwide.
- World Unity Inc. 5-Minute Leadership Conversation: Through this online interview series, inspiring and global perspectives on leadership are promoted with thought-provoking discussions.
- Constructing the World Unity Monument: Continued work is directed towards making the permanent landmark featuring the “Sun Poem” a representation of equality for generations to come.
World Unity Inc.’s approach is to creatively incorporate the “Sun Poem” into every area of society. Despite being very volunteer-driven, its long-term success and alliances with large organizations reflect the poem’s power to transform and the organization’s visionary impact. Sara feels that the “Sun Poem” is key to internal transformation that is essential to transcend human prejudices.
Lessons in Resilience and Advocacy
Sara’s journey has entailed the conflict of being a minority, often being ignored and underestimated, and going in a nonconformist path. Her learning is through experience and self-discovery, stressing “knowing thyself.” Being unwanted resulted in the “Sun Poem,” continuing to pursue the ideal of universal equality. This showed her the need for self-advocacy while still having respect and compassion. She knew from an early time that equality is real only when people are willing to challenge their own prejudices and how the role of the arts brings this about.
The “Sun Poem” inspires Sara as a leader with values of love, compassion, and forgiveness. Fundraising for intangible global issues is unique because the traditional metrics can’t quite reach the essence of eliminating bias. Sara also speaks of the counterproductive process of viewing diversity and inclusion as a competition. Despite all these barriers, her mind remains fixed on her vision and keeping alive the hope of the “Sun Poem’s” potential to bring about change.
The Future of AI and a Leader’s Principles
In AI, Sara is definitive on its value as a tool but cautions against placing it above human beings and human relationships and the necessity of reducing the possibility of bias in its development. Although she is not a technologist, her contribution in promoting a mindset of valuing everyone applies to avoiding AI bias. She points to the accessibility of her TEDx Talk as one resource for doing so.
Sara’s daily schedule starts with self-reflection and planning. She calls herself a person motivated by “love.” Work-life balance requires self-knowing, concentrating on what is within one’s control, and ensuring joy and personal priorities. Her personal and professional aspirations converge in strengthening the impact of her Sun Poem-inspired work and ensuring World Unity Inc.’s sustainability, aspiring to motivate other women leaders to be themselves and vision-led. It is her life’s mission to spread the “Sun Poem” as an urgent message of equality, love, and justice for future generations.
Sara’s advice first and foremost, to lead with their humanity—embrace the depth and authenticity of being human.” Confront your inner prejudices, cultivate self-awareness, step outside of your comfort zone, make value-driven choices, cultivate humility, a collaborative leadership mindset, and lead with love and resilience. Have a clear vision of what you want to accomplish, have gratitude for all that you receive, have a great team of people dedicated with you on the vision and be connected to a force greater than yourself- for her it is God.
Conclusion
Sara Ting’s life and work embody the dynamic force of one vision brought to life in the simple yet effective “Sun Poem.” Her commitment to creating global belonging, her courage in transcending adversity, and her creative process through World Unity Inc. are all a beacon for an open future. Her unwavering commitment to the universal dignity of all human beings inspires a people’s path toward a world in which all human beings are welcomed to belong.
Sara concludes with the poignant “Being” poem, encapsulating her philosophy:
“No one can tell the sun it’s great
It just shines
No one can tell the rose it’s beautiful
It just blooms
No one can tell the river to move
It just flows
And no one can tell you
Who you are except you!”
