Christine Carmichael, etiquette coach and founder of The Flemming Academy of Etiquette & Protocol, served as guest speaker for the Mathews County NAACP’s annual Freedom Fund banquet on Saturday at the Church of Francis de Sales, themed “A Fight for Freedom.”
In her address, Carmichael reminded attendees that freedom is not only won in the courts or at the ballot box—it is protected in how we treat one another.
“Kindness is resistance, and grace is our legacy,” Carmichael said. “When we choose kindness, we resist hatred without losing our humanity. And when we model grace, we pass on dignity to the next generation.” Drawing from Ephesians 4:32 and 2 Timothy 1:5, Carmichael shared that freedom must also be cultivated through personal character and generational influence.
“Kindness is not weakness—it is strategic strength. And today, in a world that thrives on division, where social media rewards outrageous and salacious headlines that fuel conflict, we can choose a different weapon. ...