Among our founders were three African American women from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA. They were raised and nurtured by a cohesive community in the midst of an ongoing struggle for civil, cultural, and economic rights. As they entered various professions, these founders and their colleagues developed VISIONS as a way to pass on what they had learned from their elders in this small southern town. In particular, they sought to honor a legacy of respect for group and individual differences and faith in the potential for creating just and equitable institutions.