An Illinois man on a 1,700-mile walk down the center of the U.S. stopped in Kingfisher Monday to spread his message of unity.

John Inserra, founder of the nonprofit organization For Our Shared Humanity, dropped by Strange Brew coffee shop with his photographer Rob Ryndak and his nephew and videographer Miles Inserra for just one of their 75 stops.

Inserra’s 1,700-mile walk from Westhope, N.D., to Hope, Texas, was devised to help bring unity to the country through kindness, compassion and understanding as a counter to the current pull to divide.

Inserra and his team took the first step of their anticipated 120-day journey on July 4.

His chosen path down what he describes as “the spine of America” also emphasizes his message of “walk the middle to find common ground.”

His website describes his intent of “looking, listening, and learning, documenting the entire journey, shaping a voice, and building a base of appropriate educational content and programing to later share in our schools, at all levels, promoting a national unifying dynamic influenced through shared humanity.”

Inserra promotes the Zulu philosophy of Ubuntu, which translates literally as “a person is a person through other people.”

In other words, community is the foundation of society, he said.

“Difference makes us who we are,” he said.

“It doesn’t have to be a point of division. When people connect there’s a positive energy that will trickle out.”

A retired executive in the hospitality industry, Inserra said his walk has helped him realize the importance of patience.

“When you slow everything down to the pace of walking, you truly enjoy the present at all times,” he said. “It gives you the depth of being able to be patient and in the moment.”

As Inserra and his team left Kingfisher to their next stop in El Reno, his advice was simple:

“Keep your eyes up and your hearts open.”