"Heroes and Other Mortals" tells the stories of people standing against social injustice or exploring the pain and ambiguity of the human condition. By blending interviews and stories of well-known figures like Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Sidney Poitier with lesser-known heroes like Rabbi Abraham Heschel, Regina Benjamin, Kathy Mattea, and Elyn Saks, Gaillard celebrates the people who have tried to make things better.