2023-05-10

May 10, 2023

I want to say thank you.  I want to say thank you for coming out, voting, and making your voices heard.  I want to say thank you for standing up, standing together, and sending a message.

On Tuesday, the people of Christina School District elected me and Y.F. Lou, and while you might never truly know how grateful I am, that’s not what’s important.  Like Bernie said: “Not me.  Us.”  I just happened to be the name on the ballot.  You were the driving force.

On Tuesday, the people of Christina School District sent a message: we will not be manipulated by fear-driven tactics; we will not allow attacks on our most vulnerable to be used as a wedge to divide us; we will not minimize and denigrate our teachers; we will not sacrifice our children on the altar of radical right-wing ideology.

Voter turnout was the highest that it’s been in at least 15 years, and while that number is still far too small, it is perfectly clear that when the people of this district are engaged, informed, and involved, they will come together to help build a better world.  You did this.  You wrote letters to your neighborhoods.  You knocked on your neighbors’ doors.  You called your friends and coworkers.  You talked about what was important to you and you listened to each other.  You wanted to ensure that our public schools would thrive, you did the work, and now you’ve sent a powerful message.

I urge you—all of you—not to let this slip away.  Something magical happened on Tuesday, something that I am so honored to be a part of.  Whatever networks you built, whatever channels of communication you forged, I want you to keep them alive.  I want you to keep this movement going, and I want you to grow it.

I am only one member of a seven-person school board, but you are a force of nature.  You all have my e-mail address, and everyone who took a card from me or one of my volunteers has my cell phone number.  Get together with whatever group got you engaged, even if it was just you and a couple of friends, and give me a call.  Let’s meet, let’s talk, and let’s figure out what we can do to keep moving forward and keep our community strong.

It’s not me.  It never was.  It was always you.