2020 was a year like no other. Like all of you, we hoped with a vaccine in hand and a new administration on the horizon, 2021 would bring a new dawn. Yet, as the sun rose on January 7th, we knew our work was far from done.

We deplore the violent acts of insurrection that took place at our nation’s Capitol, and reaffirm our commitment to building a city that is built on equity and justice for all. While we don’t have all of the answers, we believe that light will outshine all darkness, and that our struggle today will be a prelude to new hope and possibilities.

We are encouraged that violence did not win, and that the count of the Electoral College vote was carried out. But we are reminded that the principles of our society are not immutable – they are something we have to stand up for everyday.

Our mission continues to be tied directly to the problems that plague our society. Inclusion, equity, and justice are the answer. The more divided we are by geography, wealth, race, and experience, the easier it is to see the other as the enemy.

We invite you to begin this year with us reconvicted in the work of creating a just city that works for all people.

“We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.”