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Hello Lydia,
Just moments before we were to send this email out yesterday, we received the devastating news that 19 children and 2 teachers were gunned down at their elementary. No amount of time would provide me the ability to provide an adequate response to such a horrific tragedy. I certainly cannot find the right words right now. However, not knowing what to say about a tragedy is not an excuse to pretend as if a tragedy has not occurred.
While more information is sure to emerge what we do know is 19 families sent their children to school yesterday morning and will never again have a chance to hold them or kiss them. We also know two dedicated teachers went to work to help build our precious children into good, well educated citizens and were killed in what should be the safest environment imaginable. And we also know that tragedies like this do not occur with regularity in a healthy society. It is clear that collectively we are not ok.
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As many of you know, my first real career was as a high school coach. From the age of 17-26, I worked with high school student-athletes to help them fulfill their individual and collective potential. Over time, our swim team became a powerhouse. We won a league championship, achieved a top-20 national ranking, and rewrote the schools’ record book. However, that athletic success is neither what I am most proud of nor what most remains with me over a decade after I left coaching. Instead, it is what we became as a group. It is how our team became more like a family and saw the success of one as the success of us all.
I’ve attempted to re-create that team and family culture in each job I’ve held since and my role as Councilmember is no different. Upon entering office we thought carefully about each hire we made and worked hard — despite being unable to meet in person for the first several months of our tenure — to build a culture where we could grow from a council office into a team and eventually into a family. I think we’ve done that.
Remarkably, despite the stresses of the job and all of the tumult in the world, every member of the team we started with remains with us today. That will change on Friday when Brett Weise works his last day with us so he can attend Rutgers Law School. Brett has been an invaluable member of our D9 family and he will certainly be missed. However, as much as we’ll miss him, we’re also happy for him. Brett is attending law school with the intent of continuing his public service as a public interest attorney. His success in that arena will result in a win for all of us — a more just society. I hate to see Brett go, but I am so excited to see what he is going to do.
With gratitude,
Sean
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