For the third year in a row, we are being invited to participate in the City of San José’s annual Resident Satisfaction Survey. I hope you’ll join me in taking this survey, as it exemplifies our role as an engaged partner in San José.
Category Archives: Government
Today’s Protests on Capitol Hill
Today, January 6, 2021, the United States Congress gathered to certify the 2020 Presidential Election. This act is an important, if largely ceremonial, part of our nation’s democratic process. Some lawmakers indicated in advance that they planned to issue formal objections to the recent presidential election. Though many anticipated that organized protests would also take place during today’s proceedings, what we are now seeing unfold on Capitol Hill has been met with alarm and concern.
An Historic Election Draws to a Close
Today, November 7, 2020, is an historic day for the United States and for the democratic principles we hold dear.
In addition to electing the nation’s 46th president, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., we will now have – for the very first time – a woman holding the second highest office in the land. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, is, of course, a Californian and Bay Area native, and her Jamaican and Asian Indian ancestry symbolizes the rich diversity and possibilities of our nation.
Post-election reflections
The current election cycle, which has not yet quite concluded as of this writing, has generated a mixed array of emotions for many of us. With more than 100 million votes cast even before Nov. 3, the overall turnout for these elections will likely equal or surpass any others in our nation’s history. Even more impressive, perhaps, is the number of first-time and young voters who cast a vote or were active at the local level. Adjusting so well in the midst of a global pandemic demonstrates the power of our democracy.
“What the Eyes Don’t See” a compelling, though sobering, campus reading selection for our times
It was a real treat for me to join a recent Zoom webinar to discuss this semester’s campus reading program selection, What the Eyes Don’t See, by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha. Dr. Mona is a pediatrician, public health advocate and immigrant who practices in Flint, Michigan. Her book brilliantly shines a spotlight on the water crisis there, revealing how children were exposed to dangerous levels of lead.