My Words
How I got here
I have been called a social scientist and a modern-day philosopher. And maybe those descriptions are true. But, I got here through layers of privilege, turbulent trauma, fierce resilience, and persistent joy. Now that I’m not in office, and living a bit more freely, I continually challenge myself to be as transparent as possible.
I think it was my codependent orientation and being a single mom that walked me into the world of selfless service. But the learning from my adult children, therapist, and friends has led me to a transformation into serving more healthily. I truly believe it was my mother’s spirit that was the driving force behind my hard-won first election. It was being a social justice student in seminary that brought me to deep self-reflection and a better understanding of my impact on those around me. Being an interfaith chaplain with hospital patients reconfirmed to me the fragility of our temporal lives here and how we are all mirrors for each other in ways we don’t always want to admit. Perhaps we could more quickly develop the capacity for empathy if we remembered such vulnerability together.
I’m now grateful to be able to serve in classrooms, boardrooms, and communities. Gratitude and restorative practices keep me steeped in bold humility. I do not take my privileges lightly and work hard every day, almost every hour, toward a world of empathy, connectedness, ethics, and justice.
It is my job for the rest of my life.