I am consumed by eating. I navigate layers of complexity in all of my relationships to food, whether it’s my personal history, the food system, or the current work I do to feed myself and others. Like all of us, my connection to food is rooted in childhood memories. I recall my mom’s thai noodle salad that was everyone’s favorite dinner, and the giant metal bowl she served it in. I can feel the excitement when my dad would make pizza and the hot oven would set off the fire alarm. I remember my nana’s chocolate chip cookies, and how eating was a simple act of pleasure when I was a young child. I was fortunate to always have enough food, and yet, I find a thread of hunger that weaves through many of my memories.

I can imagine the moment when everyone is eating their way through a pile of quahogs, each person busy at their own work but also representing the work of so many whose contributions made the moment possible. Murgo Family Day is an exaltation of food and family that unites the ordinary with the extraordinary. Each of us weaves their thread into a collective creation, a space to come together and celebrate the bonds that form our foundation. We celebrate our ancestors while also teaching the next generations about the importance of shared history, and leading them into a future with the support of a big family.

Each encounter with wildlife brings us closer to this land. The same goes for each encounter with our community that brings us closer in this place we collectively call home.

I am here for the conversations about birds. I am also here for the conversations unfolding around the topics of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. I follow and support the work of the Chariho Antiracism Task Force as they address these issues and bring them to the attention of the School Committee, and our community.

I am heartened that our community worked towards a counterbalance of concerns by listening and responding. This process reveals the heart of a democracy that values both freedom and feelings.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are concepts that relate to the human issue of belonging. They can help us craft a broader human narrative so that more people feel the power of belonging and having a valuable place within their community. To be enacted, these concepts require empathy, and a shared understanding of historical context. Unfortunately, these human concerns have had a political fire lit underneath them that claims they are part of an agenda to destroy schools and communities. This fire has spread to School Committee meetings in our district, and across the state and country. This movement attempts to devalue and in some instances, punish efforts of anti-racism.

As we begin to explore a return to open smiles in school hallways, I am hopeful for the future of post-pandemic life. I believe what students, teachers, and staff need now is not only to maintain their current resources but to improve and expand upon them. Students who have fallen behind academically may also be having mental health, social and behavioral issues that require additional assistance. For many students, the only place they have access to these resources is school.