|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By María Marroquín
Today, we gather to talk about a vision – not of going back, but of moving forward. A vision not rooted in nostalgia for a past that excluded so many, but in hope for a future where all of us can thrive.
We don’t need to make America great “again.” We need to make it greater than it has ever been. And to do that, we must embrace LOVE:
L – Leading our Vision of Evolution. Leadership isn’t about looking back at what was; it’s about imagining what can be. It’s about guiding our communities to a place where equality, justice, and opportunity are more than ideals – they’re realities.
O – Opening Opportunities for All. America’s greatness doesn’t come from walls or divisions; it comes from opening doors. From welcoming new ideas, new people, and new perspectives. Together, we can unlock opportunities for every single person to rise.
V – Valuing Every Voice. A truly great nation is one where every voice matters. Not just the loudest, the wealthiest, or the most powerful. We evolve when we listen to one another – when the voices of the marginalized, the unheard, and the overlooked are at the center of our progress.
E – Embracing Evolution. Change is hard. It asks us to challenge what we’ve known, to let go of comfort for the sake of growth. But evolution is how we become better. It’s how we create a country where everyone belongs, everyone contributes, and everyone has a chance to live with dignity and purpose.
My friends, LOVE is how we move forward. It’s how we leave behind the shadows of the past and step into the light of a future where no one is left behind. So today, I ask you to join me – not in turning back the clock, but in building something truly extraordinary together.
Let us lead, let us open, let us value, and let us evolve. Because the best version of America is the one we create – together.
Thank you.
María Marroquín is the executive director of the Day Worker Center in Mountain View. The speech was shared at the People’s March on Saturday, Jan. 18.
Well said, Maria. And as emphasized at the National Cathedral’s interfaith Service of Prayer for the Nation by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde. We are truly all in this together.
I Love it when rules are followed, even when we don’t like them, like stop signs in my neighborhood.