A Letter From Ward 6 Council Member Charles Allen

ALL OF US Together

CLASS OF

Dear Class of 2022,

It is my great honor to have the opportunity to address so many of you here in our community newspaper and to wish you the very best as you mark this important milestone on your journey. Congratulations – you did it!

Words of wisdom during commencements are pretty common. Everyone has lots of advice for you because we all can see how much potential you have in whatever comes next. And I have no doubt there are great things ahead for the class of 2022, no matter where your next stop is.

You have come to your graduation at a time when life can feel very urgent – and at times a bit overwhelming. But I don’t need to tell you all this. I suspect you know better than most folks older than yourself that we are facing some pretty daunting challenges. Gun violence, climate change, racial inequality, threats to women’s rights, and so many more issues are all massive challenges we face as a community and as a nation. Even as we create time and space to make sure we celebrate you and this important milestone on your journey to adulthood, there’s no sense in ignoring that you’re being asked to grow up fast. We need you.

If there’s one thing I wish to impart on you, it is that you should know you can make a di erence in these problems and the challenges ahead. And I know you will. There are countless paths and ways forward that can improve life, not just for you, your family, and your friends, but also for your community and for strangers you’ll never meet. You have incredible power and potential, and I wish you could see it the way your parents and loved ones can see it in you. I’ve learned there won’t be a single magic “ah ha!” moment sometime in the future when you know you’re ready. But you will be ready. And as you continue to grow, stretch, and learn, do so knowing you are fully capable of solving some of the world’s biggest problems and being a part of moving things in the right direction.

Class of 2022, I have great hope for your futures. As you take your next steps, I hope you do so knowing that your community is incredibly proud of what you have accomplished, and we look forward to seeing what you do next.

Congratulations!

Councilmember Charles Allen, Ward 6 Chair, Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety