A question I often get is “what gives me hope?”.
During this season, I am reminded that my optimism comes from my family, instilled in me by the stories and traditions we shared, including around our Thanksgiving table. Our history has grounded me in this way – hope is a choice that gives life meaning, and when you can access it, you can see sources of inspiration every day.
As I have shared, I was fortunate to grow up with my grandparents, who lived through and survived the Holocaust. I was particularly close to my grandmother, who gave birth to my mom at Buchenwald concentration camp days before they were liberated by U.S. soldiers.
Like many of you, our Thanksgiving tradition includes bringing generations together. When I was a kid, we celebrated with my grandparents and, after my grandfather passed, my grandmother, who we called “Bubby”. She was a remarkable woman – honest and open with us, sharing her stories of survival and resilience, and why she cherished the freedom and opportunity in America.
I would ask her: how do you hold on to hope, given what you’ve lived through? She would reply: “as long as you hold on to hope, nothing is lost.” And she said: “it is easier to believe.”
I live in that spirit – to hold on to hope, and choose to believe and look for the good. And, I’ve seen it through my own experience – sources of inspiration are everywhere.
I am inspired to help lead Colorado as your next governor by those that have come before us. Governors like Billy Adams who took on the Klan and won. Governors like Ralph Carr who refused to put Japanese-Americans in internment camps when ordered by the federal government. Governors like Roy Romer who stood up against discrimination, protecting LGBTQ equality long before others did so.
And I am inspired by Coloradans I meet as I travel our state – showing up and listening to their stories. We’ve had an extraordinary, positive response to our Fighting to Colorado tour and roll out of our Colorado Blueprint (which you can read here). Coloradans have offered insights and new ideas, suggesting solutions and offering feedback on how to solve some of our biggest challenges. I am inspired by each of them and know that working together we can make Colorado a place where our kids want to stay and raise their families.
Like you, I recognize we have work to do in Colorado and in our country. We see the rightful fear in many families and communities driven by our politics today and the inhumane policies and unlawful acts out of Washington right now.
Fear is real and is contagious. And so is courage and hope.
I know from my family this is true, even when we are faced with the unthinkable. In honor of those facing challenges today and who have lived through them in the past, I choose hope. And I stand with you to fight injustice and find inspiration in each other.
One more Bubby story – she loved to bake, and had a great recipe for rugelach. We honor her memory each year by making her rugelach as a family. I hope you can join us for an online event on December 21 where we’ll bake it together. You can register here.
I am grateful for the chance to serve you every day. I wish you all the happiest of Thanksgiving and an opportunity to find hope, joy, and support with friends and family during the holiday.
Phil