Greetings and salutations neighbors of Washington,
The past few weeks have altered or impacted our individual lives and social contacts. Regardless of our beliefs and status, each of us has had to pause and to breath in contemplation of who we are individually and what makes us humane. As we are forced radically to adjust our lives and roles each of us play in communion with others, I ask you as residents of the District of Columbia to join me to give thanks to those medical professionals, police, fire and emergency medical services first responders working on the front lines during this public health emergency. They are united to serve and to protect us under this present stressed and difficult circumstance. They are all known to us, if not by name; most certainly by community position.
I, also, at this time ask you to join me to extend thanks to our local government leaders; Mayor Muriel Bowser; City Administrator Rashad Young; Chairman Phil Mendelson, Members of the Council of the District of Columbia; Dr. LaQuadra S. Nesbitt, Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health; DC Chief of Police Peter Newsham; DC Fire and EMS Chief Gregory Dean; other DC Department/Agency Directors and valiant District employees who continue to serve us. Under their collective leadership, they are tasked to make quick and difficult governmental decisions to keep us safe, to keep us healthy and to keep us alive.
However, it must not be lost on any of us, as Washingtonians, they are also human with feelings and emotions. They, like us, have families and friends they dearly love and wish to be near. Tragically, someone they has been impacted by the coronavirus – COVID-19. As they wrestle with making unimaginable and unprecedented decisions, it will be thoughtful to give them a certain space and an occasional moment to breathe, to exhale and if necessary, to come and to walk in the garden alone or in social distance with others and smell the flowers while the dew is still on the roses.
“We shall triumph over … and stand in confidence….” We are in this together. We will survive this together. We Are Washington, DC.
Stay safe…stay healthy…complete the 2020 Census.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
https://2020census.gov/en.html
Robert
“And I will not be silent…” - to injustice, racism, bigotry and white supremacy - “…as long as I am breathing.”
Robert Vinson Brannum
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner
President Emeritus, DC Federation of Civic Associations, Inc.
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