January,
2008
Message from Mayor McLaughlin
Dear
Friends,
Here we are one
week into 2008 already. The year ahead is fresh and new and
we must embrace it with renewed hopes, dreams, and caring
outreach efforts to one another.
I want to thank
all those who were able to attend the special "Meet-with-the-Mayor" on
December 21st which was dedicated to the memory of lives
lost to homicide in the past year. We remain with a heavy
heart, but are committed to making 2008 the year in which
the community is fully engaged in making a difference in
our city.
I remain committed
to addressing the root causes of violence that have to do
with economic distress and oppression. One way for all Richmond
residents to show solidarity with those who are suffering
is to voice support to the City Council for funding initiatives
such as our youth job corps and increased recreation programs.
As we enter the
new year, a few announcements:
--On January 22nd
at the City Council meeting (7 pm in the Council Chambers,
1401 Marina Way South), I will be presenting the 2008 MLK
Richmond Community Leadership and Service Awards to many
extraordinary individuals in our city who have worked hard
throughout 2007 to advance a better, a more peaceful, and
a more just Richmond.
--Also at the January
22nd Council meeting, I will be delivering my "2008
State of the City"
address. I am very much looking forward to delivering this
address and giving a recap of our collective accomplishments,
recommitting to addressing our ongoing challenges, and setting
the stage for new undertakings and plans for 2008.
--I continue to
hold weekly Meet-with-the-Mayor sessions on Fridays. Most
of these meetings take place from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the
Whittlesey Community Room (next to the library). However,
we are planning to hold the 4th Friday meeting per month
in different neighborhoods of the city. We are looking to
hold one later in January at the Nevin Community Center.
--Lastly, I want
to announce that I have hired a new staffperson in my office.
I am delighted to have Marilyn Langlois, a long-time community
and social activist and a Richmond resident, join my office
staff as Community Advocate. I am very excited about the
experience, skills and commitment that Marilyn brings. Together
with the ongoing efforts and commitments of Parin Shah and
Kibibi Culbertson, Marilyn rounds off a great Mayor's Office
team as we work together, with all of you, to bring about
a better 2008.
I remain ever-committed
to elevate and bring forward the "goodness" that
defines us here in Richmond. We must always remember that
our goodness outweighs our challenges. It is that goodness,
along with our courage to face our problems, that will elevate
us in 2008.
Let me end with
a quote from Martin Luther King Jr., as we near his birthday
commemoration this year:
"Change does
not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through
continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs
and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your
back is bent."
-- MLK, Jr.
Sincerely,
Mayor McLaughlin |
