The struggle to achieve the ideals of America has ebbed and flowed throughout our nation's history.  Each generation has stepped forward to push back against the tides of hate, division, and fear.  Our generation has seen injustice firsthand and must take its turn in moving us toward that which we aspire to be.  A land of freedom, justice, and equality for all, regardless of race, religion, gender identity, or country of origin.

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That struggle takes many forms and needs to be at the front of mind for every citizen and elected official.  Whatever the role, we must ensure that justice is indeed blind, that equality is indeed realized, and that our citizens indeed can walk in their neighborhoods, go to their jobs, play at the park with their children, and trust that public safety professionals are there to protect and support them too.

This is work that requires taking time to reach out and actually get to know one another in order to break down stereotypes. We need to listen and in some cases relearn our history through the eyes of others to comprehend how past actions may have disproportionally impacted individuals or communities. We need to explore the biases that still exist today, both conscious and unconscious and work to bring people together to unravel those thoughts and feelings.

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This is a journey that we must take as a community but Andrew is committed to push forward this dialogue and to working across interest groups to ensure that our communities are not only safe for every person but that public services are provided to the residents in ways that support the community, that help those at risk so that they don't end up in overcrowded jail systems.  A community can only be vibrant and rich if it is safe, supportive, and accessible for everyone.