Like many of you, yesterday I watched in horror at the images of an insurrection in our nation’s Capitol. And like many of you, I am deeply disheartened and dismayed by the violence and chaos that took place as these individuals desecrated the home of Congress.
As we process yesterday’s events, let us not lose sight of the fact that this day also provided crucial examples of democracy, of leadership, and of progress. Elected leaders showed determination in returning to Congress last night to finish certifying the ballots of the Electoral College. And voters made history with a number of important firsts — Kamala Harris as the first Black and South Asian woman as vice president; Jon Ossoff as Georgia's first Jewish member of Congress; and the Reverend Raphael Warnock as the first Black senator in the state of Georgia. We should take a moment to celebrate these achievements of diversity and inclusion in government as we continue our own work at Simmons.
While we continue to reflect on the last 24 hours and the ending of a tumultuous year, it is an opportunity for us as teachers and learners to think about the role we all can play in working toward a more civil and just society. We each can be a leader, every day, in ensuring that our democracy remains alive and well. We know how to do this at Simmons. I look forward to working with all of you to ensure our democracy remains strong, and our discourse civil as we continue to lead with purpose in our professional, personal, and civic lives.
- Lynn Perry Wooten