Tidbits of Joy #21 - Value-Voice-Vote

Dear AdNet Employees, Clients and Friends;

The upcoming election has been on everyone’s mind and I am eager to have votes cast, decisions made and know what’s next for our Country, State and Baltimore City. There are many important elections occurring and by now we are worn out by the commentaries, debates, and head scratching behaviors everywhere politically.

Election day was a big thrill for me as a kid. My mom would take me to the town rec center either on the way to school or after she picked me up. The voting booth was one of those large, metal contraptions with levers and a large musty, black curtain pulled closed by a poling official. It was on wheels and if you leaned too hard, it would move!! I loved Election Day and couldn’t wait until I was old enough to vote in 1980. When I think back to that time, I was away at college and honestly don’t recall if I voted in the Presidential election and since about 5% of the population sent in absentee ballots, my guess is that I didn’t vote. My college friends on this email will remind me. Well, that never happened again!!! After Ronald Regan cut financial aid drastically, I woke up fast and haven’t missed voting since.

I’m sad to say that the statistics were high that LGBTQ voters didn’t register to vote in 2016. We are showing up strong in 2020. As elders, and yes, I’m an elder () we must model leadership and show up within the voting process, too. Leadership has many faces and this one is critical for the wellbeing of our country. Mail your ballot, vote early, wait in line, and do whatever it takes to be heard. If you need guidance on where to vote, call me, I’ll get you your answer and get you there!!

This email is to ask everyone to vote because this opportunity was fought hard by our ancestors. Sadly, we are still fighting to be heard and counted which is why I take this right seriously. Never think that our vote does not matter, because it does.

This past weekend I read an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal about what to say to someone when they say, “I’m not voting”. Instead of making the person wrong (and I know this is hard during such an important election), remind them that in any relationship, we have to show up for the relationship to be healthy and nurtured. In this case, our community and country are the relationship where we need to be present. With that said, please do whatever you need to do, to cast your ballot. The generations behind us are watching how we act and if we want to shift the perception of the importance of voting, show up!! Talk to you on the other side of November 3rd.