From History Nerd to Presidential Elector

If you had told me a year ago I would’ve been a Presidential Elector in the Electoral College, I would’ve laughed out loud. As a history nerd and Social Studies Teacher, the Electoral College is always a topic of conversation among my students. From arguing over the function to substantive disagreements about whether or not it should still exist, I have been part arbiter and part guide as my students and I semi-annually wrangle over this Constitutional Check on the power of the people.

I’m not sure what I expected to happen when I walked into the Maryland State House on December 17 to fulfill my Constitutional duty and represent the will of the majority of Maryland Congressional District 3 (CD-3). I knew I would need to cast the vote for the citizens of CD-3, but I must admit I was super fuzzy about how we were going to proceed. All I knew was that I did not want to humiliate myself, my family, my students or my district by being late. I am happy to say that I was on time and ready to serve.

As I ascended the steps to the top floor with the rest of the electors, I was awed by the beauty and history of our state house. As the oldest continually used state house in the United States, the Maryland State House has been the witness to many historical events. It served as the place where George Washington resigned his commission as the leader of the Continental Army. It is said that he went in a general and emerged as a simple farmer. It was also the only state house that served as the Capitol of the United States. And even though I have visited the Maryland State House over a dozen times in my life, the deep history always takes my breath away.

Although I thought I knew a lot of history, I learned even more as I served as an elector. I learned that Maryland is among only 6 states that have met all 60 times that the Electoral College has met after a national election. I learned that I would be making history as one of our state’s Diamond Electors! I learned that the room where we met was the same room that the Electoral College has met in since 1789. And that’s when the joy hit me.

I know it seems strange that in a state where we voted for the candidate who ultimately did not win the presidency to have joy as you cast this vote. As the descendent of enslaved people in this country, I am deeply aware of what my place at this table cost. As the descendent of the island of Puerto Rico, I am also aware that my vote counting is different than what my family experiences every election. I am also aware that as a woman that this table was only opened to us in the last 80 years. When I thought of all of this, my heart was both laden with history and lifted with joy. I was filled with joy that I could at this moment fulfill the hopes and dreams of my ancestors who were only sustained through the dark days and nights by the hope that one day I would be possible. My eyes filled with tears of gratitude that I live in a state in which only my story could be possible. And while I did feel the sadness of the moment, I was also filled with pride that we in Maryland understood the assignment. So there I served at the intersection of sadness and joy. And I decided to feed the joy.

In the musical “Hamilton”, Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote “And when our children tell our story, they’ll tell the story of tonight..” 2024 has been one massive adventure in things that I will never forget. And one beautiful part of this story was the day their momma/grandma/great-grandma became a Presidential Elector!

Eating Swamp Grass and Petting Crabs

The moment I got on the boat in Crisfield, Maryland, I thought I was going to a “normal” retreat. I thought I would get to know the other county Teachers of the Year, relax a bit, learn about the environment and then go home. While I got the chance to do the aforementioned fun things, I didn’t realize that I would also face and conquer fears as well as make lifelong friends.

One of my biggest fears is deep water. While I love the beach…from the sand…deep water always filled me with fear. Growing up in a small town means that I never had access to water deeper than my ankles. The result is that I never learned to swim but developed a healthy fear of all deep water.

This trip forced me to face this fear in many different ways. Smith Island only has one way to get to it… by boat. At the dock, I had a choice. I could either give in to my fear and go home. Or I could face my fear and experience something lovely. With my heart slamming hard in my chest, I boarded the boat for sheer force of will. As we left the dock, I had to talk myself out of being afraid.

A funny thing happens on the other side of fear…you find beauty. Once I stopped focusing on the thing that I was afraid of, I truly began to find the beauty in it all. I found the gentle beauty in the uncertain laughter of my fellow teachers as they shook off the barriers of the unknown on the journey to become friends. I found shocking beauty of the cold water as it sprayed us as the boat bounced along the waves. I found the rhythmic beauty of the movements of Captain Jesse and the boat crew as they worked together in a well choreographed dance. I found the beauty in the melodic interplay between the bird calls and the hum of the boat engines. I found the tranquil beauty in the warmth of the sun on my face and the wind at my back.

Armed with the beauty of the moment, I decided to embrace new things. I threw crab pots in the bay and petted a Maryland Blue Crab. I even went on a walk through a marshy swamp and sang to a snail to coax it out of it’s shell. I even tasted swamp grass and held a real Terrapin. And with every adventure, I chose beauty instead of fear. And as I embraced the beauty of each moment, I grew stronger, laughed harder, and learned more about myself than I ever thought was possible.

As I drove away, I was proud of the journey that I embarked upon the moment I decided to embrace beauty instead of fear.

The Beauty of a Quiet Story

I had the honor of manning the Columbia Democratic Club table at the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center on September 16, 2023. For those of you who don’t know, the Harriet Tubman Center used to be Harriet Tubman High School. Harriet Tubman High School operated from 1949-1965 as the segregated high school for black young people. There were so many people who came back to their alma mater to see the renovations and also celebrate their unique experiences here in Howard County. For a lover of history (like me!) the day was full of stories and memories that many who were there were gracious enough to share.

I think of the story of a gentleman who told me how the local white farmers would come in to the school and would remove the strongest to work during certain times of the year. He talked about how he dreaded those days. He was annoyed at the imposition on his body and education, but knew that there was nothing he could do but to acquiesce to the will of those farmers. His face lit up with pride as he told me that he still graduated and went to college. His smile truly lit my day.

There was also the story of the lady who told me about how hard it was to have hand-me down books from the white students. The books were in such disrepair that it was hard for each student to be on the same page at the same time. However, she talked about the skill of the teachers who were able to “make a dollar out of pennies” and fed their curiosities and imaginations with the most flawed of resources. She told me that she went to college and became a teacher and then a principal before retiring.

I met a lovely couple who came to simply honor a friend who is no longer with us. They shared the stories of segregation in Virginia and how lovely they found the Harriet Tubman School. The gentleman told me how he was amazed at how many of our Harriet Tubman graduates went on to college and beyond. He talked about how he moved from a place with no segregation to Virginia where the lines between black and white was rigidly enforced. He held my hands and thanked me for being an educator. He stole my heart.

I learned so much through the beauty of the quiet stories that I heard that day. The pain and progress interwoven through every interaction filled me with an awe for those who suffered hardships to make it possible for us to have what we have today. While we are not in a perfect space at all, I am in awe of what people when through in order to get us to this space. My question is how are we going to honor those quiet stories? How can we use the inspiration of those whose stories made progress possible in order to push us into a stronger and bolder future?

I Scream for Ice Cream!

I don’t know about you. But I love a good bowl of ice cream on a summer day. My love of ice cream has always been a complicated relationship. The reason is because I am lactose intolerant. As a child, I knew that indulging in the sweet treat would bring pain and sickness. Yet, the call of the iced sweetness of a scoop of awesome would override the deterrence given by my lack of lactose-processing. The pattern of indulgence and pain continued for years until I became a vegan and said goodbye to ice cream forever…or so I thought.

Thanks to the innovations in ice cream technology, amazing vegan ice cream options were born. And so I was reunited with the love of ice cream! However, this time the reunion did not bring the usual pain and sickness. I was able to finally enjoy ice cream without pain and regret. My heart has soared ever since.

With that background, I was super excited for this year’s ice cream social given by the Columbia Democratic Club. What could be better to this extrovert than an icy sweet treat consumed with amazing Democrats? And this year’s ice cream social did NOT disappoint! We came together, ate, and fellowshipped. We were even joined by our local and state electeds. We even honored the environment by making this event Bring Your Own Bowl which reduced the amount of non-recyclable waste and our carbon footprint.

I hope you all can join us for our next event! Don’t worry! I’ll make sure you all have early notice. And yes…it involves food!

Expunging Records…Giving Hope

It is no secret that the United States leads the world in the amount of people who are incarcerated. There are so many different ways that people here can find themselves entangled into the criminal justice system that it would take a 9,000 page book to list them all. But no matter how you end up in the criminal justice system, most people will find themselves out of the prison system. And then what?

There is the pervasive myth that once you serve your time, you come out of prison/jail with a clean slate. Sadly, that is not true for many people who serve their time. Depending on the conviction, you may have to deal with many long lasting, life constraining after effects. For the millions of people who have encountered the criminal justice system, these effects may seem insurmountable. Some of the constraints that many formerly incarcerated people may have to live with are as follows: being denied certain jobs, being ineligible for financial aid for college/post secondary training, being denied housing, being denied business loans or mortgages, being denied custody of minor children, and so many more. For those living life constrained after serving time, this can make life seem hopeless.

In Maryland, eligible people can access expungement after a period time as determined by different factors. Expungement of a criminal record can truly liberate people as they can now access many of the resources that they had been previously denied. It would seem like expungement should be automatically done as soon as people are eligible. However, it is not. People have to go through the process of expungement. As the process can be costly (most of the cost is in hiring trained professionals to help wade the waters of regulations and court), you can imagine that those who have already had restricted incomes may struggle to be able to obtain final liberation after completing their obligation to society.

On July 29, Columbia Community Care (CCC) offered their second Essential Resources Day to the community. It was a day in which many resources were brought together to help people to gain health,healing and liberation. One of the many resources that was offered to the community was a free expungement clinic.

Run in partnership with lawyers, the expungement clinic gave folks who have convictions the ability to have their situations reviewed with no cost. Yes, this was offered absolutely free of charge to our community. The ability to have a lawyer give you advice about your situation is worth a great deal of money. However, the expungement clinic did not stop there. For those who were determined to be eligible for expungement, the lawyers would then work that case until final determination. FOR FREE!!!! What life giving hope!

It’s my BIRTHDAY!

On July 26, I turned 48 years old. I know…it’s kind of strange for someone over 40 to be transparent with their age. However, I am happy to celebrate every year I have been blessed enough to obtain. You see, when I was 27 years old, I was in a major car accident. I wrapped my car around a telephone pole going 65 mph. I sustained 5 broken bones and severe internal bleeding. I was so injured that the paramedics made the decision to Life Flight me to the Shock/Trauma Unit at Suburban Hospital. I’ve never been so hurt in my life and it took weeks to recover from the trauma to my body.

This near death, life changing moment helped me to put things in perspective. The perspective that I gained was one of gratitude. I gained the ability to look at the world in terms of opportunities instead of obligations. This ability to see opportunity, even in the midst of adversity, has helped me to become more positive and cheerful in my outlook. It has helped me to view criticism and failure with a frame of growth. I view every experience I have as a unique appointment with an ability to become a better me.

Even though I gained a new perspective, there are times where I still struggle. However, I always try to find moments of gratitude in the midst of struggle or sorrow. One of the largest struggles I have ever had to work through is the death of my mother. My mother was my only parent and I have grappled with her loss for the past 11 years. But even though I deeply miss her, I always find moments to reflect on the beautiful moments I have had being her daughter. I reflect on the time we almost got thrown out of my son’s elementary Christmas Concert because we couldn’t stop laughing. I reflect on the time she tried to teach us how to roller skate and almost broke a hip. I think about the values of hard work, determination and the unflappable belief that better days were coming that she imparted into my heart and soul. And in those moments of reflection, I gain perspective on love and loss. I am better for having been her daughter and I reflect on my eternal gratitude that I get to be a part of the legacy of such a great lady.

Although I am 48 years old, I am still on the journey to become better and better. I can’t wait to see the opportunities for growth, love and laughter I was be presented with this year. And I can’t wait to tell you all how this year challenged and shaped me to become a better form of me!

Count me IN for a Democratic Family Picnic!

On July 16, 2023, we had an old fashioned Democratic Family Picnic at Guilford Park from 4-7 pm. Friends from all over the county came to share their favorite dish, good conversations and great company. The event was simple. The Columbia Democratic Club and Ellicott City and Western Howard County Democratic Club joined forces to provide the facility space, hamburgers, hot dogs and other refreshments. While the community was asked to bring a dish to the event. Then we ALL got to eat and fellowship. We were graced with the presence of several elected officials who came for the fun and fellowship.

The best part of the day was seeing so many people connecting. Seeing our members get a chance to really talk to their representatives in a relaxed atmosphere was amazing! But also seeing so many people connecting with each other made my heart sing. We purposely only had two moments of speeches. The first was when I and my Vice President (Gabriel Moreno) welcomed everyone and the electeds present at the time. And the second was when our County Executive joined us for the fun. We did this because the focus of the event was just to connect as a family. Before we can fight together in 2024, we have to be unified as a family. I firmly believe that the family that plays together…wins together. And I want to make sure that our democratic family is strong so that we win…not just in 2024, but for many years to come!

Taking a Break

From April 22-24, 2023, I celebrated my 30th high school reunion with some of the best people ever. My classmates in the Class of 1993 have been some of the most dependable friends I have had the honor to know. Most people don’t know that I wasn’t always from Maryland. I was born and raised in Texas until 6th grade when I moved from Texas to D.C. to Maryland. In 7th grade, I started school at Sligo Seventh-Day Adventist Elementary School in Takoma Park. This is where I would meet most the friends I would make in the class of 1993. And this would start a journey with these amazing people that would last for almost 4 decades.

It was amazing seeing how far we’ve come from the awkward experience of middle school to adulthood. It was definitely interesting to hear how we’ve all become leaders in different fields. From medicine to education to politics, we’ve all changed in some ways but have also remained reliably the same in others. We’ve laughed and cried and shared so much together. From the joys of a new grandchild to the pain of losing members of our class, parents, and other loved ones, we’ve always shown up for each other when we’ve needed each other the most. And as always, there was the laughter…the golden melodic sounds of reconnection that happens once every 5 years.

And at the end of our reunion, we all hugged and answered the call of the individual reality of our every day lives. But we walked taller having had the powerful connection with each other for the weekend. Bolstered by the love of our community, we left each other promising that we would do this again in 5 years time. So until then, I will continue on in my individual reality until we meet again.

Defending Democracy Digital Dine In

On July 13, you could find me at the online Defending Democracy Digital Dine In! This online event was the opportunity to hear from our keynote speaker, Rep. Nikema Williams. Ms. Williams is the Chairperson of the Democratic Party of Georgia on top of representing Georgia’s 5th District in Congress. We also got to hear from some of the best representatives in the world…our own Maryland and Howard County Representatives! We heard from Congressman John Sarbanes who was amazingly inspirational! We heard how our Howard County Delegation worked to defend democracy in Annapolis from the incomparable Vanessa Atterbeary who represents District 13 at the state house. We also got to hear from 3 of our candidates for our open U.S. Senate seat. Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, Montgomery County Councilperson Will Jawando, and U.S. Congressman David Trone did not make this decision making process any easier. They are amazing candidates for office! Finally we got to honor two of our Maryland treasures with awards. Mrs. Bel Leong-Hong has been a force to spread democracy all while ensuring that the AAPI community’s voice is amplified and heard in the Democratic Party. And I got the honor of introducing lifetime achievement award winner, Senator Guy Guzzone! At the end of the evening, I left feeling inspired by those who have worked so hard to ensure that the Democratic Party is strong here in Maryland. I was also inspired to continue working hard to ensure that the party stays strong for generations to come!

My Very First Blog Post!!!

This will probably be the shortest blog post EVER! I wanted to welcome each and every one of you to this space. The purpose of this blog will be to highlight the issues and events that I am working on for you. I can’t wait to continue to update this space and let you all see what I am working hard to do for each and every one of you. I will talk in this space about things we can do together to accomplish great things along with highlighting what we already have done for our great Howard County! I can’t wait to update you all!