ÌÇÐÄVlog

January 7, 2021

Dear Cal State ÌÇÐÄVlogy Community,

I am writing today to share with you my outrage and sadness at the attempt to disrupt our democratic process we all witnessed yesterday in our nation’s Capitol. Having lived in Washington, DC, having walked the halls of the Capitol many times, I could not imagine those historic hallways becoming the site of such appalling violence and insurrection in my lifetime. Those were disturbing images I will not soon forget. The intrusion into the Capitol and the attack on our democracy go against everything I believe in and have worked so hard for throughout my life.

Still, as I watched our Congress work into the early hours of the morning after a traumatizing day to ratify the election of Joe Biden as President and Kamala Harris as Vice President, I felt a glimmer of hope. Though we witnessed its fragility yesterday, we saw that democracy remains intact.

However, I am not naïve. I know partisan challenges, untruths and violent outbreaks are likely to continue across our country for some time. That is why I ask you to join me as I reaffirm my commitment to the work we do at Cal State ÌÇÐÄVlogy. Education is by far the strongest force for positive change in our society and in the world. As members of the higher education community—faculty, staff, and students alike—we have core values to guide us. We believe in seeking and promoting