The Mon Valley has a proud history of people working together to build decent lives for themselves and their families. However, for too long now, too many of us have felt abandoned, left behind, and forgotten. As a community college educator and someone who has seen firsthand the struggles of growing up in a single-parent, working-class household, I seek your support for county council because I know we share the same values and experiences. I genuinely believe we can achieve more through unity than division. The question before us today is whether to accept the status quo, which sees us with a lack of good-paying jobs, community investment, and many folks struggling with untreated behavioral/mental and substance abuse issues or if it's time for new voices and vision to secure the brighter future our communities deserve. I firmly believe that a new generation of leadership, with fresh perspectives and innovative approaches, is needed to make the Mon Valley happier, healthier, and safer.