This week, we remembered Jake Brewer and his impact on CtK’s mission, his community, and our democracy. Jake’s mom and CtK’s Founder, Lori Brewer Collins, shared her powerful reflections on how his death has shaped her life.
“I live my life 𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑓 Jake passed a baton to me, 𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑓, in the form of a post-it note left on his White House computer monitor, he was signaling me to “Cultivate the Karass.”
I live 𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑓 there’s a purpose to the time I have left, and that I can be instrumental in contributing to his vision for our democracy: that we can genuinely embody transpartisan collaboration. If we choose.
But mostly, I live 𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑓 he were still here. This gives me strength. And it feeds my hope.”
Dear America by CtK Alum Jose Antonio Vargas hit bookshelves this week and included its own lovely remembrance of Jake. “Whenever doubts clouded my mind, Jake was always my first call…He always told me I was enough.”
Read the immigration op-ed Jose authored in this week’s NYT, check out an early review of Dear America, and then catch him on his book tour in a city near you. And join DC area Karassers tonight to support Jose on his DC book tour stop!
Brittany Packnett penned a timely and insightful piece on women and apologies: “The most striking lesson I derived from all of this was a profound life lesson: demand the apologies you deserve.”
CtK Alums Bishop Garrison and Sarah Hunt teamed up for this op-ed about retaining the process for approving wind farms near military bases: “Let’s not also forget that wind energy is a vital economic engine, employing more than 100,000 Americans, and the men and women who serve our country find jobs in wind at a rate 72 percent higher than the average in other industries.”
The Democracy Fund talks about ways that they are empowering religious leaders to overcome paralyzing partisan gridlock and extremist language: “Although some partisanship is to be expected in a democracy, it is also true that civil debate and principled compromise are essential to governing a large, diverse, and complex society like ours.”
As the Carolinas grapple with the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, here are a few ways that you can help:
This weekend, we hope that you will take your cues from Jake and Lori. Shine brightly for the people around you, remind them that they are enough, share your spark with others, and dare to live as if. Have a great weekend! We’ll see you next week.