Authorized by the official agent for Marjorie Green, NDP candidate for Cambridge
February has been a cold, wintry blast for us this year. As bleak as it felt for those of us not into cold weather, there was a lot going on to warm the very cockles of our hearts.
Of course, there was Family Day, a day to hopefully spend with your loved ones. Some of us spent it on the tobogganing hills, as our littles gleefully raced down, then waited for us to pull them back up. Some spent it quietly indoors, and some not so quietly, with family game nights in all their loud glory. If you were able to spend it with your loved ones, you are indeed fortunate and very blessed.
It was also Black History Month, and I had the particular joy of working with Rhythm and Blues Cambridge to bring the celebration to my fellow community members in Cambridge and surrounding cities. This year, we brought back former resident Antonio Michael Downing to introduce us to his two books, The Stars in My Crown and Saga Boy. Pan waves serenaded us, and the food from Irie Myrie was sublime. A wonderful gathering of over 200 people came together to celebrate and enjoy each other's company.
To top it off, we opened the first-ever Cambridge Shelter for Women, run by YWCA Cambridge. This is a significant moment for our city. For so long, we have made it difficult for women seeking shelter when they are homeless. We still have miles to go on this issue, but this was a good beginning.
We remember those who did not have a home to go to or family to celebrate with. We think of those who are trying to work and support their families while living in shelters, tents, or tiny homes.
The last seven years have felt like this sharp winter experience, but spring is coming, my friends. A new day where we will build homes and fund shelters. We will invest in schools and our children. Spring will bring new investments into healthcare while remembering that mental health is also healthcare and needs to be invested in.
We need a government that will put people over profit, protect our food sovereignty, and save our farmland. One that will work with our small and medium businesses to help us overcome the hurdles of tariffs.
As we come to the end of February, we have the opportunity to vote and to step out of this seven-year winter into a spring where we all have the chance to live with dignity and thrive.
For more information, visit Marjorie Knight Cambridge.