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Warmest wishes to you! ☀️

Holidays can be hard for many. You may have heard me say that for many years past. It’s still true today.

Many of us have family, friends or loved ones to surround ourselves with. Others do not. I understand that. But as long as you are my friend, you are not alone.

So, if you need a quick check in, do not hesitate to reach out to me. My email is [email protected]. And if you need a voice to hear from, once you email me with your number and let me know, I can give you a quick check-in call! Sometimes it’s good just to hear a voice.

Pictured above - family, friends, and food: pho, spring rolls, latkes, challah.

It’s about community.

Have you heard of “the third place” in sociology?

When Dan and I went to Portugal this past September, it took us a while to wonder why we were longing to go back there. It wasn’t just because it was a holiday and we were soaking in the local culture. It was the whole atmosphere and after several videos and articles later, it finally occurred to me that Portugal had many of these third places and the community was front and center. We do not live in areas of New Jersey where that is present in our daily lives.

Since then, we’ve been intentional about making time to nurture our community here at home. (With the pandemic, we have stayed safely ensconced and are just venturing out slowly with health at the forefront.) And for us, community is meaningful and fun conversations over home-cooked meals with people we want to be with.

Having a social network and community is especially important as we age. Our children begin their own lives, moving away. We lose friends and family due to many reasons including health, tragedies, arguments and aging. Our communities get smaller and smaller.

Our work with Action Together started with a call to counter the rise of Trumpism. In the six years since, it has garnered a great community of like-minded people who care about their own communities. We all have formed real friendships with wonderful people who are kind and giving. It really has been the most meaningful way to meet people.

Here are some links to resources about the importance of community. I hope you get a chance to view them.

• Article - “Third places” as community builders

• Video from Cory Booker. This was one of his reels on Instagram.

• Article - Third Places: Restoring Civic Life and Resisting Consumerism

• Article - Do Yourself a Favor and Go Find a ‘Third Place’

There are a lot of opportunities in the new year to join others doing this work - safely and remotely. During these last days of the year, I hope you are surrounded by love and I wish you a wonderful holiday.

With gratitude,

Winn Khuong

Executive Director

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