Dear Friends and Neighbors, This week, I had the honor of joining community members from across Westchester for a Pride flag raising ceremony. I'll admit that, growing up, I was taught that humility was a virtue and that pride was a “sin”. But Pride Month isn't about arrogance. It's about being comfortable in your own skin and not feeling like you have to hide who you are. As someone who is openly and proudly Jewish, I've come to appreciate how important it is for people to feel comfortable expressing their identity without fear or shame. Whether it's our faith, our heritage, our culture, or who we love, every person deserves the freedom to live authentically and without fear. None of us should feel compelled to hide who we are simply because we're different or because we don't conform to what may be popular at a given moment. That's why I was proud to ...
Dear Friends and Neighbors, As we prepare our children for a future shaped by technology, we must teach them not only how to use these powerful tools wisely and cautiously. The future will require technological literacy, but it will also require character, judgment, and responsibility. I want to thank the Tuckahoe Police Department, the Eastchester Police Department, and the many agencies that responded through Westchester County's mutual aid system after large groups of teenagers disrupted the Immaculate Conception Fair in Tuckahoe this past weekend. Their professionalism and quick response helped keep our community safe. Families should be able to attend community events without fear of dangerous or disruptive behavior. The events at the fair were troubling. Some of the reaction afterward was, too. It was disappointing to see some people engage in racist rhetoric and stereotyping. That sort of response...