Thank you to the dozens of volunteers, staff, and supporters who made this campaign happen, especially to the 8,701 Chesapeake citizens who decided to vote for Something More. Over the past year, thousands of hours were poured in, thousands of dollars were raised, thousands of doors were canvassed and you all were instrumental in making that happen. Although we may not have won a school board seat this time, our hard work and passion allowed us to win in every other metric.

With our comprehensive, research-based platform we amassed a diverse coalition of support from across the political spectrum. In every neighborhood where we knocked on doors, voters were ecstatic to see us coming to them to hear their concerns, and with a plan for how to address them. Every organization we went to was impressed by our platform and passion for change. At every precinct we worked on election day, voters were joyful to see a plan instead of a culture war as our reason for running. Even during debates, we saw many of the other candidates adopting our talking points because they knew it was what the people actually wanted to hear.

Our support was secured not because of the party backing us or the culture war we chose to lean into, but strictly because of the solutions we brought to the table. Voters chose us not because they were afraid of what might happen if somebody else won, but because they were excited at the prospects of what our tenure would bring. We were overburdened by the statements of support we received on our social media and in person on election day from those same individuals who were excited by our messaging.

Beyond this, our greatest achievement was creating a campaign exciting enough to drive out voters. In a highly competitive and controversial midterm focused on attacks instead of policy, countless voters stayed home. But face-to-face, in-person communication overcame this. Because of one final canvassing effort on Monday night, I spoke with an individual about how to address the epidemic of mental illness based on our collective research, and that person grew more excited as I continued on. They proceeded to ask how and where to vote, as well as my recommended candidates. They decided to vote because of us.

This campaign is not the end, nor is it the beginning. For me, it was a stepping stone in my journey to lift up our city that began five years ago in December. For others, it was an inspiration to be more active and involved in our community. But for everyone involved, it created hope that a better tomorrow is possible. Although we now have a school board focused entirely on culture wars instead of transforming our schools, the fight for our future remains vibrant.

I look forward to continuing my work to support the city I love, and I hope you too will find time to support Chesapeake and ensure that next time around, we unequivocally win.

Best Regards,