Anti-Bullying Month is an initiative supported by the American people and our government. Our country needs to heal in multiple spaces. Our people need love. Our kids and teens need us to guide them. We see the implications bullying has in our current political and social climates. It harnesses divide, boasts the wrong priorities, distracts and destroys.
To let light into the darkest spaces is immeasurably difficult. It takes deep breathing, stepping back, and utter discomfort to get to this place. It takes forgiveness. Change can only come through awareness, acknowledgement, and action.
pumpkins, and elaborate costumes. I still remember staying up late on Halloween and trading candy with my siblings after trick-or-treating. Today, I feel like I am a pro at Halloween, I have a collection of cute decorations, I create jack-o-lanterns, I plan my kids’ costumes, and I make sure my house has the best candy on the block. As an adult, I still appreciate the innocent Halloween fun, but I am also aware of the public safety challenges this celebration can pose. This includes keeping kids safe as they explore en masse, protecting pedestrians and drivers, and preventing intentional mischief that could result in serious harm.
This month is full of new beginnings for JPO and for me. JPO is packing up and cleaning out, preparing for an office reconfiguration. We’ve grown and changed over the last two years and so have our needs. We’re losing our library and conference room to create more office space to house our growing team of experts and leaders—but isn’t everything online now, anyway, and, really, who meets in person anymore? 