As we gather here today, to make serious decisions on behalf of our constituents, I ask for guidance and strength for all of us. I ask that we take a pause, to not look at each other as Republicans or Democrats, but as people who came to Sacramento, to serve our districts. I ask that we begin to heal as individuals, communities, and as a state, and nation.
As a child my parents taught me to say my nightly prayers, and I still do this. Lord I ask for your help with our wildfires, and for the protection of our frontline workers: from farm workers, working in excessive heat, and smoke, to our health care providers, who have seen families devastated by Covid-19. Please protect our cooks, cashiers, janitors, and essential workers- Our families.
Lord, I ask for special prayers for our vulnerable communities that have been hit the hardest. I pray for the Latino and Black Communities that we know have suffered with so much loss, and death.
I ask for your wisdom and guidance, so that we can show empathy, and love and kindness to those that need our help the most. Every day, we see homeless on our streets, we MUST find solutions, instead of casting blame. I ask that we look and not turn away.
Lord, I ask for your watchful eye, to care for those that we do not see and those that suffer alone from domestic violence, child abuse, and human trafficking.
My nightly prayers always include my own family, those I have lost, and I go to bed asking for the changes we need to keep families together.
Lord sometimes I get angry and mad, and I question things: like how can we rip babies from their mother and fathers arms, and what will we do when families are evicted in the future, and how will people be fed, and cared for?
But I have to believe Lord, that you have the answers, and we here today on this assembly floor, can make California, a thriving state once again.
Finally, Lord, I ask you to wrap your arms around our firefighters, our police officers, our teachers, our military men and women, our Governor, and our President. Give them the strength to do their jobs, as best they can.