Always learning

I got a parking ticket the other day. I had stopped for a walk at a town beach on one of New Hampshire’s stunning lakes. The lot was empty, so I took my chances. Turns out that was a bad bet. The ensuing ticket reminded me how hard it can be to find public access to our state’s natural resources. And it made me question why.

As a learner, I ask a lot of questions. (My daughters would perhaps prefer fewer questions.)

Nashua’s public health director patiently answered some questions during a recent downtown walking tour. She explained the community’s efforts to aid people who are struggling — from warming centers to community meals. Some teens outside the Police Athletic League gym helped me understand how important it is that this nonprofit gives them a safe place to hang out and be kids. And in murals by Positive Street Art, I saw Nashua’s children represented as heroes.

At a marker unveiling in Concord, I observed the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire spread understanding of our shared history — so that everyone knows they have a right to belong here and always have. And I was reminded, scanning the audience, that people of all races are invested in righting the wrongs of the past and the present.

People in Milford and Durham demonstrated that generosity in New Hampshire is informed by a deep sense of community — and that they understand themselves to be part of a larger force for good as contributors to a community foundation.

In Bethlehem, I met a couple carrying groceries to add to the provisions of the “Little Free Pantry.” I asked how the operation worked. They said this: “We need food sometimes, but when we have enough to buy extra, we contribute.” This couple understands how community works. Sometimes we all need a little help; we should all be similarly committed to helping when we can. Our lives and fates are intertwined.

And that is the idea at the heart of a community foundation. Community foundations, singular institutions committed to the common good in a geographic region, exist because people recognize that our fates are intertwined. That if we combine the assets of communities — the ingenuity and dedication of nonprofits, the dreams and motivations of students, the hard work of everyone striving to make their lives and communities better, and the generosity of New Hampshire people — we will all have a chance to thrive.

The Foundation’s purpose is “to make New Hampshire a community where everyone can thrive.” We strive for equity, racial justice and economic security.

That purpose drew me to this Foundation. Every day, I learn more about our shared opportunities and challenges in New Hampshire. Our challenges are significant. But if we can refocus on our intertwined fates and common aspirations, we can make real progress. Because, in the end, we all want the same things: Freedom from hunger and sickness and fear. Freedom to learn, to find joy, to afford care for our children and provide homes for our families. Freedom to dream of a better future — and build it. But we will only get there together.

Of course, the work of achieving equity, racial justice and economic security won’t be finished soon. People in New Hampshire, as elsewhere, have wildly unequal qualities of life for arbitrary and unfair reasons. So I will continue to do my damndest every day — as part of this community foundation, and in partnership with this remarkable community — to move this work as far forward as possible.

And I will always be learning.