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This Memorial Day, and every day, we must honor the sacrifice of those who have dedicated, and sometimes lost, their lives for our country. We can honor them by building the more perfect union that those who came before us envisioned. This means ensuring everyone can get ahead, no matter their skin color, zip code, immigration status, income level, or gender identity. 

To create this more perfect union that so many gave their lives for, we must do the work. That means standing up to make sure that all people, Black, Brown, and white alike, have the resources they need to thrive in our communities. It means holding politicians, police, and community leaders accountable for their actions. It means protesting and marching to make our voices heard. It means restoring the rights of returning citizens and expanding voting rights and access so that everyone has a say in our democracy. 

We must also build, and fund, support systems for all people, but especially veterans and their families, that help them thrive in our communities.  We need strong crisis support programs for homelessness, addiction, and employment. We must create equal access to quality, affordable healthcare, educational opportunities, and economic support programs so that everyone has what they need to succeed. And, perhaps most importantly, we must protest, vote, and hold leaders and elected officials accountable when they make decisions that hurt our communities. 

This Memorial Day, let’s honor Americans in uniform by making sure their sacrifices are not in vain. Let’s honor them by creating a Commonwealth where everyone can live, work, and thrive without discrimination. We can’t sit silently and let their sacrifice go by unnoticed on Memorial Day or any other day of the year.