Amid the struggle, heartache, loss, betrayal, and disappointment can be not easy to find the strength and motivation to keep going in life. This country is currently undergoing the worst economic, social, political, physical, and mental health crises experienced in history. The level of despair amongst the people of this nation is at a historic high. However, I’m so grateful for the countless thousands of people from all walks of life willing to both talk about events honestly and candidly. Becoming part of the solution instead of standing behind in the shadows or remaining silent is vital to the nation’s strength. 

Millions still are engulfed in terrible conditions and dire straits. These people feel like their hope is gone or at least greatly diminished. How can we, the people of this great nation, collectively and individually return to a place of mutual respect, transparency, accountability, civility, genuine connection, hope, and success?

In eight weeks or so, Former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris will be inaugurated as the President and Vice President of the United States. I’m grateful and hopeful for a peaceful transfer of power, which seems to have finally been in the works. There is a lot of work to be done. People depend on the government for solutions to their problems. 

I heard the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during a Parliament session during the early 1980s. I firmly believe that:

There will be no government without people.

1. The government needs us just as much as we need the government.
2. We, the United States people, can say and do to engage in our democracy actively.

I encourage as many people as possible to join me. Connect with our local, state, and federal leaders to defeat the coronavirus. Ensure that all who require affordable and above-par housing get entitlements and benefits. Mend and heal the wounds of division, strife, hate, and violence. Ensure that all people have access to medical and mental health care. 

All people have access to jobs with livable wages and salaries. We need to bridge the gap between mental health and substance use recovery while maintaining both disciplines’ uniqueness. Without further delay, we need to train and educate law enforcement, the judicial system, medical and mental health personnel (including clinicians, EMTs, social workers, peer support workers, and dispatchers) on how to care for people with dignity, integrity, and respect.

This is a call to action. The Biden/Harris administration, members of Congress, all governors and their administrations, all state legislators, and government leaders on the county and city level to join hands with us the constituency and work together to find and implement solutions to the problems, issues, and concerns plaguing our country. President-Elect Biden must hold to his promise to push the reset button to end division, partisan politics, strife, hate, and violence. All sides must come together to listen to one another.

Finally, I’m making a formal and humble request to all government and civic leaders to not forget about the mental health and substance use recovery communities. The mental health and substance use communities are just as much in the fight against the coronavirus as doctors, nurses, EMTs, grocery clerks, delivery people, law enforcement officers, firefighters, postal workers, sanitation workers, etc. We feel forgotten and unrecognized by the government for the hard work and the high level of resilience we have demonstrated during these public health and mental health pandemics. 

The government cannot and must not be understood as separate from the people of this nation. We pay taxes to ensure the successful operation of the government. Without people, there is no government. Ultimately, the government exists because human beings exist.