As I continue organizing for a future run for Hatfield Township Commissioner in Ward 5, I’d like to start sharing some of what I’m reading and how it connects to the kind of local community I believe we can keep building together.
This month, I’m finishing Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum, PhD.

I was raised in a home that valued inclusion, acceptance, and respect for all people, but this book has pushed me to think more deeply about what it actually means to be an ally to historically marginalized communities.

So far, my biggest takeaways are simple but important: listen, stay engaged, and speak up when it matters.

The quote I chose to share is: “Despair is an act of resignation I am not willing to make.” To me, that feels especially relevant right now. As family members, friends, neighbors, residents, and community partners, we do not have to resign ourselves to disconnection, division, or hopelessness.

At the local level, we have a choice. We can look the other way, or we can look toward one another, listen with care, and continue building more informed, supportive, and human relationships right here where we live.

— Ryan Weiss | Ryan Weiss for Hatfield