"You are important. You matter"

Yesterday was amazing. The conversations, the speaking, the rooms filled up with people that believe this matters. I love this, I love the UChapter and I love everything I get to do with it. One thing I forgot to say last night, is what I think the best part about UChapters is (besides everything). I love it, because you can take an event last night, and you can take moments where people are vulnerable and will ask questions and share their stories, and their struggles. This gives us a chance to not just hear these stories, but stay connected with them. We have the privilege of not just hearing them, but being able to see these people over and over again. Being able to see them and ask things like "How have you been?" and "How is that thing we talked about?" We recognize that even through healing and redemption, there is still pain and there are still days that are difficult to get through. We can be here for support and love. We are trying to create an environment where it's okay to come back and talk about these things. Your story is changing everyday, and is more important that just one night. We can share more and more with each other, we can become closer and continue to learn together what community means. We can not only help ourselves, but we can reach out and help others. We can become connected in this community and support other organizations that believe in the same things we do. It's great to get messages, and to stay connected with people. To make plans of going out, and getting coffee, hearing from the other officers that people talked to them about being more involved. I don't know everything about community, but I know it doesn't happen in just one night. It can start with that, but it involves staying in touch and continuously walking through life together. We made last night happen not so you could be around people that care for one night, and for once not feel alone in a crowded room. This can go on for more than one night; this can continue for as long as you want it to. We invite you to continuously stay connected with us, and we want you to know that we are always here. We accomplished a lot in one night, inspiring, informing, and encouraging people. Imagine what we could do together if we keep this relationship going. Imagine never having a night you feel alone again, always having someone that can sit there with you and listen, and people that are telling you "You are important, you matter" just like Denny did. This won't always happen, and we are okay with that. Nine times out of ten, we'd like to believe it can. Maybe even more. Because we believe in hope. We believe HOPE IS REAL.

With hope, love, and hugs,
Kevin
TWLOHA.UML@gmail.com