Dear IHCC community,
Last week, the IHCC celebrated the beautiful holiday of Día de los Muertos at our 2024 Day of the Dead Gala. It was an incredible evening of celebration, honoring the lives of our loved ones who have passed away. This occasion allowed us to reflect, remember, and celebrate the rich cultural heritage that connects us all.
While it was a time to celebrate and have fun, Día de los Muertos is no ordinary day. It’s a day to pause and recognize that we are part of something far greater than ourselves.
We are bound to a lineage, a legacy of struggle and achievement—a story that began long before us and will continue long after.
We must honor those who came before us—those who endured hardship and injustice, who sacrificed so that we could stand here with the power to change things and make choices they could only dream of.
We live in a time where decisions are made every day that impact the lives of our communities, our children, and those who have yet to be born.
And we face challenges that cannot be solved by any one of us alone. Our world is threatened by division, by forces that seek to weaken us, to keep us small in our vision and timid in our ambition.
As we come together on days like Día de los Muertos, we are reminded that unity is not a luxury—it is our strength, our survival, and our power.
To those in positions of power—those who shape policy, write laws, and make decisions that echo into the lives of millions—this is about coming together to shape the future.
This is about the world we will leave behind. It’s about having the courage to set aside short-term gains, partisan divides, and personal ambition to serve something far greater than any individual interest.
Imagine a world where communities thrive, where families live without fear of hunger or homelessness, where opportunity is not determined by birthplace, but by the audacity of our dreams. That world is not a fantasy; it is within reach.
As I looked around the room at our gala, I saw our people, our community, and our country. It served as a reminder that we do not walk the path alone. In every challenge, we share a common bond and a common future.
With every decision, we either inch closer to that vision of justice and unity or drift further away.
It falls to each of us, but especially to those with the power to make change, to carry forward the dreams of those who came before us, and to pass on a future worthy of the sacrifices we honor.
We honor our ancestors not just in words but in action. We live with courage, purpose, and the strength to choose unity over division, compassion over convenience, and justice over complacency.
For our families, our communities, and the generations yet to come. Together, we have the power to create a world where our communities thrive, where justice is not a privilege, and where we, as one united FAMILIA, stand unbreakable.
Sincerely,
Jaime di Paulo