Happy Fat Tuesday, Team.

Today I’m celebrating one of my favorite days of the year: Pączki Day.

Pączki (pronounced poonch-kee) are jelly-filled Polish pastries and are a traditional treat on this day before we begin the Lenten season.

John introduced me to this holiday and it’s one of my favorite days of the year because it's a reminder of John teaching me important Polish traditions, and the times we got to share our traditions with the community.

Rituals and traditions in our communities matter to me. They tie us together from generation to generation, keep us connected in many ways, and are a reminder of the importance of respecting cultures and backgrounds that help make this nation strong.

It’s important now more than ever to come together as a community. We have a lot of work to do as we navigate the new administration, but I know that when we come together, we are strong, and today is a great day to remind ourselves of that.

Thank you for your support,

– Debbie