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This past weekend, more than 400 families in Lee and Sumter Counties received turkeys and groceries to feed their loved ones over Thanksgiving. Though we’re separated by miles, the distance between Atlanta and Southwest Georgia is best measured by what it means to take care of one another in a moment of real need — when the government shutdown and SNAP lapse left many with support in short supply.
We talk a lot about democracy, but at its core, it’s about grace. To serve because you can and to fight because it’s right. Thank you to the volunteers, donors, and partners who refused to let cruelty win and who wielded the power of community. You provided stability, relief, and a little hope heading into the holiday week.
Ahead of Thanksgiving, these twin themes of grace and grit continue to resonate. Grace requires that we show up when life is tough, and that we serve, even when our own needs are loud enough to drown out faith. Grit is how we confront the maelstrom of harm, the callous disregard for others, refusing to hide and leaning in instead.
We will offer thanks in various ways this holiday, and my gratitude is legion. Thank you to those who have put aside the allure of checking out to instead check on one another. Those who have spoken up about the ones we’re supposed to ignore, who show up for the outsiders. And thank you for welcoming me into community with you.
You’ve done so in so many generous ways: as a listener of our podcast Assembly Required [ [link removed] ], as a subscriber here on Assembly Notes [ [link removed] ], and as one of the many readers who picked up a copy of my latest novel Coded Justice [ [link removed] ] this year. I am grateful for each and every one of you.
The holidays are a time for reflection, but they can also be a time for quiet action. If you’re looking to use the holiday shopping to send a message, check out the We Ain’t Buying It [ [link removed] ] [ [link removed] ]campaign. The goal of this effort is simple: support small, local businesses or mutual aid efforts in your community. Democracy must deliver — sometimes by refusing the easy way forward.
However you’re spending the holiday—celebrating, working, traveling, or just trying to catch your breath—I hope it brings you a spirit of renewal for the days ahead. Happy Thanksgiving.

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