Friend,

It’s no secret that our economy has left too many people behind. Across the country and here in Connecticut’s fourth district Americans are struggling to achieve financial security.

In 2021 when I was asked to Chair the House Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth, I knew from the get-go that we couldn’t just hold hearings in Washington D.C., we needed to hear directly from Americans where they live.

For eighteen months, my colleagues and I studied American inequality. We held hearings, traveled to Ohio, California, Wisconsin, Texas, Washington, and Massachusetts, met with local governments, community leaders, businesses, non-profits, and listened to hundreds of hard-working Americans.

Instead of confining our findings solely to paper and ink, we took another unique, first-ever approach: in addition to writing a report, we captured the stories of three American families on film.

On Tuesday night I was proud to premiere our 30-minute documentary, Grit & Grace: The Fight for the American Dream, narrated by EMMY ® Award winning actress, Sarah Jessica Parker.

These stories give us an opportunity to strengthen and challenge our values and opinions and learn from others’ experiences with compassion and empathy. They are of struggle and hardship, but ultimately of perseverance and hope.

We are reminded that while there is so much work yet to be done, the American people are resilient, creative, and determined to succeed in the face of adversity, injustice, and inequity.

I hope you’ll take some time to watch our documentary and to join us in the fight to create opportunity for all Americans.

— Jim