We have a lot of work in front of us. Together an newly elected City Council will tackle these and other issues in a collaborative and forward-thinking way.

Asked what the city could do to be supportive, instead of talking about housing, health care or job opportunities, an unhoused woman simply asked for a warm blanket to keep her warm during the coldest months.

There are lots of choices in this election, but with a minimum of at least three new members to be seated on the Cambridge City Council, experience and a proven track record matter when we have so many urgent challenges to address.

I have a difficult time believing that one can hold racist ideals and not have them affect their job. This makes it all the more important that we send a clear message that we will not tolerate discrimination, especially from those who have the authority to detain and arrest people.

There were certainly some challenging times. We had divisive conversations on affordable housing in our neighborhoods and racism in our public schools, and we gathered for far too many vigils. Despite these trials, much was accomplished.

What is frustrating about the conversation around East Cambridge’s former courthouse is that people have been led to believe that if the City Council just rejects leasing parking to the developer, we will end up with affordable housing on the site. That is simply untrue.

As city leaders, we share responsibility for making sure our students are prepared to learn and grow. We can do that by removing hunger as an impediment to learning – and this year we have committed to it.

Cambridge is an amazing city. We are leading the way in so many areas that sometimes we lose sight of the great things that are happening. But despite all the prosperity and innovation that surrounds us, we are still a city with major issues to address. Here’s how we have started.

We need to take time to acknowledge and appreciate our accomplishments, of which there are many, but we must never be complacent, because there are still far too many of our friends and neighbors who are struggling.

The immigrants coming to America now are no different than those who came three generation ago. Yet if Donald Trump had been president in 1895, “Papa” would not have been able to come to America. His Italian-American descendants wouldn’t be here as a result.