OMG It's Just Daé

The Democratic Party Voting Hasn’t Felt Festive Since Obama

I remember that feeling of relief, hope, and happiness because I felt a part of something. Every time Barack Obama spoke on TV I stopped and listened because for the first time the candidate for president not only looked relatable but his likability and charisma were enough to cross both sides of the aisle. He…

Cheers to the Hallway Kids

For a few years, I was a hallway kid. The elementary kid that was so disruptive that I was a conundrum because I knew the work I was just so disruptive that I had a desk in the hallway where I celebrated the Valentine’s Day and the St Patrick’s Day parties by my lonesome in…

The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry

In 2015 I watched the documentary Stink! It was overwhelming and exhausting and eye-opening but most of it was educational. It was a journey about a dad who was upset that he purchased pajamas for his daughter online and they arrived with a chemical smell. He had lost his wife to breast cancer and he…

What Does Your Internal Mobility Look Like?

Companies that don’t have any internal mobility tend to lose employees as company cultural norms aren’t what they used to be. 30 internal applications in 7 years. Approximately 3 interviews and exactly 30 internal applications were all rejected. Imagine working for a company and these are the statistics that you’re faced with. Once I submitted…

Are People Quiet Quitting Relationships?

On why relationships should be evaluated like careers By now you’ve probably heard of the term “quiet quitting.” Some say this act of not going above and beyond at work is an act of rebellion and others say it’s a reaction to burnout and or hustle culture. Either way, this act of just doing the…

A Dream Deferred: It’s Time to Forgive Student Loans

A deadline is looming and so far over 43 million Americans are holding their breath to find the fate of their student loan debt. The Biden Administration has paused payments again and again because of the pandemic. Interest is not accruing on federal loans and interest to pay said loans is waning as the August…

The Future of Municipalities is Townships

PA has 2560 municipalities and mostly all of those municipalities have their own police departments and resources. This is unsustainable and at some point, if they haven’t already, they’re going to need to band together. This is a hot take but if it was anything less why would I share it? As a former mayor,…

Congrats to The Class of 2022

Recently I was asked by a Woodland Hills School Board Member to give the commencement speech, I accepted, rearranged my work schedule, and then recently the superintendent rescinded the offer. That doesn’t mean that the students aren’t going to get said speech. I even thought things through to the point of sending the speech in…

In the Neighborhood

One day soon my neighborhood won’t look the same and its current residents, local, state, and the federal government will be the only ones left to blame. So rather it’s a good or a bad change everyone will have a hand in accountabilityWe say the town is resilient we’re strong but people don’t want obstacles…

Not my Fence

The curtains still blow in the wind yet nobody lives here. From my side, I stare at the vines hugging my fence for attention as there’s no warmth left in the house next door. I got stuck staring and wondering where the people went, what they were like, and what happened. The trash can is…

OMG It's Just Daé

Confessions of a Millennial Mayor: The Pandemic, PA, and the Big Bad Wolf

Confessions of an Ex-Millennial Mayor

37 in Less Than 7 Days: Flexibility is a Flex

The Dream Should Be Community

We Are All Exhausted

Radical Isn’t What You Think It Is