Hello Collin County,

I hope to earn your trust as I begin writing this column. I’ve reported on Richardson meetings for some time now, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to share some of my ideas with the rest of the county. I was listening to a 1968 Staple Singers song entitled “We’ve Got to Get Ourselves Together” to find inspiration for this first column. With everything happening right now in the world, our nation, and our county party, this song seems timelier than ever. We will only be successful if we work together towards the same goal. Listen to every single word that Mavis sings.

I know it’s election season now, and I hope everyone is busy getting our candidates elected. But our work does not end once elections are over. We must work together to encourage sensible and effective strategies for our cities and school boards. Not to mention all of the boards & commissions underneath these elected bodies. We’ve got to plan for the future, plan our work, and Work. Our. Plan. We’ve got to be prepared to compromise and concede. We’ve got to get ourselves together. No time to waste.

It’s also the state’s 88th legislative session. And it’s a scary one. Public education is under attack. The civil rights of the LGBTQIA+ community are under attack. Women’s rights to make their own medical decisions are under attack. Folks, WE ARE UNDER ATTACK. So, it’s time to act like it. We must band together to be an unstoppable and immovable force. If we only show up with our leftover energy during election and legislative seasons, we will fail. We must show up and take our rightful seats in government. We must be informed enough to take part in the planning process of our cities and school boards. The far-right are gathering weekly in churches to plan an effective war strategy. And it’s high time we do the same. I want to see every city and town in Collin County have active and motivated LWAN correspondents in every single meeting. No plans should be passed without our approval. I want us to understand the role of our city planning commissions and zoning boards. It’s all connected. All politics is local. So, I hope you’re ready come together as a united front against fascism. We can disagree on the approach, but we cannot allow ourselves to be divided. We are one, united Collin County Democratic Party. Our future is far more important than any individual egos. With that, I hope you’ll participate in this process. If we want to be successful, I must have feedback. I require your participation. If you have anything to say, please reach out to me. I need to hear about what is going on in our county. I need reports. If you are ready and willing but don’t know what to do, we have a place for you. Call me, text me, or email me anytime. We will figure this thing out together, all of us. Next week, I’ll dive into some of the reports from our cities and school boards. I’ll also dive into some of the bills coming through the legislature to show how we can affect change at the local level. I hope you’re ready. It’s time to get to work.

Yours Truly,

Justin Wray Neth

Neth.justin@yahoo.com 682-225-4495