Today should be Tom’s 27th birthday, his fifth that he’s missed since an act of gun violence took his life.  If he were here, I know that he’d be finding loving and creative ways to celebrate with many of you.  As we continue forward in this lifetime without Tom’s physical presence, I want to share my own feeling of his ongoing ever-presence.  As I work to try to end the community violence that cut short his and so many other people’s vibrant lives, he hovers over and beside me just like in this picture.   A calm, caring presence who forces me to question the status quo and challenge others to face the truth and do better for those most forsaken among us.  In case you haven’t seen all that we’re doing to honor Tom and every other victim of violence at Peace For DC, here's a look at our 2022 year-end impact report. We all know that Tom would have continued to try to be a force for good in this world.  With his spirit and vision of equity and fairness in mind, we will continue to address the gun violence crisis that plagues DC and so many other cities. With Tom’s ongoing help and guidance, I know that peace is within reach. Thank you to those of you who knew Tom, and many of you who never had a chance to meet him, for helping us in our mission to save lives and bring about change.

Roger