I want to share with you a glimpse of where I came from and the traditions of democracy that I witnessed in New Hampshire, where I lived for almost twenty years before coming to Portland. On election night, in a small New Hampshire town called Dixville Notch, the first votes in the country are cast right at midnight. It happens in a little town hall with a wood stove, where the six registered voters come in, one by one, to mark their ballots. Each vote is opened and read aloud by officials, while the votes are tallied on a whiteboard for all to see. A golden retriever with an American flag bandana, wanders through the room, monitoring the vote count. It’s a simple process that reminds us of something huge: every single vote, each voice, matters. In Dixville Notch that night, the six votes were split evenly—three for each candidate. To me, it felt like a reminder of how democracy works, multiplied millions of times across the country.
Right now, we’re hearing a lot of different reactions to the election. Those celebrating victory are elated and feel finally seen. Others are left baffled and profoundly disappointed. Many of us are left contemplating how the wheels of democracy turned and what turned them. Whatever side people are on, it’s undeniable that each vote cast on Tuesday reflects a desire for a person’s voice to shape our shared future. I hope that in this moment, each of us can think about what that means for us and for our country—what democracy asks of us and what we can learn from each other, regardless of who “won” or “lost,” so that we can guide our actions responsibly into the future.
As you may know, the motto of the United States is e pluribus unum (out of many, one). Those 13 letters reflect the 13 original colonies which became one republic. As the motto of the nation, e pluribus unum reflects our founding and holds the promise of our future. It reminds me of that talk John Winthrop offered to the first English settlers before they disembarked from the Arabella in 1620: “We must delight in each other; make others’ conditions our own; rejoice together, mourn together, always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work, as members of the same body…”
What Winthrop described is the heart of democracy. It’s about connection, understanding, and the belief that despite our differences, we can still find common purpose as part of something much larger than ourselves. And that’s something our country has been striving toward since its beginning. In the end, democracy isn’t just about voting or winning; it’s about keeping a promise to each other—to respect our voices and work toward that “city upon a hill” that Winthrop dreamed of.
Democracy also needs one more thing, and that’s education. Philosopher John Dewey once said: “Democracy has to be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife.” Schools are essential to democracy because they teach us how to think critically, how to debate, how to listen to one another—even when we disagree. Democracy is a fragile, precious thing, and we need to attend to its continuing rebirth. So, in this current time of increased polarization, it is right to ask, where do we go from here, and what role might our school play in that work? So today, I’d like to leave you with three ideas on how we can continue this work, together.
(1) Build Beloved Community and Practice Civil Discourse. In a Beloved Community all voices are valued. Holding a plurality of ideas – and how we engage them and each other – helps to build the bonds of understanding rather than division, empathy rather than enmity, and curiosity rather than cancellation. Civil discourse is the foundation of democracy and the pathway to real understanding. Here in our school, we’re already learning and practicing these principles: Be present. Be more curious than certain. Be clear in your purpose. Be relationship-centered. Let’s keep them strong and help others do the same.
(2) Embrace Belonging. The e pluribus unum of the American dream is the firm belief that the strength of our unity lies in our diversity. True unity isn’t about sameness; it’s about bringing together many different voices and making sure everyone feels they belong. Let’s resist the urge to judge or dismiss or demonize people who think differently. Instead, let’s see our diversity as strength and do our part to make everyone here feel included. Belonging is powerful because it says, “You matter here.” And our school is a place where we all belong, no matter where we come from or what we believe. That’s actually what it means to be an Episcopal School.
(3) Let our mission guide us. Our mission is to educate students to realize their power for good as engaged citizens of the world. That mission is something we can live every day, whether it’s in the classroom, on the field, or in a conversation with someone. What does it mean to realize your power for good? Maybe it’s as simple as showing kindness. As one recent alum said to me, OES taught her how to excel, and with kindness. Excelling with kindness. How will we do that in the days and weeks and months ahead. Whatever that looks like for you, think about how you can live our mission in your own way.
In a time of division, the way forward isn’t always clear. But maybe, as poet Maya Angelou suggests, it starts with love. She says that love is brave and costs us “all we are and will ever be. Yet it is only love which sets us free.” When we choose to look past our differences with kindness, we begin to break down walls and build connections.
Let’s be brave enough to strive with love and kindness, to listen, and to lift each other up. I believe that together at this school, we can fulfill e pluribus unum, create a Beloved Community, embrace true belonging, and live our mission. We can tend the garden of this school and do our part to help repair the breach, heal the divide, and build a future that we can all be proud of. We shall overcome with love. Love. Just love