Hi all,

(This letter is being sent to previous students of mine in the recent past and present, as part of a series I started when the University of Washington Bothell–where I was before App State–first went into lockdown. An archive of previous emails can be found on my website. And if you’re interested in a better intro to what this is, there’s an interview I did talking about these letters. Email or send a message if you want to stay on the list indefinitely!) 

I’ve been meaning to write for a while now, like for at least a month, but I just couldn’t really think of what to say other than to just say: Go out and vote!

Local and federal elections depend heavily on civic participation, and historically low turnout usually means the voices of younger generations are not heard or represented well in government. If you haven’t already, I urge you to get informed on local politics and vote! (If you’re a progressive voter, The Stranger in Seattle is good, and Pam’s Picks seems pretty good here in Boone.) 

Besides that, just remember there is still good in this world, and it’s worth fighting for.

love,

mark

P.S. Find me on IG (@markdangerchen) if you want to see squirrel and bird cam.