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I joined my neighbors on Saturday at Hands Around Green Lake, “a peaceful gathering to honor our community, our resilience as a nation, and the values we stand for: unity, freedom, equality, justice, kindness, love, resilience, compassion, and community.”

The event was inspired by a similar event held at Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA. While it looks like our California neighbors enjoyed some sun on their day, consistent drizzle and a chill in the air didn’t stop a reported 2700+ folks from showing up at Green Lake on Saturday. Additionally, I’d venture to say at least 500 politically-active dogs were also present in solidarity. What struck me about the event was the power of its simplicity. I wasn’t sure what to expect, other than that I would show up, find a spot in the crowd, and join hands with my neighbors. That was basically all that happened, along with introductions and a bit of sharing – all done with minimal dwelling on past or future political events. I left feeling a sense of connectedness with my neighbors, and the genuine comfort that comes from that.

I’m sharing a few of my photos here, but simply search in Facebook to see many more beautiful portraits from the day.