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By Joseph A. Curtatone

Each year on January 1, we gather to reenact and commemorate George Washington having the Grand Union Flag flown on Prospect Hill. We don’t know exactly why Washington had the flag raised, but we do know that there were British troops stationed in nearby communities who would have seen it. By raising that flag in full view of enemy troops he, consciously or not, announced that the Colonial Army was not afraid and not backing down.

Today Somerville residents proudly carry on that tradition of not being afraid to let the world know who they are and what they stand for. Some do it like the Colonial army did, by raising flags. Walking around the city you’ll see Pride flags, Black Lives Matter flags, Trans flags, and a whole host of other flags and banners that show dedication to a cause. And many of you do it in other ways – being involved in community processes, volunteering your time, making donations to causes you care about, and taking the time to talk to friends, family, and neighbors about important issues.

And you push us to do the same.

Amid the calls, emails, and letters that come into City Hall about potholes, snow plowing, and other service requests are questions about how residents can get more involved. People want to help our immigrant community, which has come under renewed attack by the Trump administration. They have ideas about how we can improve City services to better meet the needs of everyone in Somerville. And sometimes residents just want to voice their support for an issue we’re already trying to take on.

Knowing how much Somerville residents care about each other and the issues big and small that affect our lives makes it easier to raise our proverbial flag and make it clear where we stand. When President Trump, shortly after being elected, threatened to cut federal funding to sanctuary cities I knew that Somerville wasn’t going to back down on such a deeply held community value. In fact, a few thousand of you joined us on a freezing February morning at the 2017 One Somerville Rally to say just that.

As we welcome 2020, I hope that you’ll keep championing the values that make up Somerville’s soul. Keep pushing the City on important issues, get involved with the causes you’re passionate about. And know that we’ll be right there with you fighting to make our city, our country, and our world a better place.