From Dr. Valerie N. Williams, Director, and the Faculty and Staff of the Center for Learning and Leadership
Dear Friends, Neighbors and Partners,
As we approach the holidays of this season, the Center for Learning and Leadership faculty and staff send you our warm greetings and best wishes for a Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and Peace in the New Year. If you are celebrating other remembrances during this season, we wish you well.
Reflecting on the year soon to be behind us we are grateful for those whose tireless work helped keep our communities moving forward. Many dedicated people risked their own health and safety to keep food in our stores and shelves stocked. We are grateful for them. Many kind people offered words of kindness or a helping hand to others who were struggling or suffering. We are grateful for all of those with kind words, deeds, or thoughts shared. Many hard working people worked so much harder as our communities navigated the local impact of a global pandemic. We are grateful for their hard work, often done without recognition because they work to help others, and not to be praised for what they do.
For all of our community members who have supported someone or is holding out the hand of generosity for some one of us who needs a steadying hand, we are so grateful for you.
As we enter this holiday season, please hold in your hearts, and set in your minds, that we are a community of neighbors, across the cities, suburbs, towns and frontier of Oklahoma. We are no more and no less than what we show one another of our care and compassion. We are the person we see in the mirror, and the person reflected in the eyes of those who hear or read our words, see our actions, and touch our lives as we touch theirs. In this season of light we hope the reflection you see of yourself, and that others see in you, shines brightly and you know without doubt, that you are a blessing in the world.
We are grateful for you. We are grateful for your care and advocacy with and for people with intellectual developmental disabilities, and with and for the families with children with disabilities and special health care needs, and for the people who provide supportive resources for life in the community. We wish you, as the heart and hands and best examples of Oklahoma as a great state, all the joy life will offer in the new year!
Take care, be well, peace and joy to you and yours! Valerie and the Faculty and Staff of the Center for Learning and Leadership/Oklahoma’s UCEDD.
