I had the honor of giving a short speech at the Maine Democratic convention a few weeks ago in Maine, of special significance because it also happened to be National Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander heritage month. This is a critical time in Maine and across the country, especially as racial and social justice, women and reproductive rights, and LGBTQ+ rights are under attack. We need elect Democrats up and down the ballot to secure a brighter future for all.

Morality exists as a universal concept to free humanity from our baser instincts, such as hate, fear, and violence; that morality should free us to contemplate, imagine, and dream of a world in which we live in peaceful coexistence. Instead, we have seen morality used to oppress, marginalize, dehumanize, and to stoke fear and hate of those who may look different, talk different, dress different, act different, and love differently.

We cannot let what it means to be moral be monopolized by those with an agenda to oppress, suppress, and repress. Morality shouldn’t just be about what we CAN’T DO, but what we CAN DO together. A moral people keeps families together to the extent possible; helps feed the hungry and provide shelter to the homeless. A moral people will fight for a government that represents, defends, and lifts up the weak, the broken, and the downtrodden.

There will be bad times. But there will be good times. So remember. There’s the hard truth – you won’t be happy all the time. Suffering and pain exists. There’s the healing truth – you can overcome, no matter how hard, no matter how dark. Just accept that you can change the things that can be changed, but accept the things that you cannot change. That will save you a lot of anxiety and hurt in life. And finally, the hopeful truth – good things have happened, are happening and will happen. Put things in perspective. Remember to appreciate and live in those moments and to not let the bad things make you miss those opportunities to just be happy.