I want to start by saying this: I love you. I love us.

I say it all the time, because love must be at the center of our work as a movement interested in the public good. I am someone who happens to believe that we cannot serve that which we don’t love, not adequately. There are a lot of people who think they’re doing good things. But while they think they’re doing good, they’re actually hurting others. Because the heart of it is, “I want to be seen doing good. I want people to say I did a good job.” Because the unconditional love for the people is missing, they missed the mark.

Voters have said to me, “Cori, I don’t really care if you love me or not — just serve me.” And I’ll say, “No, that’s what you’re used to. You’re used to people just doing something for you and then moving you out of the way.”