The "why" that drives me

I’m a big proponent of knowing and articulating your “why.” My oldest son decided about a year ago that his path after high school and college will be in the Navy. As an Army kid and Air Force wife, I am proud he wants to continue our family legacy of service to country. However, I told him I wouldn’t let him go until he knew and could clearly communicate to me his why.

It’s easy to set a goal, to aim high. It’s another thing to discern, at a much deeper level, the true motivation behind it. His service will be a sacrifice both he and our family must make. I want to ensure he knows, at his core, why he’s making this choice. My son took months to think this through, but when he finally presented me with an essay, it brought me to tears. I believe in him because he’s my precious child, but now I know what that calling is in his heart. Saying goodbye to him will be enormously hard, but now I fully understand his commitment, and that will make it a bit easier on my mama heart. (Just a bit…)

As I start out on the very arduous road to elected office, I’ve asked myself the same question. I have so many feelings and reasons pointing me to this Senate run. So here for you - dear friend, voter, supporter - is my why.

I have deeply committed myself to the role of wife and mother since I was blessed with my first child 20 years ago. As an Air Force wife, this has been most certainly a vocation. Not everyone could raise four children without the help of family nearby, navigating the scheduling challenges of being married to a pilot flying multiple aircraft for multiple jobs. It’s not for the faint of heart. I have done it with both pride and humility, and I’m grateful to say we have four successful, high achieving children who are now young adults. While it hasn’t been a perfect road, I have a lot of peace and joy knowing that I did that job absolutely to the best of my abilities.

As they launch into their next chapters, the time has come for me to give a greater amount of my energy to my community. My husband got to serve our country for 29 years; it’s my turn now. There is nothing more that fulfills me than serving and caring for others. With a background in public relations and non-profit marketing, I have dedicated myself to community engagement and helping others thrive. The time is right, for both me and my family, to take my career in a new direction that is fully dedicated to public service.

Every time I’ve visited the Capitol, it is not lost on me the many unhoused people that are suffering on the streets, just across the block from our Gold Dome. On my very first visit, I approached a disheveled man to ask for directions. He kindly pointed the way for me, and I hoped I wasn’t the only person that day that would look him in the eye and treat him as a peer, instead of pretending he didn’t exist. That same week, legislation was introduced to criminalize homelessness. I silently prayed that God would use me as His hands and feet to do His work in the people's house. A servant by the people, for the people. And for this very man who so kindly helped a stranger on her first trip to the Capitol filled with the lawmakers who have the privilege of looking out for us all.

Being elected as a state Senator would give me the opportunity to affect real change. I can meet with experts that have the critical data, Georgians that have problems that need help to be solved, fellow lawmakers that want to collaborate on real solutions, social service agencies that need to be connected to those that need them. Just typing this makes my heart swell. I can do this. I am ready. I know what it's like to struggle, to care for an elderly parent, to try to access VA benefits, to fight for the needs of a sick kid. Everyone deserves equal footing. I've lived a full life and learned so much that I want to use to help others. It's what my faith calls me to do.

As a District 37 constituent, I have been disappointed in my current Senator’s lack of presence and communication. At the Cobb Citizen Government Academy, every leader I met made it very clear that public servants work for the people, not the other way around. As an average citizen, I shouldn’t be shut out from following how my Senator is serving our district. Emails should be answered; information should be readily available. Civic engagement should be encouraged and enabled by our elected officials. My Senator should not hide from constituents, and he certainly should not continue to be rewarded for stripping women of their bodily autonomy. He should not use the words “evil Democrats” to describer us. I’ve taught my children that words, actions and character matter. My daughters deserve better. The women of Georgia deserve better. The entire community of Distrcit 37 deserves better.

With a profound respect for government and a voracious appetite for listening and learning, I am ready to run for elected office. I will be a Senator for the people. I will earn their trust and ensure they feel confident in their representation. I will listen, work to find creative solutions and serve the people with dignity and grace. I will always take a people-first approach. I’m a leader who knows that a budget is a moral document, we can be both prosperous and ensure that everyone’s basic needs are met, and democracy works best when our rights to engage are not trampled on. I want to spend our limited time and funding on helping average folks get access to the resources they need to be healthy and raise their families.

Integrity, kindness and respect have been and will remain my core values. Regardless of party affiliation, we are all brothers and sisters first. Let’s dial down the chaos, for the good of our children and our country. The 37^th - and all of Georgia - deserves fair, equitable and transparent government. I will give you nothing but my best, guided by my faith and based on learning from trusted experts and real, hardworking Georgians. Please pray for me, and join me in this effort if you feel so inclined. Your help and support is enormously appreciated.

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/darcy-castro-for-georgia

Peace friends,

Darcy