Family First, Humanity First

Just a guy from Wisconsin living in Texas.

If you’ve spent any real time in Texas, you know neighbors matter. There’s a reason folks here wave at you on country roads, it’s a quiet reminder that we’re all connected, even when life gets busy.

For me, that truth has always been personal. I grew up in a small Wisconsin town where neighbors were like extended family, and weekends meant time on our family farm surrounded by cousins, fresh air, and the kind of community where people showed up for each other without being asked.

These days, I live in Austin with my wife, our eight-year-old daughter, and our six-year-old son. Most of our extended family is still up in Wisconsin, and we’re blessed to travel back a couple times a year to recharge with grandparents, cousins, and lifelong friends. Every visit reminds me how much I value those ties, and how important it is to build the same kind of support network here at home.

But here’s the thing. Most of the time, we can’t hop on a plane to see our families. We have to rely on the people right here around us, our neighbors. And in today’s online world, where so much of our “connection” happens through screens, we’ve slowly lost that habit of leaning on one another.

I see it with my family, my friends, and in my kids’ lives too; where friendship and kindness risk happening mostly in group chats and posts instead of on sidewalks, front porches, and neighborhood parks.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Humanity first means family first, not just the family you’re born into, but the family you build around you. That starts with neighbors, classmates, coworkers, church groups, civic clubs; the people you share space with every day.

At the start of this year, I felt something shift. I couldn’t just sit on the sidelines anymore and complain about how disconnected we’ve all become. I had to do something. That’s what led me to get more involved with the Texas Forward Party. Not because I was looking for another political label, but because I wanted to be part of something focused on rebuilding trust, respect, and community from the ground up. I look forward to sharing more about this journey, here!

For now, I'll just close that when we look after each other, whether in Wisconsin, Texas, or anywhere in between, I'm reminded just how important it is to have a community of support to lean on. 

Family first. Humanity first. Neighbors first.

My new favorite generated image of Wisconsin & Texas together :)