Name: Aaron Gallant
I am: President of the Monroe County Young Democrats and aide to Assemblyman Harry Bronson
Years in Rochester: 25, with a stint away to attend college at George Washington University
Current Home: Monroe Village
My Dearest Rochester,
As I write these words, I'm peering out my window onto your streets on a crystal clear February day. Although the temperature is ice cold, the blazing white sun is melting the top layer of snow as dripping icicles gleam from the rooftops. I remember all the beautiful times we've shared.
Your seasons are what I love most of all. I love your summers on top of Cobbs Hill with my friends from near and far away. I love your autumns as I run through piles of leaves in the drizzling rain. I love your springs as the warmth returns to our own little corner of the world. And I love your winters -- at times both fierce and gentle on days like today.
I adore your neighborhoods, with many still to explore. They reek of history, both good times and bad. For centuries, they have been a cradle for those seeking justice and equality. Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass are revered around the world, but with you, they were at home.
We've had our struggles, but I know that you will persevere. Our neighbors rely on you just as you rely on them. So let us redeem our spirits, and look forward to the good days that are still to come.
Love,
Aaron Gallant
Cobbs Hill Reservoir during a December run