It is 2025, a whole new year lies before us ready to make of it what we will. As I start this new year I look back to everything I have learned, the ways I have grown and the ways in which I still need to grow. We all have a journey to go through. Mine came with a slightly unforeseen twist this year: the title of Acting Executive Director. I want to thank both Dr. Fernandez and our Board of Directors for this opportunity. I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the road that has gotten me here and the person that has helped me most throughout the way: from being a trainee clinician, to Office Manager and Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, to Program Manager and now Acting Executive Director. Dr. Manuel Fernandez has held my hand, guided me, and taught me every step of the way. It is important we look at the past to learn from it for as philosopher George Santayana-- and later repeated by Sir Winston Churchill-- once stated “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” This quote always serves to remind me of the importance of honoring the past and learning from it in order to move forward. I look towards the future, sometimes this is an action that is fraught with fear because of its uncertainty, but this time I look to it with excitement. I know as I go forward in this new role, I have some very big shoes to fill. I look at the way ahead and am motivated to keep our mission and vision alive through innovative mental health practices and breaking down pre-established barriers. This comes with its own set of challenges as this is not a job that can be done alone. I look to all of La Concordia staff and clinicians, Board Members, and partners both current and future to help me with this. It is only by working together that we are able to move mountains and embark on the waves of change. The future is ours to harness, take the bull by the horns as it were. Dr. Fernandez taught me to look at the bigger picture of things, not just this small moment in time, still a skill I am trying to cultivate. La Concordia is filled with people that are devoted to the work that we do. As I said during our gala last year, it isn’t about us, but the people that we help and the change that we create. My devotion and passion comes from wanting to stir the pot, innovate new approaches that cause waves of change, and watch as a new generation of clinicians comes into their own light. From this moment I pledge to continue the work that has been done and to continue to bring new opportunities to make mental health grow out of its “talk therapy” shell. Don’t get me wrong, I am a clinician myself, so talk therapy is always something I will advocate for, but as I have come to realize, deep breathing, journaling and other stereotypical approaches don’t work for everyone. And the same goes for talk therapy. I have come to realize and appreciate this fact during my time as Program Manager more than ever. This new year, La Concordia will continue to enact our mission of providing culturally competent care and overall wellness to all unable to access mental health care due to systemic barriers by continuing to offer innovative mental health programs, top of the line interventions that do not focus on the superficial, and culturally competent care. We do this for everyone both here in Contra Costa County as well as the entire state of California. La Concordia, Your Wellness, Your Health, You Deserve It! - Joanne Rodriguez