Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I am so, so happy to be at the Goodman Center. It feels like the last few weeks – between accepting the position and finally moving to Madison – were a whirlwind, but I’m getting settled in and have completed my first full week at GCC.

Letesha Nelson - Goodman Center CEO / Executive Director

I’ve done a lot of reflecting on the New Year, and the word “welcome” keeps popping into my mind. First, there is my welcome to Goodman. I could feel the warmth in the buildings, the amazing staff and all of the participants from the very first moment I arrived. I went on a tour at the end of my first day, and our preschool and 4K kiddos made me feel like a celebrity. What a welcome!

And then there’s the welcoming of renewal that a new year brings. This year, there are the big things, like our new leadership in the White House and the new coronavirus vaccine. But there are also the smaller things right here in our community and our homes – and I believe those are the things that make the biggest difference.

This year is an opportunity to gather ourselves and create something new: a new outlook for our children, for schools, for the community. The events of 2020 have set us up to do things differently, and though we’ve lost a lot of people because of COVID, there are still a lot of us here who can contribute. What will you do to make this world and our community better?

At GCC, that means being able to open our doors again, engage parents and volunteers in a different way, work with our children in a way that is even more deliberate than what we’re already doing. It means continuing and building upon our mission of strengthening lives and securing futures.

I feel so much hope in this new beginning – for myself, for Goodman and for our community. I can’t wait to get to know you all. Now, let’s get to work.

Take care,