As a kid, I read a significant amount of historical fiction. Reading these books often made me wonder how I might have responded during difficult or significant historical events. How would I, Casey, an 8-year-old white girl, respond to slavery in the mid-1800s? I never stopped asking myself these questions and believe that these books and questions have played a role in who I am as a person. As I grow, I realize it’s not the big, once-in-a-lifetime events that make us. As an employee, parent, friend, volunteer, community, and church member,  I realize that who we are is developed in the day-to-day: how we show up in what may be considered the mundane or ordinary. 

​

We show up for our family, friends, and community on a regular basis, acknowledging the need to grow and move alongside one another, or we don’t. In the long run, this is what makes us who we are–our actions create habits and our habits create our character. It is this character that determines how we respond to the “big” historical moments. Unfortunately, I think this is where we find ourselves. These are our days. The days that will show up in history books, days where we have the opportunity to stand up against a government that at all levels chooses to undermine the good of the people. While many are feeling hopeless or unsure how to create change, caring for our local communities makes the most sense.

​

Running for commissioner feels like a natural extension of my desires to show up for our community. These are skills and practices that I have been developing for a long time, for no other purpose than showing up for those around me. Serving as commissioner will allow me the opportunity to address the hardship, celebrate the wins, and acknowledge the opportunities of Jackson County on a wider scale.

For six years, I served as a Student Support Specialist in Jackson County Public Schools providing mental health services to students. In order to serve families well, I developed close working relationships with many of our local organizations, as well as a broad understanding of how the different pieces of Jackson County move and work together. This work has meant interacting with outside care providers, local non-profits, local churches, the sheriff’s department, and the Department of Social Services. In addition to working in our public schools, I have shown up in many other ways as a volunteer within our community, providing an even broader range of experience and understanding of Jackson County, adding to the skill sets that will make me successful as a commissioner. 

​

Like many of you, I too am concerned and upset about the blatant overreach, lack of transparency, and disregard for our community displayed by our current commissioners. I will operate differently, not out of anger or hate toward a group of people, but with love and care for our community.