Dan’s Address at Mesa’s Grand Opening Event, June 7th 2024
I’ve had the opportunity to speak with a lot of people about Mesa and admittedly the tenor of those conversations has changed quite a bit over these last few months as the vision of this place has really come to life. Some of you have been at events where I’ve had a chance to speak and if you have, you might know that I’m on quite a streak of getting emotional at some point during the course of my remarks and needing to either 1) pause and regain my composure or 2) make the wrong decision and just keep speaking rendering whatever I have to say unintelligible.
For those of you who have been with us since the beginning, you know that this has been an incredibly emotional project.
Tonight I settled on a few strategies to help me say everything I hope to say without going over time and without getting choked up. My first strategy is to, as much as possible, stay on script because I know that what I’ve written here won’t take me more than the 7 minutes I’ve allotted myself.
The second strategy is to do my best not to make eye contact with my wife Molly who is in that general direction. I don’t know exactly where she is because so far I’m doing a good job of sticking with the gameplan. Those of you who know Molly already know that this project couldn’t have been possible without her. There is simply no way we are all here celebrating right now without this incredibly strong, committed, joyful, community minded, and wise woman. Molly, my daughters Isla and Ruthie, my immediate and extended family, and the network of our incredibly close friends, many of whom are here tonight, held me up when this project got incredibly difficult over the last two years.
The third strategy is to make sure I thank a handful of folks whose dedication, skill, tenacity, creativity, and belief in this project allowed it to come to fruition. I’m going to ask that you hold your applause because this is a solid list and I don’t want you to run out of clapping power before I get to the end. First, I want to thank the Ventura County CEO’s office, specifically Christy Madden, Tracy McAulay and Chelsee Bente Russell. The three of you have worked tirelessly on this project since the very beginning and provided a steady hand when things didn’t go according to plan. I want to thank our development partner, People’s Self Help Housing, led by Ken Triguero, Veronica Garcia and their incredible team. Thank you to our incomparable architect Mark DiCecco. He has been a generous, even keeled, thoughtful, and fully committed member of our team. Our general contractor David Staples & his team including Chris Harris from Staples Construction have settled for nothing less than work of the highest quality. They have been true partners in this and we are so grateful for them. The Housing Trust Fund of Ventura County stepped up and provided crucial bridge funding when the project would have otherwise stalled. Thank you to Linda Braunschweiger for her leadership and support.
There are two people in particular who have made a significant difference to Mesa and to me: State Assemblymember Steve Bennett, a strong advocate for those in the foster system. He agreed to take our first call a few years ago and challenged us to not stop until we crossed the finish line. And Ventura County Supervisor Matt LaVere. Matt, you have been a consistent and strong supporter and I am incredibly grateful. All of our partners in this project know that this would not have gotten done without you.
I can’t finish my thank you’s without calling out two members of our team who have played an outsized roll. First, I want to thank Rebecca Benard, our Director of Development and Finance who also took on a project manager role over the past year and a half helping to orchestrate the completion of this project. Finally I also want to thank our co-founder and current chair of our Board of Directors, Kyle Thompson. Kyle, you gave me the courage to set out on this crazy adventure and I am forever grateful for your partnership and friendship.
Before I ask Supervisor LaVere and Assemblymember Bennett to join me, I am going to employ a 4th, very popular speech strategy which is to utilize a quote. This last strategy is particularly important because, as most quotes do, it says a lot in just a few words which, when you’re running up against the clock, is very important. Jose Andres, the brilliant chef and founder of World Central Kitchen said something to the effect of “We must build longer tables, not higher walls.” “We must build longer tables, not higher walls.” Now I’ve already diminished the power of brevity inherent in a quote by repeating it twice, and I am going to do it one worse by taking my final minute to try and apply Jose Andres’ quote to Mesa.
First, the idea of a long table, a mesa. A place where everyone is not only welcome, but where there is a special seat set just for you. Where you are encouraged to gather, build relationships, grow community. Where you are nourished with good food and conversation. Where you can contribute food or drink if you have something to share, but where it’s fine if you are simply bringing yourself.
We are building a very long table here and I am so grateful that you are sitting at that table with us. All of your names are on that wall over there because you have helped to build this place and I am encouraging you to continue to join with us. The young people who will soon be living here will be better because you do and, I believe, you will also be better for it.
The second half of the quote--the idea of avoiding the temptation to build higher walls. Here I believe we are challenged in a very specific way. When we lower the walls of separation between those who have homes and those who do not, between those who were born into stable, loving, and supportive homes and those who were not; when we lower the walls between those who have been given opportunities to pursue the lives they imagine for themselves and their families, and those whose opportunities were dashed by childhoods marked by insecurity, instability, and trauma—when we lower those walls, then something truly magical can happen.
I believe that we have an incredible opportunity here and if we take it, if we treat people with utmost respect and care, provide extensive opportunity for relationship and skill building, health and wellness, exposure to a variety of educational opportunities, create spaces to fail safely, to work hard and test the limits of one’s capacity at this incredibly pivotal time of life during this transition to adulthood. If we commit to these things we can and will do magical things.
We have the opportunity to build a table where you can come and be nourished. Where we lower the barriers to entry by practicing forgiveness, patience, and kindness. Where we listen. Where we recognize that a one size fits all approach isn't really a comfortable fit for anyone.
I believe that if we commit ourselves to this, and continually challenge ourselves to stay true to this vision, we can end homelessness among young adults and I am personally committed to this vision for as long as it takes. I invite you to continue to join Mesa in this work.
-Dan Parziale
Executive Director and Co-Founder Mesa
