Good evening, everybody! I don't have a specific outline for this post - I've been focused on NaNoWriMo this month, and so I haven't done much other writing. I just wanted to give you all a peek into what I have been up to in my life.

NaNoWriMo has been fun insofar - I am currently at 2,446 words, which is pretty good for how I have done historically. To be at goal, I need to have written 10,002 words as of last night. However, NaNo is more about the process and the journey! So, even if I don't get 50,000 words by the end of November, I will have at least tried. Also, I am taking the opportunity to focus on a story idea that I have had in my head for a while now. I am posting what I am writing to my Patreon for $1+ sponsors. If I complete stories, they will be available for early download for $10+ sponsors. Check out my NaNoWriMo page here: https://nanowrimo.org/participants/justin-grays

Today is election day! I hope that everybody remembered to vote (if your municipality has an election)! I voted before I went to work today - I was #26 at my polling place.

Local elections are very important, but don't draw as much attention as the primaries and midterms, which is unfortunate. The more local the election, the more immediate the impact on your life - Teen Vogue has a great article that I suggest that you all read about this: "5 Reasons You Need to Vote in Your Local Elections." Be informed, and make it count. If you're not involved, you may find that your city has placed you in, as John Oliver puts it, "the fuck barrel."

The Saint Louis Park Multicultural Advisory Committee has completed our strategic plan and are implementing the strategic directions that we have created. Our goals include building relationships between the police and the community, helping advance equity in our city, and promoting cultural competence in our police department. This is a 2-3 year plan, and we are in the beginning stages of year 1. But progress is being made, and I am looking forward to future developments!

I have been participating in the Saint Louis Park Citizens' Police Academy. It is a ten-week course that gives people the opportunity to have an inside look at how the police department functions and to form relationships with police officers. We've discussed the mission, values, and philosophy of the Saint Louis Park Police Department, toured the station, discussed hiring and training, learned about traffic stops, K9s, and tactics, and so much more! We also have had the opportunity to participate in a ride-along - being in the front seat of a police car with a police officer while on patrol and taking calls with them to observe routine operations firsthand. It is an amazing experience, and I always suggest that people take the opprotunity to participate if it is ever presented to them.

The Vision 3.0 Report was accepted by the Saint Louis Park City Council last night. As a member of the Vision 3.0 Steering Committee, I was one of the City Council's appointees to act as a liaison between the community and the Visioning Process. It was our task to help the City reach and engage all members of the community, work collaboratively with the consultant and City staff, occasionally meet with the City Council to share key insights or project milestones, and be advocates for the visioning process in their neighborhoods, communities, workplaces, etc. There have been many forms of community engagements, and now that the engagement has completed, the input has been analyzed and will help inform development of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Read the 3.0 Draft.

And that's some of what I have been up to. It is not everything that I have been involved in as of late, but what is life without some mystery? Stay subscribed for more updates - more will come in the future. This is only the end of the first week of NaNoWriMo, after all!

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