Kimberly Ricci: Porchfest proves Modesto knows how to be a great town

Dear Modesto,

You. Are. Amazing.

You are whatever you choose to be. No more saying there’s nothing to do here. That everything is unsafe. That there’s nothing that can be done to fix your problems. I’m saddened by the pervasive sense of self-loathing that surrounds you.

You are home to amazing people who are actively working to make you better.

But we, your citizens, need to participate constantly and actively engage in making every day more beautiful – it shouldn’t take a special event to bring us together. This feeling, this sense of civic engagement could and should be our daily reality.

At Modesto Porchfest, I saw a town that was filled with joy, music, laughter, hugs from friends, hugs from strangers, plans for future events and meeting neighbors.

This can be us, our town, our identity, every day. But we have to choose it actively. We need to take the conscious road of saying I want to live in a great town. I want to know my neighbors. I want to be positive. I want to love the people I share a geographical similarity with.

I love you, Modesto. Now it’s time for you to love yourself.

This story was originally published August 1, 2017 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Kimberly Ricci: Porchfest proves Modesto knows how to be a great town."