Let's stand up for common sense-right here in our own community

Published Spotlight News June 11, 2025

If you’ve noticed, our community’s not exactly shy about sharing its anger and frustration. Local protests keep popping up—some of them spontaneous, others organized by grassroots groups—and let’s not even start on the epic-length posts on Next Door about national issues. Everyone seems to have an opinion, and most of them boil down to this: “Something’s gotta change.”

Well, something can change—and it starts with us.

As bad as America’s political divisions seem right now, they can—and will—get worse if we don’t step up. That’s why I’ve joined with other local members of No Labels, a national organization that’s spent 15 years building bridges between Republicans and Democrats to find real solutions. No Labels has helped get big things done, like the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill, and launched the House Problem Solvers Caucus that brings together lawmakers from both parties.

But here’s the thing: No Labels can’t do this alone. It takes citizens—like us—to show that working together isn’t just some starry-eyed dream. It’s essential.

That’s why we’ve personally invited our local elected officials—Representative Paul Tonko and Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand—to join us and we’d love for you to do the same. Let’s show them that this community expects its leaders to do more than point fingers and trade barbs.

On June 26 at 8:30 a.m. ET, No Labels is organizing a first-of-its-kind, public, bipartisan event on Zoom. At this meeting, you’ll see Republicans and Democrats in Congress talking about building trust in a political environment that often seems impossible. It’s not a PR stunt. It’s a chance to show that there are still lawmakers who get that working across the aisle isn’t weakness—it’s leadership.

This is the kind of leadership our community—and our country—desperately needs.

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of seeing local kids roll their eyes at politics because they think it’s just endless fighting. What kind of example are we setting if we let anger, division, and extremism rule the day? We owe it to our community—and to our students—to show that we can do better.

Imagine what it would say to the rest of the country if our community rallied behind this event, showing that we expect—and demand—cooperation, not constant combat. Imagine if we flooded that Zoom call with concerned citizens, proving that voters are paying attention and want action.

It’s easy to feel powerless, but this is our moment to step up. Sign up for the event. Then recruit a friend or a neighbor—heck, even that neighbor you argue with on Next Door. Call or email your member of Congress and ask them to attend. Let’s remind them who they really work for.

If enough of us show up, we can send a powerful message to Washington: This community is done with the dysfunction. We’re ready for solutions, not slogans. We’re ready for lawmakers who think independently and work together.

You can register for the event at https://join.nolabels.org/062625. I’ll be there, and I hope to see you—and your family, your friends, and your elected officials—there too.

Let’s do something that sets an example for our community, our students, and our nation. Let’s show that we’re not afraid to demand better—and that we’re willing to do the work to make it happen.

Because if we don’t, who will?

Barbara Collura

Delmar, NY

20th Congressional District Leader No Labels