Today marks a year since I lost one of my best friends and my partner in crime, Alejandra.

The last year has been one of the most difficult of my life. From losing a close friend, to taking over the organization we started together, to weathering a pandemic, this year has brought challenges, but it has brought this small community of advocates together. I am so lucky to have had the support of the community as well as Alejandra's family. From supporters to local officials, I am so grateful for everyone's help through the past year.

I would like to thank Alejandra's parents Freddy and Monica who have been so caring, thoughtful, and supportive of my efforts to run this organization in the focused, loud way that Alejandra would have wanted. More thanks go out to now-Mayor Daniella Levine Cava (who I will always think of as my commissioner from District 8) who offered and provided help and advice when I was starting to run this nonprofit.

To those who supported Alejandra and support me in continuing her work: thank you. I could not have done everything we accomplished by myself, and your help has meant the world to me.

I will always miss Alejandra's snark, her jokes on replies to my Instagram stories. I'll miss our fights on Twitter and our agreements via text late at night. I miss having someone to go to when I need to complain about the government because normal people don't always care. I miss having my best friend just a text away for advice. I will always miss Alejandra, and a year later I still feel how I felt last November: longful, but hopeful I can continue Ale's work the way she would have wanted: loud, uncompromising, and passionate unlike this County has ever seen.

To my friend, whom I still text often, Alejandra.

Rest in Power. I love you.