Recently, I was driving through Edison when I passed Siperstein Paints. It immediately made me think of Babs Siperstein and the impact she had on New Jersey. A few days later, while spending time with close friends in Asbury Park during Pride Month, I found myself reflecting not only on Babs, but also on Matt Arco.

This spring marked one year since Matt’s passing. Matt was a respected journalist who spent years covering New Jersey politics and government. Over the years, I’d occasionally run into him in Trenton or Princeton and we’d spend a few minutes catching up. Matt had a way of making you feel like he was genuinely interested in what you had to say. He was a talented journalist, but he was also someone who cared deeply about New Jersey and the people who call it home.

Thinking about Matt led me to think about Babs. Babs Siperstein was a pioneering transgender rights advocate whose leadership helped make New Jersey a more welcoming and inclusive place for LGBTQ people. While they came from different backgrounds and experiences, both understood the importance of community. Matt helped tell the stories of New Jersey. Babs helped ensure more people had the opportunity to be part of those stories.

Asbury Park felt like the perfect place to reflect on that connection. Pride Month brings people together from all walks of life, but what has always stood out to me is the sense of community. To me, community means caring about one another, looking out for one another, and making space for people to feel like they belong.

For many LGBTQ people, that sense of belonging was not always easy to find. Previous generations often had fewer opportunities to connect and build networks of support. Today, social media makes it possible to find community almost instantly. That is a tremendous gift. At the same time, there is still no substitute for gathering in person with the people you care about.

Whether it is friends meeting for dinner, families gathering around a table, neighbors supporting local businesses, or communities coming together to celebrate Pride, those personal connections remain at the heart of what makes our lives meaningful.

That is one reason the FIFA World Cup feels significant to me this year. The economic impact on our region will be substantial, and local businesses will benefit from visitors arriving from around the world. But beyond the economic development, the World Cup is also about people gathering together. It is about identity, shared experiences, and finding common ground with people who may come from very different places.

As visitors experience New Jersey over the coming weeks, I hope they see more than great sporting events. I hope they see communities that care about one another. I hope they visit our downtowns, restaurants, beaches, and local businesses and experience the diversity and welcoming spirit that make our state special.

When I thought about Matt Arco, Babs Siperstein, Pride Month, and the World Cup, I realized they all pointed me toward the same idea. Community does not happen by accident. It is built by people who show up for one another, invest in one another, and create places where people feel they belong.

That may be the greatest legacy people like Matt and Babs leave behind.

Hope you all have a wonderful Pride season.