In this city, there exists an invisible army—an army of street-smart, not book-smart; blue-collar, not blue-blooded individuals who keep our city running smoothly. These are the people who keep the bus lines humming, maintain the infrastructure of the city, and respond to emergencies without hesitation. They are the ones who get things done, not because they’re handed anything on a silver platter, but because they’ve never had a single day in their lives where they weren’t expected to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work.
For these unsung heroes, the sound of the Star-Spangled Banner holds a special significance. It’s more than just a song—it’s a powerful reminder of the great country we all live in, a country built and maintained by people like them. As the Olympic Games recently concluded, hearing our national anthem and watching our flag rise on the world stage was a moment of immense pride for many, especially for those who embody the spirit of the blue-collar worker. I am one of those people. This was evident while out with friends watching the games. There was no negativity, just immense pride in our country that for a moment transcended any division happening.
Two renditions of the national anthem stand out as my all-time favorites: Whitney Houston’s iconic performance and Chris Stapleton’s recent interpretation. Though they were sung at different times in our country’s history, both versions resonate deeply with me. They remind me that, despite our differences, we can come together as a nation, state and city, set aside our disagreements, and move forward.
Among this invisible army are police officers and other first responders, who are often the unsung guardians of our communities. The expectation is that we will always be there, doing our jobs with unwavering dedication, not for accolades, but because that’s what we signed up for. Whether it’s reuniting a lost child with their parent at a ball game, working the graveyard shift for years, ensuring a patient is cared for before a life-changing surgery, or standing in the rain for hours directing traffic on two bad knees, we do the job.
This is the essence of what it means to be a part of the blue-collar workforce, the invisible army that keeps our city running. We may not seek recognition, but we take pride in the fact that, day in and day out, we’re the ones who get things done. And when we hear our national anthem, it’s a reminder of the shared values and resilience that unite us all. It is not our differences that divide us, it is our unwillingness to not put the needs of ourselves first but the needs of our fellow human being.
As we move toward not only the national election but our local election, we need to remind ourselves that our work is never done, it has to keep evolving and that if we are willing to meet in the middle, then hopefully the right things can be accomplished for everyone.
