By Congresswoman Sarah McBride
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When I first ran for the Delaware State Senate, and later when I sought to represent our state in the U.S. House of Representatives, my goal was simple. My mission—though it may take on new forms with each role I’ve held—has always remained: to make government work for our neighbors, not against them.
This work is not easy, given that change rarely is—but we are called to persevere in the face of such challenges. This work reminds me of the Jewish concept of tikkun olam, which is not about quick fixes or perfect outcomes. Rather, it is about summoning the hope and discipline required to repair what is broken, to build what is just, and to nurture what is fragile.
For me, public service is a form of tikkun olam—an obligation to repair what is broken and build what is just.
Across our state and country, we are living through a crisis of hope. Parents, students, small business owners, seniors—neighbors in every zip code—feel worn down by chaos, the news cycle, uncertainty and despair, sharp and unforgiving rhetoric. The weight of it all can grind away at our collective spirit and exhaust our resolve.
And yet, I continue to meet people who inspire me to believe in what is possible. Our state’s neighbors give me hope. In workplaces, union halls, houses of worship, community centers, and neighborhoods across Delaware, people are showing up for one another. They lend a hand even when it costs them something, they look out for those who might otherwise be overlooked, and they take on leadership without asking for credit.
They remind me that perseverance is not always a sweeping gesture. Sometimes it’s the quiet act of a nurse staying late to comfort a patient, a line worker covering a shift so a colleague can care for their family, or a neighbor shoveling the sidewalk for someone who can’t. These acts, humble as they may seem, stack together and form the building blocks of repair—the small but powerful steps that keep our communities strong.
When I walk the halls of Congress, my staff will tell you that I’m known to greet nearly every person I walk past, even if they are someone on the other side of the aisle. Even if they’ve said some pretty unfortunate things about me on social media the day before. This habit of looking someone in the eye, whether friend or stranger, ally or opponent, is an outward expression of the kind of world I want to help build: one rooted in kindness, respect, and hope. A world that recognizes that we are connected through our common humanity.
Because the truth is, tikkun olam is not just about policies or programs, it is about people. It is about how we treat one another when it is hard, not just when it is easy. It is about holding fast to the Jewish imperative of tzedek, tzedek tirdof—justice, justice shall you pursue. Not justice only when it is comfortable or convenient. Not justice only when the votes are easy. Justice even when it requires us to stretch across divides, to trust one another’s intentions, and to listen with humility to each other’s pain.
Hope is not naïve—it is foundational.
Twenty years ago, in the face of marriage bans and pundits declaring our movement a political liability, the LGBTQ community had a choice. We could have turned inward, writing off our neighbors who disagreed. But instead, we summoned the courage to reach outward. We welcome imperfect allies. We created room for people to grow and gave them space to learn. And because of those choices, public opinion shifted, and laws were changed.
When we root our work in hope rather than grievance, in love rather than bitterness, change is not only possible—it is sustainable.
This transcends any single issue or community. We face the same choice now. Will we meet division with more division, or will we seek out the better angels in one another? Will we write off those who disagree, or will we trust in democracy’s promise that people can change, opinions can evolve, and that justice can bend the arc of history?
Even in struggle, goodness can be found, and new beginnings can emerge. Perseverance allows us to see progress where others see only hardship.
In Delaware, I have seen goodness in our veterans who, after service abroad, come home and continue to pour into their communities. I have seen it in farmers in Sussex County who weather economic storms yet still show up at sunrise to put food on the table. I’ve seen it in students at the University of Delaware and Delaware State who are tackling climate change, artificial intelligence, and public health with a seriousness beyond their years.
And so, for me, public service is inseparable from tikkun olam. Each constituent helped, each bill introduced, each vote cast is another small act of repair. And while we will not finish the task, neither will we shy away.
I know this moment can feel heavy. The divisions are real; the disagreements are hard. But I remain optimistic, because I have seen with my own eyes that most people are decent and kind. When we meet one another in proximity—at the grocery store, in line at the DMV, in the breakroom, or in the halls of the Capitol—we find compassion for each other that social media never shows.
That is why I believe Delaware, and our nation, can continue to move forward. Because ours is a history of never giving up on our neighbors, of choosing grace over grievance, and of harnessing hope instead of despair.
Because we know this to be true: the answer to hate is not more hate. Love invites people in. Joy grows our ranks. And hope—infectious, inviting, resilient hope—is the only way forward.
This is the Delaware spirit I will continue to carry with me in every room I enter: the conviction that when we persevere together, we can, in some small ways, repair the world.
About the Author:
CONGRESSWOMAN SARAH MCBRIDE proudly represents the greatest state in the nation, and our country’s First State, Delaware, as its sole member of Congress. She currently serves as chair of the Senate Health & Social Services Committee and is a member of the Senate’s Judiciary Committee, Education Committee, Banking, Business, Insurance, and Technology Committee, and Executive Committee.
