WPLN Founder and President Larissa Martinez on celebrating gratitude this Thanksgiving with WPLN’s #GratitudeCampaign:

It's fitting that the November elections are followed by Thanksgiving, as it allows us a moment and a reason to step back from politics to focus on gratitude.

So ahead of Thanksgiving Day, I'd like to share some of the things I'm grateful for.

• The increase in woman-versus-woman races helps to normalize the concept of women in politics and positions of power. And these races help to highlight that women have different backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints rather than being a monolithic group that thinks the exact same way.

• A record number of women were elected to serve as state governors, since governors play a significant role in setting policy discussions in their state, and the position is traditionally a common path to the White House.

• It seems to be the beginning of a shift in attitude toward women in leadership positions. Historically voters have favored voting women into legislative positions, where responsibility is shared amongst others, rather than executive positions with the power to make decisions.

And most of all, I'm thankful for our constitutional republic and our fellow Americans. There are all kinds of ways to serve, from military service to public service to volunteering and charity, and Americans never shy away from the responsibility. 

Studies show that gratitude can improve both our mental and physical health. This Thanksgiving, WPLN is celebrating a Gratitude Campaign, and I hope you'll join us – simply share a snapshot from the campaign trail, one of WPLN's events, or another favorite memory from this past year, with the hashtag #GratitudeCampaign.

I'm excited to see what you share!

Click here to read the November 2022 newsletter in full.