I admit it….I was guilty…guilty of being one on those voices, who for far too long tried to define the academic success of our children after high school by whether or not they attended a college or university. This thinking ignored the simple fact that while going to a four-year college is laudable, it is not always what is best for everyone.

Most of us still remember the economic freefall that started in 2008. Despite economic improvement, scars remain. And one of those ever-present reminders are people who bought homes at the high-water mark and are still underwater regarding their mortgages. It’s a homeowner’s nightmare, owing more for a home — the largest personal investment most people make — than what you can sell it for. I can attest to this from personal experience.

One of the fundamental challenges with combating income inequality is ensuring that we have a workforce in place to meet the needs of today’s employers, while being mindful of where the jobs of tomorrow will exist. This requires meaningful strategic investment in New Jersey’s greatest asset -- our human capital -- and making sure that wages for our labor force match that investment. This investment is critically important in today’s day and age as many on the higher rungs of the economic prosperity ladder have done well, while residents in the middle and lower end of the economic scale have largely been left behind.

In my blogs, I often refer to days, weeks or months that have special significance to us as New Jersey residents and as Americans. This month, Women’s History Month takes front-page status because of its importance.

Who hasn’t had a “good read” that left you feeling satisfied, exhilarated, alarmed or better informed? Most of us have felt these emotions if we’ve experienced the joy of a rewarding book.

It’s an experience that we should pass on, and the idea and the benefits of reading carry special meaning tomorrow. March 2 is Reading Across America Day, a celebratory event that the National Endowment for the Humanities created in 1998 to motivate and foster a love of reading for children.

This past Monday, we celebrated Presidents Day, acknowledging the men (so far) who have achieved the highest political position in our country. What is interesting about the mix of our presidents, other than gender, is the variety. Some were rich, others of modest means. Some went to Ivy League schools, and others didn’t even attend college (Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore). Some came from gilded backgrounds of opulence and privilege…while others got their fingernails dirty.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, and it is meant to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. Why is this type of celebration — and year-round attention to children’s dental health — important?

One of the fundamental building blocks of a healthy community, where the interests of medicine and democracy intersect, is the ability to provide access to quality health care for everyone. We constantly face the deluge of questions on this subject: Who, what, how and how much should we pay for health care? I’m a firm believer that at the individual level, when we are healthier or have access to the help we need to become healthy, we are better off both personally and as a community.

Today marks the beginning of Black History Month in our country. And, while many of the leading figures in African American history are deservedly celebrated during this time of year, there are many unsung individuals whose contribution to our nation’s rich history gets lost. They are individuals who selflessly worked to make our society better, fairer and more accepting of all people. 

One of the great burdens of our society is the over-criminalization of the American people. I call it a burden because of the social, governmental and economic effects this over-criminalization has had on countless communities across the nation. This has led me to focusing on challenging the over-criminalization and incarceration of New Jersey residents by engaging in a deeper analysis of the statutory framework that has led to this issue and new tactics that can bend the curve on its proliferation.