Honorable Gary Locke of Washington (21st Governor of Washington, as 36th U.S. Commerce Secretary, and 10th U.S. Ambassador to China)

 

2/17/2021

Honorable Gary Locke

c/o Office of the President

Bellevue College

Mail Stop A201

3000 Landerholm Circle SE

Bellevue, WA  98007-6406

Dear Honorable Locke,

My name is Matt Winick, an Asian American from Ann Arbor, Michigan with a strong interest in learning  history including social justice.  In these subjects, I like to learn the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution,  expand on social justice to improve communities, and many others. Honorable Locke, I find your work as 21^st Governor of Washington, as 36th U.S. Commerce Secretary, and later as 10th U.S. Ambassador to China under President Obama’s administration to be very inspiring to me.

In 1997, I was amazed on how you made history on becoming the first Asian American to become Governor of Washington, When you served as 21st Governor of Washington from 1997-20205, I truly appreciated on how you were a strong supporter of civil rights by advocating for people with disabilities’ rights, supporting funds for women including minorities businesses to help them compete in the economy, and working with other state legislatures to expand on laws to combat against hate-crime.  Also on civil rights I like on how you tried to push for an equal rights amendment to help protect women from being discriminated based on gender even though it didn’t pass the state legislature. On the economy, I like on how you supported an expansion of jobs training programs to help train youth including workers to develop or improve on work-skills to help prepare for the work force. Supporting funds for renewable energy resources to reduce addiction to oil with gas, encouraging businesses including industries to use energy efficient products to reduce high energy cost while reduce pollution, expanding on funds to improve government services to help clean water resources, parks, and coastal areas to make them safe for people is common sense to protect the environment from pollution.  On education, I really liked on how you supported funds to improve special education to help students with disabilities get accommodations they need to learn, implemented literacy programs to help adults including students improve on their comprehension,  and provide schools with resources to help students get into recreational programs or after school programs to reduce them from turning to crime.  Another thing that I liked about your work as Governor of Washington was how you push for funds to help restore or fix historical sites including attractions to help educate people about different things while improve on tourism,  work with different organizations to help people who are homeless or people who are low income get assistance on food including other supplies,  and expand funds to help repair Asian American communities.  In your role as 36th U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 2009-2011, I like on how you worked with President Obama to improve laws to help regulate products that come from different companies including over seas to make them safe for people to use and expand resources to help educate people about consumers’ rights along with safety.  As 10th U.S. Ambassador to China from 2011-2014, I liked on how you worked with President Obama including China to find ways to combat against CO2 emissions by promoting renewable energy resources and expand immigration visas for Chinese citizens to study abroad in the U.S.  After you left public service I truly appreciate on how you are a continuous strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights, express the need for better environmental protection,  a strong need to improve relations between the U.S. and other Asian countries,  and the importance of helping the Asian American community. Also I like on how you use your role as an Asian American to help advocate for Asian Americans’ rights including Asian Americans with disabilities’ rights. 

Honorable Locke, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advance subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased.  Your commitment to be a strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability.  Also being an Asian American with a disability is difficult when some Asians including some Asian Americans get judgmental about me  being different from them or not meeting their standards. Your role as an Asian American on advocating with supporting Asian Americans with disabilities’ rights gives me some confidence about being an Asian American when there are challenges.  Your role as 21^st Governor of Washington, as 36th U.S. Commerce Secretary, and later as 10th U.S. Ambassador to China gives me motivation to continue to learn history including social justice. My future goal is to someday work in these areas to help emphasize the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution,  expand on social justice to improve communities, and many others. 

I strongly believe that you made a great difference when you served in public service. I’m very proud on how you worked hard to support civil rights, protect the environment, improve consumer safety, and many others. You have inspire me to work hard on my disability, learn more about your work, and continue to learn different subjects. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, working hard to make a great difference, and inspiring me. Please continue to advocate for common sense ideas to help improve society.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick