To Mayor Bill Peduto

original letter mailed on 17 february 2014

I first started living in Pittsburgh in 2005, when I came here to attend Carnegie Mellon University. After a little over four years of being a conditional resident, I realized there was nowhere else that made sense for me to move to; in 2009, I turned in my New Jersey driver's license for a Pennsylvanian one and remained in Pittsburgh as university staff. Nine years is young compared to many other residents, but given that I still spend most of my time around people who are unlikely to exceed four, I feel like I have a lot to say.

I've been here through two Steelers Super Bowls, G-20, and Snowmageddon, and remember going to bars before smoking was banned in restaurants. I've voted here in the only two presidential elections of my adult life. I've cried and laughed and loved and hated and learned so many of things I know about what it means to be a person while nestled comfortably in the first city I've ever felt homesick for. There's rarely a day that passes without a feeling of love and wonder that comes from touching my feet to the ground here, even if my neighbors haven't bothered to shovel their driveways; there's rarely a week that passes without something strange and beautiful about this city striking me into a breath or two of grateful awe, even if it's just a particularly nice sunset I've seen hundreds of times already.

Thank you for being the mayor of Pittsburgh. In the short few weeks since you've been in office, I have felt so much more love and hope that this city will learn and grow into something that I will continue to adore. Thank you for communicating honestly and keeping in touch with residents. Thank you for taking care of the streets through these past few storms and for valuing transportation options that make sense for the layout and usage of the roads. Thank you for honoring the people who contribute to the well-being of the city. Thank you for protecting what's good and working to solve what's not. Thank you for loving Pittsburgh.

Best regards,

Vincent Zeng

17 February 2014 12:27