When I first moved to Nevada, I had never heard of Nevada Day. I remember thinking, “A day for a state? California doesn’t even have one!” But watching my first Nevada Day Parade was so much fun. It was wonderful to see the Carson City community come together to celebrate.

Over these past two years, I’ve grown to love Nevada. It’s a unique state, admitted to the Union during the Civil War, with gold and silver that helped support the Union. Its name comes from the Sierra Nevada—the “snow-covered” mountains. From the vast desert to the beauty of Lake Tahoe, from the bright lights of the Strip to downtown Reno—where I like to call the Silver Legacy the Emerald City—Nevada is full of contrasts and surprises.

Nevada is also the ancestral land of Indigenous peoples. Today, it is one of the most diverse states in the country. Nearly one in five Nevadans is an immigrant, and people move here from across the country in search of opportunity and a fresh start. Wherever we come from, or whether we were born here, we share the hope of meeting our basic needs and having the chance to thrive.

And today is the last day of early voting. Election Day is Tuesday, and already 600,000 Nevadans have voted. If you haven’t cast your ballot yet, please make a plan and get out to vote. Make sure your voice is heard.

Happy Nevada Day!