2024 Annual Letter

Dear Family and Friends,

We typically get our holiday letter out in January, around the time of year when we celebrate the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr’s birthday. As you might imagine, it’s taken a lot of energy to regroup from the devastating outcome of the November elections and to come up for air amidst the resulting promised torrent of unconscionable attacks on the foundations of our democracy. 

We’re hoping that as we reach out now — amidst mounting protests, injunctions, lawsuits, and a growing number of people speaking truth to power — you are taking care of yourself and your loved ones, feeling supported by others in your communities, drawing strength from positive elements in your lives, and doing what you can to bring about a peaceful way out of this dark and dangerous moment we are in. 

Despite the deep losses, we are grateful for the set of adventures, milestones, lessons, and memories that 2024 gave us to reflect on. And we’re especially grateful for the connections we have with you that bring so much meaning to our lives — the love, joy, inspiration and solace that you offer are true gifts that we hold onto. 

Here are highlights from each of us . . . 

Jeannette — Last year was packed with meaningful work, travel, celebrations, and moments of deep reflection. Matt and I carried over many of our clients from 2023 into 2024 and we added some exciting new clients to our portfolio as well. We are fortunate to know so many talented and committed people in the world of education and I appreciate the opportunities we have to contribute to high quality learning experiences for young people — especially those farthest from opportunity — and the adults entrusted to help them grow.

Because we do much of our work remotely and both our kids are in college, we decided to try out the digital nomad lifestyle for one month while Dylan was studying abroad in Madrid. Returning to Spain after nearly 40 years from my first visit was a major highlight of the year. I got so much out of being in Granada with amazing experiences that reflected both ancient times (e.g., Alhambra) and modern sensibilities (feminist flamenco). Seeing Madrid through Dylan’s eyes was a true delight, especially getting his informed take on a few of the most famous works at the Prado. From Valencia I’ll never forget our experience with thousands of Spaniards singing a resounding version of “Un beso y una flor” by Nino Bravo before anticipated firecrackers of “Las Fallas” filled the air with deafening pops and booms. Getting to visit Escola Virolai in Barcelona, a K-12 school with an enduring commitment to engaging students in real world learning, was a work-related highlight. Throughout our stay, we ended many of our long days of work and/or exploration with a late night “cena” with a drink and tapas — a routine I’d be happy to get accustomed to. Bilbao was a wonderful surprise for Matt and me: a delightfully walkable city with a vibrant arts scene, fascinating history/culture, and a talented professional soccer team with a devoted fan base. We were there during Semana Santa (Holy Week) and the energy of the processions throughout the week were part of the crescendo we observed as the city came out in full effect for her team and cheered them on to victory for the “Copa del Rey” national title — their first in 40 years. 

Setting foot in Guernica — after seeing Picasso’s 1937 famous painting in Madrid depicting the horrors of war after Nazis bombed the city on behalf of Franco — was profoundly moving for me. Especially amidst the ongoing crimes against humanity in the Middle East, Ukraine, and other parts of the world.

I so appreciated having precious time throughout the year with my family and friends — both near and far. Hosting Paula and Cristian, getting to connect with several friends in both Portugal and Spain, spending time in Spain with Dylan and Adela, reconnecting in person with Zamara, Ernesto and Salem at my parents’ home, celebrating Mimi and Pop-Pop’s 60th anniversary, seeing my nephew play tennis, honoring my Aunt Mary Janet at her memorial, ringing in my mom’s milestone birthday (with family gatherings in both Colorado and Pennsylvania), cheering Dylan and his teammates during Senior Recognition weekend at Williams College, meeting up with family and friends for reunions throughout the year, knocking on doors to get out the vote, soaking up as much “Aloha” as possible with Katherine and Tony, and connecting with family over the holidays are among the highlights. 

The presidential election was a devastating loss, and losing my younger cousin Anna Hamilton right before Christmas was a shocking personal loss for our family. Throughout various low points of the year, I kept my loved ones close, sought connections through my cherished communities, read books from a variety of authors, intensified my workouts and my meditation/prayer time, and drew upon nature’s powerful healing energy to restore my spirit and sense of balance. Spending time with Adela & Dylan in San Francisco between college semesters, finding hope, peace, joy and love through the holiday season, and wrapping up the year with a breathtaking trip to Yosemite regrounded me and lifted my spirits. 

Dylan — I am currently back on campus for my final semester of college. This past year has been a constant reminder that I am getting old, and trust me, I am probably more shocked than you are that my college years are coming to a close in 2025. However, as a whole, this year was bookended with some memorable NYE celebrations as a family. 

Between these two ‘New Years’ I definitely exhausted the year. Studying abroad in the spring, I departed for Madrid, excited for a semester of refreshing my Spanish, exploring Madrid, travelling in Europe, and eating tapas. There is so much I could say about how truly amazing my semester was, but here is the sparknotes version by month.

Jan: Explored the historical parts of Madrid, most notably, shopping around for the sports bar that I intended to become a ‘local’ at to watch games all semester. Sidebar: the biggest element of culture shock was the euphoric feeling of experiencing soccer as a nighttime phenomenon. 

Feb: Achieved a lifelong goal to ski in the Alps (Chamonix), meeting up with and piling into an AirBnB with good friends from Williams who were all studying abroad in various European cities. 

March: Visited with my digital nomad parents in Granada, Madrid, and Valencia. Got to see the Alhambra (I promise it lives up to the hype), toured them around Madrid, which included a trip to the Civitas Metropolitana to see Barca trounce Atletico Madrid, some of the best bar food the city has to offer, and showing off my new skills as a Spanish art enthusiast after taking classes in the Prado, and most surprisingly, enjoyed a 20-hour visit to “Las Fallas” for the “quemada” which was my absolute favorite day of the semester (high bar). 

April: Ran the Paris Marathon with a few of my friends. Besides my quick weekend across the Parisian arrondissements, I decided to spend the majority of April in Madrid with the friends that I had made in Spain. The few trips I took were only excursions to nearby sites, including the city of Toledo and Valle de Los Caídos… much to the praise of my various Spanish professors. 

May: With my program coming to a close, I spent a gorgeous week in Corsica on the beach before making a roundabout trip back to the States through Prague, Krakow, and the Polish countryside. (Yes, it was an odd, yet very meaningful end to an incredible semester.)

Coming back to California, I jumped right into a job at Sunrun, a solar company, doing policy research at the state level. However, the most memorable stint of the summer was driving back to Williamstown from San Francisco with my girlfriend and best friend. Somehow we made it without killing each other, the car piled high with way too much stuff, and a few enjoyable stops along the way: SLC, Boulder, KC, and Pittsburgh. 

Coming back to campus for my senior year, I have really embraced the Student-Athlete experience. Reminded that the “Student” part does in fact come first, I have been working on my thesis in history, researching and writing about Chile’s dictatorship. It has been an incredibly tough, yet rewarding project, and there is more to come on that in our 2025 letter. For now, cheers to the New Year!

Adela — This year has been a transformative one. As I completed my first year at Wellesley and entered my sophomore year, I have had the opportunity to explore new passions and interests, as well as connecting (and reconnecting) with older interests in new ways. My involvement as a student employee at the Wellesley Botanic Gardens has been a constant source of inspiration and curiosity, leading me to pursue a major in Biology, which I just recently declared. My role there also inspired me to pursue a summer internship with the San Francisco Department of Agriculture, through which I developed a passion for sustainable food production and urban agriculture as a means for combating food inequity. While I’m not sure where my studies will take me, seeking out ways to build community has always been at the core of how I want to approach life, and I have loved learning different ways of maintaining those values with my passions for sustainability and care for the earth. One of my favorite memories of the year was working on an organic farm in Maine for three weeks over the summer, where I helped plant crops for the growing season, raise chicks, and care for pigs among many other tasks. It was hard and rewarding work, and made me more appreciative of the care and effort required to produce the food we eat. It was also was inspirational to see how it could be done sustainably on a small scale. 

Outside on my studies, I am still an avid reader (although most of what I read these days are scientific papers for class), and some of my favorite books of the year have been Just Kids by Patty Smith, Blue Highways by William Least Heat-Moon (a recommendation from my dad), and The Guest by Emma Cline. I have also found ways to make music with others. Whether it’s performing with my acapella group at school or just playing guitar and singing with friends, music is a way that I love to connect with others. This year has certainly been one of growth and discovery, and I cannot wait to see what this new year has in store. 

Matt — Amidst everything that Jeannette has already described about our year, four things shine brightly for me. First and foremost, it was a rare and special treat to celebrate my parents’ 60 years of marriage. We gathered at my brother’s home and it struck me how many people in our family have had the good fortune of deep, long-lasting, loving relationships, none greater than that of Mike and Carolyn! 

A close second was meeting Mateo. He has the best-ever name, he is wickedly cute, and he is clearly an old soul. Well done, Natasha and Dan. 

Third, I was happy to right a wrong by bringing Dylan and Adela to the splendor of Yosemite National Park for the first time. Twenty-five years ago, at the moment of Y2K, I proposed to Jeannette over the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. Since that magical night we had only been back once, and never with the kids. So, it was a treat to take in the majesty and uniqueness of that place through their eyes. 

And fourth, vermouth and olives. I could see myself living on a diet of those two things along the banks of the Nerbioi River in Bilbao. Though it might require learning some Basque. Aupa!

On the work front, I was especially grateful for the opportunity to advance the cause of equitable school leadership through partnerships in New Mexico and Texas. It is always a joy to work with principals and assistant principals — the backbone of our public education system. 

From his perch on my lap, Momo sends his love to you all!

2024 by the Numbers:

0-0-2  The opening score of pickleball, which Matt & Jeannette learned while playing for the first time ever (though the best part was the dip in the Hawaiian ocean after the match – Thanks Katherine and Tony!)

1  Number of new family members added to our extended family: Mateo Cone-Hernandez, born May 1st 

4  Number of professional soccer games Dylan happily watches simultaneously with a multitude of screens

5  Number of mind-blowing cuisines that our dear Chilean friends Paula & Cristian sampled in San Francisco

6 Number of talented and slightly crazy 7-11 year olds that Adela was assigned to look out for and support at the San Francisco Girls Chorus summer camp

18  Number of years we have been picking world-famous Elberta peaches at the Masumoto Family Farm in Fresno. Dylan was 4 and Adela was 2 for our first harvest in 2007.

20+ Number of concerts that Adela either performed in or watched as part of the audience

40 Number of demonstration worms that Adela tried to protect from a poor fate when she led educational sessions for the San Francisco Youth Urban Ag summer program.

30  Height in meters of some of the largest “fallas” (huge sculptures created for Valencia’s unique Las Fallas festival, depicting satirical scenes and current events that reflect the year’s theme). Tack on another 10 meters for the towering flames when the fallas are burned on the last night of the festival!

44.2  Number of kilometers Dylan ran in the Paris marathon.

49  Number of different states’ license plates that Dylan and friends spotted while driving across the U.S. from California to Massachusetts. Can you guess the only missing one?

168 Number of days Adela tended to plants (in Massachusetts, Maine, and California).

200 Number of chickens Adela cared for as a summer farmhand in Maine.

300+ Number of Momo photos that Matt and Jeannette shared in the family text chat so Dylan and Adela could get their “cute kitty” fix .

>1000  Number of fans (including Dylan and Matt) secretly rooting for Barcelona during a match in Atlético Madrid’s home stadium.

1,238  Year that construction of the Alhambra began, this being the awe-inspiring Moorish castle Matt and Jeannette overlooked from their apartment in Granada.

2,425  Height in feet of Yosemite Falls, one of the last things we saw in 2024.

14,662 Average number of daily steps Matt & Jeannette walked while in Portugal and Spain.

As we move forward into 2025, we hold onto the words of past and present leaders who have fought for democracy. As John Lewis reminded us, “Democracy is not a state. It is an act.” Václav Havel wrote, “Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.” And as Stacey Abrams has said, “Our ability to participate in democracy is the foundation of our power.” May we all step into the new year with courage, hope, and an unwavering commitment to justice.

With love, 

Jeannette, Matt, Dylan, Adela & Mojito (aka “Momo”)