Reader Spotlight: Are we tired of winning yet?

Reader spotlight: Are we tired of winning yet?

As 2025 came to a close, many in our community asked a simple but urgent question: Are we tired of “winning” yet? Because if this is what winning looks like, it’s hard to imagine what losing would be.

We are told the economy is strong, yet families across Spokane are working multiple jobs and still falling behind. We are told mental health is a priority, yet the people most in need – veterans, children and those living with trauma – continue to wait months for care. We are told we are safer, yet too many neighborhoods feel forgotten, and too many people feel invisible.

I write this not as a politician or pundit, but as a Black veteran, a father and someone who has spent years working alongside families who are doing everything right and still struggling. I’ve seen firsthand how poverty, untreated mental health conditions and generational trauma collide. I’ve also seen how quickly people are blamed for circumstances they never created.

The truth is, Spokane is full of people who are resilient, resourceful and hopeful – but hope alone cannot carry the weight of systems that are failing them. We need leaders who understand that “winning” cannot be measured by stock tickers or slogans. It must be measured by whether ordinary people can live with dignity, stability and opportunity.

We can do better. We must do better. And it starts with telling the truth about where we are – not to shame our city but to strengthen it. Spokane has always been at its best when we face challenges head-on, when we listen to those most affected and when we choose solutions rooted in compassion rather than convenience.

As we enter a new year, I hope we can retire the empty victories and focus instead on real progress: affordable housing, accessible mental health care, support for veterans and families, and a commitment to ensuring that every child – regardless of ZIP code – has a fair chance.

If we can agree on that, then maybe this year we can finally say we’re winning in a way that actually matters.

Curtis Hampton

Spokane