"Thank you and good evening everyone. As said, I am Senator James Andrew Malone. I represent the 36th Senatorial District, which is the majority of Northern Lancaster County. I'm pleased to welcome you to the State Capitol for this friendship dinner. I want to emphasize that this is our Capitol, right? We the people of Pennsylvania have a shared ownership of this place. Within these walls, our elected leaders, myself included, are tasked with creating laws that reflect our shared responsibility to respect and serve all of our neighbors in the Commonwealth. I love the shared table, shared future theme of this event because it highlights how our futures are entwined. I believe the way we build a strong future is by bringing everyone to the decision-making table. We must have open dialogue and work together to move toward a brighter tomorrow. For that to happen, everyone needs to be welcome at the table. I can't think of a better way to start that than by sharing our favorite foods. Food is a powerful tool for bringing people together. It represents unique histories, cultures, and the diverse groups that are here today. It also reminds us that our differences are beautiful and best appreciated when celebrated and shared with one another. Pennsylvania was built on a principle of religious freedom, and we honor that heritage today by welcoming dialogue between different faiths, cultures, and countries of origin. I'm proud to be sharing a table with all of you and to call you my neighbors. With that, I'd like to thank the Peath Silent Institute for hosting this wonderful gathering and my fellow elected officials who are here in support. Thank you."