Supporting and learning from our veterans

And that thread wove through the entire evening in ways I didn’t expect.

IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) and the Atherton Arts Foundation brought together veterans, business leaders and community members at Holbrook-Palmer Park for what became a soul-filling convergence of art, conversation and connection. Atherton Mayor Elizabeth Lewis offered opening remarks grounding us in local community, and local VA leadership underscored the critical intersection between veteran healthcare and the broader ecosystem of support.

Then came the fireside chat. IAVA CEO Dr. Kyleanne Hunter — Iraq War veteran and Marine —moderated a conversation with Wolff and Tom House, director of Salesforce Military and 25-year Navy veteran. They honored Dr. Dean Winslow of Stanford for his sustained advocacy.

But what struck me most wasn’t the impressive bios. It was the stories. Story after story, each one a gift offered to the room.

In a sidebar conversation, Tobias’s wife shared that years ago at Camp Pendleton, he ran a writing program helping service members returning from active duty capture their stories. Part of the NEA’s Operation Homecoming initiative, this work helped thousands of military personnel document their experiences — while conflicts were still ongoing.

We need more of this.

And then there was the art.

The veteran art showcase featured more than 15 artists, and the range was stunning: driftwood sculptures shaped by tide and time, paintings rendered on vintage saws, delicate botanical drawings that demanded you slow down and look closer. Art made by hands that had also served.

There is something about art and storytelling that brings us together in ways PowerPoints and policy briefs simply cannot. These forms speak to the core of who we are as humans — our need to be witnessed, to make meaning, to leave something behind that says I was here, and this is what I learned.

Kay Kensington, IAVA’s 2025 Cavalry Member of the Year, shared the work they’re doing through the Cavalry program — equipping and empowering veterans to advocate for veterans on Capitol Hill. This grassroots-to-Congress pipeline is producing real legislative results, including the bipartisan passage of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act.

One theme resonated above all others: we must listen to and learn from our veterans.

Today, approximately 17.5 million veterans live in the United States — roughly 6%-7% of our adult population. That’s down from 10%-15% in the decades following World War II. By 2040, veterans are projected to represent less than 5% of American adults.

The distance between our youngest generations and those who have served is growing. Which makes spaces like that Friday night in Atherton all the more vital — opportunities to hear their stories, ask questions and learn together.

Every veteran carries knowledge earned in ways most of us will never experience. Every story shared is wisdom that might otherwise be lost.

Thank you to IAVA, the Atherton Arts Foundation, Dr. Kyleanne Hunter and Dorothy Hunter for their mother-daughter collaboration that brought this to life, the city of Atherton, and every veteran who reminded us that the uniform comes off — but the lessons don’t have to stay locked inside.

How are you creating space to listen to and learn from veterans in your community?

Cari E. Guittard is the daughter of a U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam veteran and works as a strategist for San Mateo County Emergency Management.