Hillary Clinton’s advocacy saved my daughter’s life
I will never stop fighting for Hillary, because Hillary has always fought for me.
My daughter was diagnosed with congenital laryngomalacia when she was born. The disease causes reflux issues, and sometimes makes it hard for her to eat or even breathe. This means we spend a lot of time in doctors offices, from occupational therapy to emergency treatment centers to gastro specialists. Last year, I was in the middle of balancing these constant doctors visits and medical tests and exams with a custody battle that had me in and out of court, and I lost my job.
Losing my job meant losing my health insurance that had allowed me to make sure my daughter was alright. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to provide my daughter with the care that she needed.
But then someone reminded that there are programs in place that were designed to help people like me: the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Affordable Care Act.
Thanks to SCHIP, my daughter didn’t miss any doctor’s visits while I was out of work. We were able to access the medical care she needed, and today, she’s doing so much better than she was then. And I have Hillary Clinton to thank for that.
In the 90s, Hillary was instrumental in creating the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and she laid the groundwork for President Obama to pass the Affordable Care Act. She fought for me before I ever needed her. She saved my daughter’s life and the lives of millions of other children.
Hillary fights for families. She fights for children. That is one of her core values — something she’s been focused on since before she was a public figure. She fought for me before I ever needed her. She saved my daughter’s life. And I know that, as president, she will continue to fight for us — that’s why I’m doing everything I can to get her elected.
I’m working as an organizer at Norfolk State University, and I couldn’t imagine a more rewarding job in the world. Every day, I get to help young black kids get involved with politics by registering to vote or signing up to volunteer. I get to tell my story of how Hillary Clinton’s work changed my life, and advocate for a woman who I know in my heart cares about my community.
There is so much at stake in this election: making sure every American has access to health care, reducing the cost of higher education, protecting our right to vote, fixing our broken criminal justice system, fighting against the environmental racism that leaves so many low-income communities without clean air or clean water.
There are lives on the line. Lives like my daughter’s. And only one person is fighting to fix these problems.
We can’t afford to sit on the sidelines. We can’t afford to say this election doesn’t matter, or think that our votes don’t matter. If we all come together and vote for Hillary, we can continue the progress that President Obama has made.
Please, make sure you’re ready to vote on Election Day. Make sure your friends and family and everyone you know is ready to vote, too. We have to stand together in November. Our children are depending on us.
Get information on how and when to vote, find your polling place, and sign up for helpful reminders on Election Day at hrc.io/makeaplan-va.
