Lots of doors were knocked today. Lots of insightful tears were shed today. A few hugs too. Here is a thread of some amazing experiences while meeting voters today:
1. I spoke with a woman whose 6-yr old daughter just got diagnosed with diabetes. Her hospital bill for 24 hours was $75k. She said, “Thank God we had insurance.” She started crying. “What about the other girls out there whose parents can’t afford it?”
1. (cont) “Even if we can afford the insurance, we’re paying out of pocket for so many different parts of the plan and it’s getting expensive. It makes no sense. We need a single system that works fairly.”
2. A man opened the door after his tiny puppy defended their home. After I introduced myself, he told me he was blind, and that his life turned upside down after being diagnosed with a tumor.
2. (cont) He smiled, “I even miss going to work!” He told me that if it wasn’t for the family’s social security, they wouldn’t be able to afford any health care.
2. (cont) He was thankful for his elderly mother and brother who were responsible for all the bills, and told me he was ready to volunteer as much as he could.
3. A woman opened her door with her seemingly 8 year old boy clung to her body. With four kids, two dogs, a small house in east dallas, a brand new job, and attending community college, she still took time out to talk to me.
3. (cont) She told me she is paying $175 per class at community college, and can barely make it through every day without feeling like she is losing her mind.
3. (cont) Despite this, she was cheery, grateful for my efforts, and comitted to voting for her family in the February primary. Her dedicated and optimistic attitude reminded me of someone else I know. 😌
4. An elderly woman opened the door, and the smell of church candles and roses gave me a nostalgic flashback to my grandmother. She moved here from Costa Rica. She said “I love this country. We have liberty here.”
4. (cont) “Our country has lost its reputation, and I care about that.” She broke down in tears, which led to a much needed hug. “I want this to be a country that around the world, people can look up to. I want to believe that is possible.”
There are many doors to knock. Behind these doors, there are people with daughters and elderly parents and disabled friends whose stories need to be heard.
There are people on the brink of giving up; one conversation with a stranger brings the world closer and makes life’s challenges easier to navigate (cheesy, I know).
These conversations are also important to remind ourselves that policies affect all of us daily. Policies have the privilege of making our lives easier. Whether that is universal health care, free college tuition, or expanding social security, policies matter. Plans matter.
And that is why I am voting for Elizabeth Warren in the Democratic Primary on Feb 18th, 2020. For the families I come from, the ones I meet every day, and for those whom we are building a foundation for. Cause she’s got a plan for that. #WinwithWarren
Thank you @ewarren for reminding us to #DreamBigFightHard for the people we care about.
