I recently spent four exciting days at a Progressive Candidate Convention in Washington DC, learning how to better express why I am running for State House of Representatives. It sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? Though, how do you sum up your whole life in a 30 second stump speech that makes people say, “Yes, I want to vote for you!”
It’s much more challenging than I gave it credit for. I want to tell you I’m running because I am an advocate for a healthy environment, and I want to help make the world a better place starting where I live. I want to make sure my daughter has future she wants to look forward to instead of being fearful of. I want that for your kids, too.
I was blessed and thankful to attend an inspiring workshop with keynote speakers like Nina Turner, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Keith Ellison and Cynthia Nixon. Their speeches reminded me that I am fighting for working class families that represent most people I know, including myself. That we must stop pointing fingers and get to work progressing towards a positive future. It inspired me to step out and step up to represent the people who believe in caring for each other!
I have managed to work hard to build a calm life I am happy in. I am blessed with a wonderful family, a house I love, and I get to work from home. I keep busy, content tending to my loved ones, my animals and gardens, traveling when I can. I was able to have enough time to write books, start a blog, learn about things I care about, volunteer and live a very peaceful life. I love my calm, tranquil existence.
Honestly, it took long months of deliberation before deciding I wanted to give up this peace of mind for political public service that gets ridiculed no matter which party you participate in. It’s a great deal of time away from your family, your whole life is turned upside down to campaign for a job you may or may not get.
However, it is a job that would allow me push for the changes I want to see in my community instead of just sitting around and complaining about others not doing it for me. I am sick of complaining. I decided I must now try and do something to change it.
I am frustrated at the reduced career opportunities our children have today. Compared to just 20 years ago when I was young. I am mad at the corporate influence on laws greatly affecting the people, the environment, and healthcare costs. Nickel and diming working families to the point of bankruptcy and homelessness.
I am upset at the way we are ripping off social security and the people who paid into it. We should not be dismantling Social Security monies paid to the government for work already done. Citizens trusted government in good faith to keep retirement money safe for our wellbeing into old age. Now they call them “entitlements”? I call BS. A government is only as good as its promises…
These funds were meant to ensure a comfortable retirement for our elders who are now in jeopardy with high prescription costs and poor insurance coverage as we give tax breaks and corporate welfare to billionaires. Healthcare and pharmaceutical laws need a major over hauling to get it working fairly and affordable for all of us. I think we need to expand social security and Medicare to take care of our seniors that built this country!
I am mad that I feel like I MUST leave my fabulous life to do something about it because nobody else wants to step up. Our districts Republican incumbent was running unopposed because nobody else wanted to be the one to represent our Democratic beliefs.
Well, I was raised by a single mother who taught me that if something needs to be done, you roll up your sleeves and get to work. Even the hard stuff. It makes me furious that I feel our country is on the wrong track, our humanity is lacking compassion and empathy. Leaders who divide and separate people by the way they look, or their religion, is not the country I want to see.
I believe that most people are kind and want to help themselves and others. I see some selfish, greedy leaders that do not act in ways that show any real public service, only self-service. Towing party lines to keep their jobs. The United States is a country not a business. We should not be running it as a corporation that does not care about its employees.
I am fighting mad that tax dollars are not being used on the people as they should be. I am perplexed why we keep restricted access to marijuana stepping over millions of dollars in tax revenue while ignoring proven medical benefits. It is inhumane to deny people a natural remedy as opposed to addictive, life altering opioids that are prescribed.
Washington DC has legalized cannabis use for all adults and yet we still have people in prison for it. I am upset that for-profit prisons perpetuate a cycle of reincarceration instead of rehabilitation. I am puzzled why we know that mental health and addiction problems plague our country but yet insurance will not cover treatment. I am fighting mad about insurance too.
Why doesn’t insurance cover all medicine and treatments? Why are people setting up Go Fund Me accounts for life saving medication, like insulin and cancer treatments? Why do we need to pay more to insure your eyes or fix the teeth inside your head? Last time I checked, my head is part of my body and needs to be maintained to stay healthy too. The medical insurance industry is the wild west with lax laws and accountability for service and prescription pricing. One MRI can cost $400 while another $4,000. Unacceptable.
The American people are getting ripped off, enslaved by low wages and high cost of living, rising medical expenses and most of us living paycheck to paycheck, one disaster from bankruptcy or homelessness. I am angry that my 24-year-old has two degrees, is smart, hardworking, and still makes minimum wage not having opportunity to move on in life like I did.
When I was her age, I had a well-paying job with only a high school diploma and was able to buy a house. Our kids today have a mortgage worth of student loan debt and can’t even afford a washer or dryer much less a house to start a family in. Our kids are getting ripped off and so are we.
So here I am, showing up, trying my hardest to get the chance to make changes for a better future. Wanting to fight for my family values of acceptance not hate. I will stand up for my morals of kindness and compassion, knowing most people are good and just want an enjoyable life with their loved ones. It doesn’t matter what color you are, what religion you follow or how much money you make, we all deserve to live a good life.
I wish to stop blaming one side or another and get to work making positive progress in our justice reforms, healthcare and social security. I wish to start enforcing environmental protections not deregulating them. I believe our lack of wanting to get politically involved or not believing we had a voice; led to losing control of the whole political system to corporate overreach, now we have Trump and our Teacher are Striking!
I do not believe that corporations are people. I support the unions that help us bargain for safe working environments, benefits and livable wages! I believe in equal rights for all and equal pay too! I believe in separation of church and state. I stand with Planned Parenthood.
I refuse to give up and lay down because that’s what they want! As a State Representative I do not get a say in social security or federal issues but I think that any step forward in the direction of compassion and the heath of the people and environment even at the state level will help. That’s what I want the most. To help.
The system was rigged to push us down, to keep us fearful and thinking we don’t matter, but that is not true!
We can, and I will bump back the system when I get the chance to make it work for the working people like you and me once again.
That’s what I know to be true.
Now, how do I get that out in 30 seconds? Any suggestions?
Wishing you an abundance of joyful blessings and peace,
Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister
https://emyminzel.com
https://emyforhouse.com
@emyminzel
@emyforhouse15A
Follow the Adventure Sisters on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/BWCAdventureSisters
Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister
https://stacycrep.com
Emy Minzel 