My name is Suzi Duke.

I can’t join our local Women’s March because I’m battling leukemia. I have to avoid crowds, and don’t have a lot of stamina. I became permanently disabled due to both my disease and the treatments I must undergo to stay alive. The health care/insurance issue is a life-and-death matter to me, because my treatments are very, very expensive. No one should die because they can’t afford the medical care they need. America cannot call herself the greatest country when we lag behind all other industrialized nations on this crucial issue. Furthermore, we must not go backward in time when it comes to women’s rights. We fought long and hard to claim autonomy over our own bodies, and we will not surrender that. Roe vs Wade must stand. Making abortions illegal again won’t stop them from happening; it will simply remove the regulations that keep them safe and protect women’s lives. We will not go back! On January 21, 2017, I will “march” for LIFE.

Forty-five years ago, as one of the original hippie generation, I actively participated in protests against the injustices and inequalities rampant in this nation. I learned at a young age that we must stand up and speak out for the causes we believe in, if we truly wish to bring about change. I firmly believe the incoming president is dangerous – delusional, incompetant, emotionally immature, and inherently dishonest. My active protesting days may be behind me, but any way I am able to fight against the damage his administration will do, I am there