I’m here because I believe in compassion, equality, hope, reason, and humanity.

Chronic pain and illness have been with me for the majority of my life. Migraines, fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression, permanent back pain from a car accident… all these and more have restricted the ways I can interact with the world. My disabilities are mostly invisible to others, but their very real effects all too often make me invisible to the world.

Compassion and inclusion make us personally, collectively, and nationally, better and stronger. No one should be cut off from society because of who they are or what they suffer. No one should be vilified because of who they love or how they live. Your origin is not your destiny; your body is not your value; your wealth is not your worth.

I utterly reject Donald Trump’s elevation and normalization of bigotry, intolerance, misogyny, white supremacy, jingoism, racism, ableism, homophobia, demonization of opponents, belittling of those in need, and other spiteful evils. We deserve and require better in our leaders and ourselves.