I am an artist, with a BFA in studio art and my daughter is currently attending college to be an art teacher. We are so much alike! We live in northern Minnesota, on Lake Superior and have had some wonderful adventures – including an amazing trip to New York City, where my daughter sang in Carnegie Hall and we went to Les Miserable, Ellis Island, the 911 Memorial and of course – Central Park.

I believe in the arts, education, museums and historical preservation, music, theater and equal rights and respect for all citizens. I believe we are stronger together, and our peaceful voices need to be heard. The rest of the world is watching. Many countries view American women with strength and pocess freedoms they can only dream of – we must protect our rights, so we can continue to help our sisters around the world. This administration needs to hear from ALL of us.

I join you today, to protect health care, women’s rights, and to express my deep concerns regarding sexual assault, especially on college campuses.  In addition, we are very fearful of any changes to laws that concern pre-existing conditions, young adults being removed from their parent’s health coverage and medications becoming too expensive to afford. If we can’t protect the environment, education, arts and the health and wellbeing of our nation’s citizens, who are we, and where are we going?