THREE WOMEN TO CELEBRATE during Hispanic Heritage Month and MAKE SURE WE ELECT TO CONGRESS in November.

For DR. YADIRA CARAVEO (CO – 08), becoming a pediatrician, an accomplished state legislator, and a successful advocate for children all started with her parents’ dream.  They came to Colorado from Mexico with little education or money looking for a better life – but knew that hard work and caring for others are values that build strong communities and family.

Dr. Caraveo knew from an early age that she wanted to help people as a doctor. After attending public schools and completing her undergraduate education, she continued on to medical school at the University of Colorado and became the first physician in her family. Even before she finished her medical training, Dr. Caraveo helped organize her fellow medical residents for better working conditions, becoming a union representative with SEIU. Dr. Caraveo has worked with the ​​Union of Concerned Scientists to enlist doctors across the country in the fight against climate change, and President Obama recognized her as a Champion of Change for her efforts.

Dr. Caraveo proudly serves a Latino community whose families are often unable to find providers who speak their language and understand their culture. She quickly understood that the best way to help the most people is through the community, state, and national movements that advocate for the needs of the underserved, and so she ran for the Colorado General Assembly in 2018 and won. Despite a heavy workload advocating for Coloradans at the state capitol, Dr. Caraveo still works as a pediatrician, and even added extra weekend hours in order to see her patients while the legislature is in session during the week.

As a pediatrician in a community where 65% of her patients’ families are on Medicaid, Dr. Caraveo is deeply committed to expanding access to affordable quality health care. In Congress, she will continue her commitment to the families she sees every day in Colorado, building on her work to lower health care costs, address the high cost of housing, combat climate change, fight for reproductive justice, and stop Republicans from taking away Americans’ right to vote. As a pediatrician, a state legislator, and the daughter of immigrants, she will bring invaluable lived experience to Washington.

Dr. Caraveo is running for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, newly created due to the state’s population gains in the past decade. Colorado has never before elected a Latina to Congress, and Dr. Caraveo has what it takes to make history as the first. More than 38% of residents in this new district identify as Hispanic, and her years of service and deep ties make her the best candidate to give this community a powerful new voice in Washington. Let’s show Dr. Yadira Caraveo our full support and help elect this champion for Coloradans to Congress in this must-win new district.

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Illinois state REP. DELIA RAMIRIZ  ( IL- 03), a lifelong Chicagoan, is an experienced social service administrator, community organizer, and policy advocate running for Congress to give her community a powerful new voice in Washington. The daughter of immigrants, Ramirez is the first Guatemalan American to serve in the Illinois General Assembly. She has dedicated her career to fighting for solutions to complex issues like housing, education, and criminal justice. Ramirez, a graduate of Northeastern Illinois University, has served as the founding executive director of the Center for Changing Lives, board chair for both the Latin United Community Housing Association and Logan Square Neighborhood Association. In 2018, Ramirez was elected to represent her home community in the Illinois House of Representatives, and now serves as assistant majority leader. She lives in Chicago with her husband, Boris and her golden retriever, Lola. 

Ramirez has an outstanding record of delivering for the Illinois families she serves, and she is running to be their tireless champion in Congress. In the Illinois House, Ramirez’s legislative priorities have included housing, health care, and child welfare. Making housing a top priority in the state, her leadership has led to the expansion of homeless prevention programs and $200 million in capital investments to build affordable housing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she has filed and passed emergency housing legislation to protect those at risk of losing their homes by expanding eviction protections, as well as providing rental assistance and mortgage release. She was the lead sponsor of legislation to expand Medicaid coverage to include seniors ages 65 and over regardless of their immigration status, making Illinois the first state in the nation to provide health care coverage to undocumented seniors. A fierce advocate for child welfare, she has led the work of the Task Force on Children of Incarcerated Parents. Ramirez is an experienced leader and a skilled legislator who is ready to fight for policies that help grow our economy, create more good-paying jobs, and move our country forward at this critical juncture.  

Ramirez is running for Illinois’ newly redrawn 3rd Congressional District. No Midwestern state has ever before elected a Latina to Congress, and Ramirez has what it takes to make history as the first. “I’m rooted and ready,” she has said. Ramirez is the best candidate to win the competitive race for this open seat and to fight for her community and defend our democracy in Congress. Let’s show Delia Ramirez our full support and help elect this champion for Illinois women and families to Congress in this must-win newly redrawn district.

ANDREA SALINAS (OR – 06) is a state representative, former congressional aide, and mother running to represent Oregon’s 6th Congressional District. Salinas’ father is a Mexican immigrant and Vietnam war veteran, and she credits him with teaching her what it means to fight for your kids and for a better life. Salinas was the first person in her family to graduate from a four-year university, after which she began her career in politics. She worked as a congressional staffer for over a decade and then became an advocate for unions, environmental groups, and reproductive rights. She has served as a state representative for three terms, taking on several leadership roles, including House majority whip and chair of the House Health Care Committee. Salinas' experience sets her apart as the best candidate to represent Oregon's 6th Congressional District.

Salinas is a dedicated reproductive rights champion who has fought tenaciously to advance justice and opportunity across Oregon for the past two decades. She has experience successfully delivering progressive victories, from her time as a congressional aide to her time in the Oregon State Legislature. Salinas helped Oregon pass the strongest reproductive rights law in the country, ensuring that Oregonians can access the full suite of reproductive health care, regardless of race, ethnicity, documentation status, or zip code. She comes from a union family and knows the struggles working families face, which is why she stood up for worker’s rights in the Oregon State Legislature. Salinas is ready to continue her successful advocacy for unions and working families, for the environment, and for affordable health care in Congress.

Salinas won the Democratic nomination for Oregon’s 6th Congressional District, a newly drawn seat after Oregon gained another seat in the House of Representatives. She is poised to become the first Latina elected to Congress in Oregon. Salinas will face off against Republican Mike Erickson. We know this distinguished leader has what it takes to win this newly drawn seat. Let’s throw our full support behind her to ensure this historic candidate is elected.

Ease of access to personalized health care is essential for those of every background. But some disparities make it even more difficult for members of the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) community, especially when it comes to substance abuse treatment. BIPOC individuals often face unique challenges when seeking help from the medical community for mental health issues and addiction. Being aware of these challenges BIPOC individuals face and addressing systemic obstacles is essential for ensuring everyone who needs mental health and substance abuse treatment has fair access to effective treatment options.

How Addiction Impacts BIPOC Community

Addiction and mental health are topics not often discussed in BIPOC communities. This creates yet another barrier for those who would seek substance abuse treatment. Both mental health and addiction post impact BIPOC individuals in unique ways.

BIPOC Mental Health Needs Left Unaddressed

Most ethnic or racial minority groups experience similar mental health conditions like the white community. However, they are far less likely to receive mental health treatment. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently disclosed the results of research which indicated only about 30% of Hispanic and Black people receive the mental health services they need. More alarming was that only a little over 20% of Asian people got the mental health services they needed.

Lack of Cultural Understanding by Counselors and Health Care Providers Leads to Mis- or Under-diagnoses

To build trust, respect, and understanding, health care must be culturally aware. As the US becomes even more diverse, the lack of cultural competency in the health care sector grows. This leads to problems with diagnosis and even negative health outcomes for members of ethnically and racially diverse populations. There are a few primary factors contributing to the BIPOC community receiving lower-quality health care. These include:

• Patient and provider language differences
• Mental illness stigma among minority groups
• Cultural differences in how symptoms are discussed and presented
• Lack of culturally competent health care providers and BIPOC mental health providers

Racism and BIPOC Mental Health

People of color are often treated differently just because of the color of their skin. Many deal with fear on a daily basis. They are traumatized from seeing numerous viral videos of police altercations and interactions involving men and women of color. These are just a few of the issues that plague American communities of color. The situation is exacerbated by the lack of access to proper mental health care.

The lack of culturally appropriate care may potentially result in worse outcomes than those who fail to seek help, to begin with. Not only do we need to make sure people of color have access to adequate mental health care, but it’s also imperative that health professionals be culturally equipped, non-judgmental, empathetic, and understanding of the cultural needs of patients. This is necessary to ensure proper diagnosis of BIPOC mental health conditions so individual needs can be addressed and treated.

Common Barriers to Addiction Treatment for People of Color

Withdrawal from drugs and alcohol can pose life-threatening conditions for people who do not have access to quality treatment or a social safety net. Risk factors are increased for people of non-white racial and ethnic backgrounds. They share common risk factors such as early exposure to drug and alcohol use, co-occurring mental illness, and a family history of substance abuse. Just as alarming is the fact that BIPOC communities, particularly those from low-income families, experience disparities in access to addiction treatment when compared to their white counterparts. Some of the most common factors that influence this disparity include:

• Racial bias
• Stigma in BIPOC communities
• Inadequate finances and/or lack of health insurance
• Disproportionate criminalization of drug and alcohol use in BIPOC communities

The lack of access to mental health and addiction treatment services affects whole communities. To read the complete addiction in the BIPOC community article please click on the link.

by Charles Avila

Helen Hulick was called to court as a burglary witness in November, 1938. The 29-year-old kindergarten teacher arrived in her usual attire of a top and slacks. But seeing slacks on a woman so greatly offended Judge Arthur S. Guerin that he would not allow Hulick to testify. Instead, he rescheduled her testimony and ordered her to wear a dress at her next appearance.

She refused. As the Nov. 10, 1938 issue of the L.A. Times reported, she stated: “You tell the judge I will stand on my rights. If he orders me to change into a dress I won’t do it. I like slacks. They’re comfortable.

When she appeared in slacks once more, the judge chastised her for both attire and what he perceived as problems with her demeanor. “The last time you were in this court dressed as you are now and reclining on your neck on the back of your chair, you drew more attention from spectators, prisoners and court attaches than the legal business at hand,” Guerin said. “You were requested to return in garb acceptable to courtroom procedure. Today you come back dressed in pants and openly defying the court (…)

“The court hereby orders and directs you to return tomorrow in accepted dress. If you insist on wearing slacks again you will be prevented from testifying (…)   But be prepared to be punished according to law for contempt of court.”

The Times quoted her response as follows: “Listen, I’ve worn slacks since I was 15. I don’t own a dress except a formal. If he wants me to appear in a formal gown that’s okay with me. I’ll come back in slacks and if he puts me in jail I hope it will help to free women forever of anti-slackism.”

Hulick returned wearing slacks, but this time, she also brought with her Attorney William Katz. Katz was armed with citations supporting her argument that she had the right to appear in the attire of her choice.

Judge Guerin held her in contempt of court nevertheless, sentencing her to five days in jail. There, she was forced to wear a denim prisoners’ dress. She was quickly released on her own recognizance, however, after her attorney declared they would be appealing the sentence.

As Hulick’s story garnered attention, hundreds of supporters sent letters of protest to the courthouse.

Finally, the Appellate Division overturned Judge Guerin’s contempt citation.

By taking this stand, Helen launched a national discussion that helped to free women of “anti-slackism.”

Rebecca Hains, Author

Rebecca Hains is a media and communication professor, author, and speaker whose work takes an intersectional approach to understanding children, media, and marketing. She has authored and edited five books, including Growing Up With Girl Power, The Princess Problem, and Cultural Studies of LEGO, and she is often quoted in the media. Follow this page to read posts that reflect her interests, with feminist and pop culture humor in the mix!

"Abolish the Senate and publicly fund elections."  By John D. Dingell         In my six decades in public service, I’ve seen many changes in our nation and its institutions. Yet the most profound change I’ve witnessed is also the saddest. It is the complete collapse in respect for virtually every institution of government and an unprecedented cynicism about the nobility of public service itself.

These are not just the grumblings of an angry old man lamenting the loss of “the good old days.” In December 1958, almost exactly three years after I entered the House of Representatives, the first American National Election Study, initiated by the University of Michigan, found that 73 percent of Americans trusted the federal government “to do the right thing almost always or most of the time.” As of December 2017, the same study, now conducted by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, found that this number had plummeted to just 18 percent.

There are many reasons for this dramatic decline: the Vietnam War, Watergate, Ronald Reagan’s folksy but popular message that government was not here to help, the Iraq War, and worst of all by far, the Trumpist mind-set. These jackasses who see “deep state” conspiracies in every part of government are a minority of a minority, yet they are now the weakest link in the chain of more than three centuries of our American republic. Ben Franklin was right. The Founders gave us a precious but fragile gift. If we do not protect it with constant vigilance, we will most certainly lose it.

As an armchair activist, I now have the luxury of saying what I believe should happen, not what I think can get voted out of committee. I’m still a pragmatist; I know that profound societal change happens incrementally, over a long period of time. The civil-rights fights of the 1950s and ’60s, of which I am proud to have been a part, are a great example of overcoming setbacks and institutional racism. But 155 years after the Emancipation Proclamation and less than two years after our first African American president left office, racism still remains a part of our national life.

Just for a moment, however, let’s imagine the American system we might have if the better angels of our nature were to prevail.

Here, then, are some specific suggestions—and they are only just that, suggestions—for a framework that might help restore confidence and trust in our precious system of government:

An electoral system based on full participation. At age 18, you are automatically registered to vote. No photo ID, no residency tests, no impediments of any kind. Advances in technology can make this happen effortlessly. Yes, voting should be restricted only to American citizens. Strict protections against foreign meddling are also necessary.

The elimination of money in campaigns. Period. Elections, like military service—each is an example of duty, honor, and service to country—should be publicly funded. Can you imagine if we needed to rely on wealthy donors to fund the military? I know there are those who genuinely believe in privatizing everything. They are called profiteers.

Public service should not be a commodity, and elected officials should not have to rent themselves out to the highest bidder in order to get into (or stay in) office. If you want to restore trust in government, remove the price tag. I am fully aware that the Supreme Court has declared that “money is speech.” That’s nonsense. The day my wallet starts talking to me, I might reconsider that view. Until then, I believe that the pernicious influence of money on our elections must be removed.

The end of minority rule in our legislative and executive branches. The Great Compromise, as it was called when it was adopted by the Constitution’s Framers, required that all states, big and small, have two senators. The idea that Rhode Island needed two U.S. senators to protect itself from being bullied by Massachusetts emerged under a system that governed only 4 million Americans.

Today, in a nation of more than 325 million and 37 additional states, not only is that structure antiquated, it’s downright dangerous. California has almost 40 million people, while the 20 smallest states have a combined population totaling less than that. Yet because of an 18th-century political deal, those 20 states have 40 senators, while California has just two. These sparsely populated, usually conservative states can block legislation supported by a majority of the American people. That’s just plain crazy.

The math is even starker when you look at places like Wyoming and Vermont, each of which has fewer people in the entire state (575,000 and 625,000, respectively) than does the Twelfth Congressional District of Michigan, which I last represented and whose more than 700,000 residents are now in the hands of my wife, Debbie. She fights her heart out for them every single day. Yet her efforts are often stymied simply because it is understood that even should a good bill make it through the hyper-partisan House, it will die a quiet death in the Senate because of the disproportionate influence of small states.

With my own eyes, I’ve watched in horror and increasing anger as that imbalance in power has become the primary cause of our national legislative paralysis. In primaries, the vocal rump of a minority of obnoxious asses can hold the entire country hostage to extremist views. This insanity has sent true public servants fleeing for the exits. The Electoral College has the same structural flaw. Along with 337 of my colleagues, I voted in 1969 to amend the Constitution to abolish it. Twice in the past 18 years, we’ve seen the loser of the popular vote become president through the Electoral College formula, which gives that same disproportionate weight to small states, each of which gets two automatic votes for its two senators.

My friend Norm Ornstein, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, sees a demographic shift coming that will effectively transform us into two countries. He tells me that “in 2050, 70 percent of Americans will be living in just 15 states. That 70 percent will then have 30 senators, and the remaining 30 percent of the people, mainly those living in the smallest and poorest states, will have 70 senators.”

How do we fix this? Practically speaking, it will be very difficult, given the specific constitutional protection granted these small states to veto any threat to their outsize influence.

There is a solution, however, that could gain immediate popular support: Abolish the Senate. At a minimum, combine the two chambers into one, and the problem will be solved. It will take a national movement, starting at the grassroots level, and will require massive organizing, strategic voting, and strong leadership over the course of a generation. But it has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? “Abolish the Senate.” I’m having blue caps printed up with that slogan right now. They will be made in America.

The protection of an independent press. This is where the Founding Fathers got it exactly right. Jefferson said, “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

Trump has said of reporters, “I would never kill them, but I do hate them. And some of them are such lying, disgusting people.”

My father started out life as a cub reporter for the Detroit Free Press. He always believed that journalism was a tremendously honorable profession. We cannot restore respect to our institutions of government until we put an end to the systematic attacks on journalism that have become prevalent. The playbook is simple: Lie. Repeat the lie. Then attack the journalists who expose those lies as being liars themselves—or, in modern parlance, “promoters of fake news.” The Nazis’ propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, replaced journalism with state-run propaganda and created a political climate based on fear and falsehoods.

The Washington Post won a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of Russian interference in the 2016 election. The Fourth Estate is not a branch of government, but none of the branches of government can be trusted to function honestly without an unfettered free press vigilantly holding it accountable.

Thomas Jefferson had the first word and he should have the last word: “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.”

As a young man, I served in the Army during World War II. My father was a member of Congress. I learned from him and, later, from my own experience that history always repeats itself unless we remember it with clarity and conscience.

Now I am an old man. My age bears with it a responsibility to share what I’ve witnessed so that future generations avoid making the same mistakes. My advice always begins with the truth, which is why would-be despots and demagogues try so hard to discredit it. They hate it like the devil hates holy water.

The conduct and outcome of the 2016 presidential election have put the future of our country in mortal peril. After a lifetime spent in public service, I never believed that day would come. Yet it has. And we now find ourselves on the precipice of a great cliff. Our next step is either into the abyss or toward a higher moral ground. Since before the Civil War, we’ve been told that “Providence watches over fools, drunkards, and the United States.” Yet the  good Lord also granted us free will. The direction we choose to follow is ours alone to make. We ask only that he guide our choice with his wisdom and his grace.

It’s up to you, my dear friends.

John D. Dingell was a member of the United States House of Representatives from December 13, 1955, until January 3, 2015, the longest tenure of any member of Congress in American history.  

This article is an excerpt from “The Dean: The Best Seat in the House”, by the late John Dingell with David Bender.

NEVADA  PRO-CHOICE CHAMPION  FOR  THE  U.S.  SENATE:  Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto has deep roots in the Silver State. Serving for eight years as her state’s attorney general, she worked to keep Nevada communities safe, strengthening state laws to prevent domestic violence and protecting middle-class families from fraudulent mortgage schemes and predatory lenders. In 2016, Catherine ran a successful campaign to hold outgoing Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid’s seat for the Democrats — and when she was elected, Nevadans made history, voting to make her the first-ever Latina senator. In her first term, she quickly established a reputation as a tireless champion for working families and an effective leader who makes Nevadans’ voices heard. Catherine lives in Las Vegas with her husband Paul, a retired Secret Service agent.

Catherine is deeply committed to expanding economic opportunity for Nevada working families. She believes that all Americans have the right to affordable, quality health care, and she has been a strong advocate in the Senate for strengthening our health care system and for protecting Medicare and Medicaid. A strong advocate for women and children, Catherine is a cosponsor of the Healthy Maternal and Obstetric Medicine (Healthy MOM) Act, which would ensure that mothers and their babies have access to the care they need, both before and after birth. She is a fierce defender of a woman’s right to choose and believes that reproductive health decisions should be made by a woman and her doctor, not politicians in Washington. A cosponsor of the DREAM Act and a fervent supporter of comprehensive immigration reform, Catherine is working to repair our broken immigration system and protect hardworking families. Her position on five Senate committees allows her to continue to advocate for the issues that matter most to Nevadans. She sits on the Committee on Finance; the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; the Committee on Rules and Administration; and the Committee on Indian Affairs. When reelected, Catherine will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of the working families she serves.

When she was elected, Catherine became the first woman Nevada elected to the Senate as well as the first Latina senator. In her first term, this trailblazer has made a tremendous positive impact on her state and our country, she has changed the face of power in the Senate. Catherine won a hard-fought race by a narrow margin in 2016, and in 2022, Republicans are sure to do everything in their power to unseat this champion for working families. Support her every step of the way as she faces her first reelection campaign and fights to move our country forward.  SEND CATHERINE BACK TO THE SENATE!

SOURCE:  Emily’s List

“We ignite change by getting Democratic pro-choice women elected to office.”