Forget the Candidates: Here’s My Issues
Written By: Ambreia Meadows - Fernandez
We are deep into election season, and its influence has seeped into every area of life—family discussions, meetups with friends, and social media. I know I’m not alone in the frustration and overwhelm as I wait for election day. Each election season, I watch uncomfortably as loved ones with different perspectives struggle to stay cordial and connected while the world encourages us to pick one side. It becomes more difficult to see that our survival is bound together each time.
Too often, I see us leaning into party loyalty and tribalism instead of focusing on who brings us closer together through dynamic platforms and key issues. As a Black mother raising little humans, certain non-negotiables will always be at the forefront of my mind, regardless of who is in office. My political choices are informed by a perspective anchored in reproductive justice, defined as the right to have children, not have children, and raise those children in sustainable communities. I believe that when we use healthy communities as a metric for overall wellness, we get closer to the issues that matter. We often see disjointed band-aids instead of acknowledging the interconnectedness of our struggles.
Expanded healthcare access—one of my core issues—illustrates the conflicting demands before we start parenting. I’ve given birth twice and seen how disparities, such as the increased risk of death during labor for Black and Indigenous people, reveal the connectedness of all our issues. We know parents, especially mothers, carry a tremendous share of responsibilities, compounded by minimal access to necessary abortion care. Every level of these issues impairs our ability to show up for our families. The struggles begin long before we have children when we struggle to locate and afford medical services for acute and chronic issues. Data shows that roughly 40 percent of Americans, and over half of Black Americans, are drowning under the weight of medical debt.
Relatedly, parental leave is another key concern. The expectations of parenthood continue to grow, but our access to paid leave, community resources, and affordable food and childcare do not. We encourage parents and children to view education as a serious vehicle for social mobility, but many of us are trying to stay afloat while weighed down by rapidly multiplying student loans that impact our mental and financial health. As we do what we can to make ends meet and manage daily expenses, we’re left hoping that our housing doesn’t become even more expensive. All of this continues as it gets progressively harder, if not impossible, to navigate the job market.
I know I’m not alone in my frustrations about what is happening. I understand that no single candidate can solve all these issues, but the needs of parents and families have been historically overshadowed and downplayed. The truth is, we hold tremendous power in this nation. As we approach the next election season, we can demand that our officials prioritize our families because, so far, they seem to be looking out for themselves.
I’m uncertain about the future our children are inheriting. But I’m committed to fighting for them, with these topics are my guiding light.