Elections have consequences

I’m a Big Sister through the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program. We were matched in 2016 — my “little” was just nine when we met. Now, she’s a smart, beautiful, 17-year-old, planning to graduate high school next year, with sights on college in the fall majoring in chemistry. Her future is bright but it hasn’t been and won’t be easy.

This incredible young woman has brown skin and learning disabilities. She’s also a twin; she and her sister were conceived thanks to IVF.

Their mom also has a disability — she lost her sight as a child. She came to the US from Mexico to attend a school for the blind, then graduated from college, and later held roles in corporate America and for the U.S. government. A single mom, imagine raising twin girls without sight! Well, she did, and she made sure her girls had the resources and support they needed to thrive.

My question: What if access to critical programs, like IVF, education, or women’s reproductive health weren’t available, or are taken away in the future? What happens if my little, or her sister, face something unexpected, like a medical emergency or dare I say, an unplanned pregnancy from rape, requiring tough choices? What if we didn’t have the protections provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act (not to mention if we’re led by someone who shames and makes fun of people with disabilities)?

These are just a small handful of real-life consequences of elections. Particularly the 2024 presidential election. Voting isn’t just about us — it’s about ensuring that future generations have the same, if not better, opportunities to live healthy, fulfilling lives, and contribute to that brighter future. Policies impact access to education, healthcare, programs like Big Sisters, reproductive choices, and so much more.

My conscience will not let me vote for anyone who sees women as chattel, who childishly makes fun of others he sees as “less than.” My grandfather taught me this was wrong early on.

I cannot vote for someone whose policies will negatively impact health-related choices — for women, girls, and those whose gender or sexual identity puts them at risk. Or whose immigration and economic platforms cause more harm than good (at its most base level, who will pick your vegetables, cook your fast food, or clean your office building? And what will happen to your gay or trans friends and relatives?).

Elections affect the people we love, and this one could roll back the rights that matter most to women, their partners, girls, and immigrants (and so many more). Please, don’t sit out this election. Think about the kind of future you want for your kids, grandkids, and their grandkids — that’s the true impact of your vote.

Elections have consequences. That’s why I’m voting Democratic down the ticket. It’s no longer a political issue; it’s a moral issue.