We have a right to protect our heritage – our homes, land, and communities – from destructive landfills and fossil fuel operations. We need to stop the manufacture of harmful, non-biodegradable materials and start recycling. We need to stop the manufacture of lethal pesticides. We need to switch to renewable energy sources. We have one earth, and we need to protect it and its natural resources for our own survival.

Climate change has caused extreme weather in our area. Flooding destroyed roads and bridges, caused schools to close because school buses could not safely travel the routes, and high winds caused trees to fall across the roads. We need funding to strengthen our infrastructure to ensure our safety while driving.

We need equitable funding for education in our rural communities. We should receive more of the lottery funds for education than localities that have more jobs and a higher tax base so we can include innovative training in our K-12 schools. We need to encourage students to find their passion and career path by offering a diverse curricula in the arts and labor fields. We need to enhance school-business partnerships and increase co-op, internship, and apprenticeship opportunities for high school students. Our students deserve equal opportunities to succeed in school and employment.

We have the right, not the insurance or pharmaceutical companies, to choose our doctor, hospital, medical treatment, and prescriptions. We have the right to affordable medical treatment and prescriptions. We should not be forced to live in a “survival of the fittest” society where healthcare is only for the rich.