Why should others join us in this call for change? Because we all deserve to be heard. We are concerned citizens of Missouri’s 8th District—workers, parents, students, veterans, farmers, and neighbors—who are tired of being ignored by the very people elected to represent us. Congressman Jason Smith has a duty to be accessible and transparent, but he continues to avoid open public town halls. This isn’t about party politics—it’s about accountability. When elected officials refuse to face their constituents, democracy breaks down. We’re standing up together to demand better. To demand answers. To demand a government that listens and responds. And we know that the more of us who speak out, the harder we are to ignore. Join us. Raise your voice. Because real change only happens when we stand together.

I am writing to urge you to consider sponsoring and supporting a proposed piece of legislation called Topher’s Law. (Together on Protecting Human Ethical Rights) This bill is designed to reform Missouri’s guardianship laws to ensure that adult wards who are disabled or otherwise under guardianship retain their right to maintain family relationships—without unnecessary court hurdles or isolation imposed by overreaching guardians. Currently, immediate family members often face significant barriers in simply visiting, calling, or taking their loved one on an outing, even with the ward’s full consent. In some cases, families must petition the court just to spend time together—placing an unjust burden on those who should be presumed to act out of love and care. Topher’s Law flips that burden: if a guardian wishes to deny access, they must go to court and prove why it is necessary. This legislation: Centers the ward’s own voice and consent. Provides a court-appointed advocate regardless of the ward’s ability to pay. Protects against unjustified isolation from immediate family. Brings transparency and accountability to guardianship practices. I’ve included a full draft of the proposed law with this letter. I would be deeply grateful for the opportunity to meet with you or your staff to discuss this further. Families across Missouri—and more importantly, the individuals placed under guardianship—deserve protection, dignity, and a law that puts their humanity first

Already the Republican majority has failed on the promise of lowering prices, and now they want to take a hatchet to our wallets by making child care struggles even worse by decimating child care, preschool, early intervention and Head Start budgets in order to provide trillions of dollars in tax cuts to billionaires and wealthy corporations. Child care is already unaffordable and unattainable for families, and new data released from the Women’s Bureau at the Department of Labor shows that child care costs more than median yearly rent for U.S. Families! Cutting funds to child care and Head Start to subsidize the rich is UNCONSCIONABLE. Sign our letter now to say NO to child care cuts!

Together, we call upon the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL to re-evaluate their current disciplinary measures and adopt a zero-tolerance policy for domestic violence. This would include mandatory comprehensive training for all athletes and staff on domestic violence and gender sensitivity, clear and stringent penalties for violations, and a transparent reporting system that holds individuals accountable regardless of their status.  By implementing these changes, professional sports can take a stand against domestic violence, sending a strong message that behavior off the field matters just as much as performance on it. Sign this petition to urge these leagues to enact these crucial reforms and ensure justice and accountability for all. 

Her Health, Her Right is a statement meant to highlight the urgent need for affordable, accessible healthcare for women. Across the country, women are forced to navigate a system that often puts their well-being second to profit. From reproductive care and maternity services to treatment for chronic illnesses, the financial burden can be overwhelming. Many delay or forgo necessary care due to high costs, leading to worsened health outcomes and increased stress. This issue doesn’t just affect physical health—it impacts emotional stability, economic opportunity, and overall quality of life. Healthcare should not be a luxury or a privilege. It’s a basic human right. This message aims to raise awareness, inspire change, and remind us that when women are denied proper care, the consequences ripple far beyond the doctor’s office.

Thank you for taking time to follow our journey to open a new SixFour3 facility in Fairfax. Over the past year, the SixFour3 Fairfax Team has been working hard …we have leased space, designed what will be an amazing softball training facility (!!), and pursued a building permit to begin construction. Our hopes were to open in early 2025. However, a few short months ago, Fairfax County Staff ruled that we are not allowed to use industrial space for a softball training facility, which came as a shock to us all. During the last decade, countless baseball facilities and other sports training facilities have been approved by the County in industrial space. Some examples include Perfect Performance in August 2023, Pioneer Baseball in April 2022, Metro Baseball Academy in July 2021, Capstone Soccer in 2020, and Diamond Heroes Baseball in 2017…the list goes on and on. We feel singled out!! Our next step is a hearing with the Board of Zoning Appeals on May 7th at 9 am to try and overturn the staff's decision. To win the appeal, we need your voices to be heard!! Winning an appeal is no easy task, but we know the softball community will rally around us to help remove the barriers we are facing from the county to open SixFour3 Fairfax.  We believe it is vital to inform Fairfax County about the benefits of SixFour3 and would be grateful for your support in disseminating this information through your broadcasting channels. Want to do more? You can also write your own email to the Fairfax County BZA! We encourage you to share personal stories, your support, or feel free to use the sample language we’ve provided on the second page of this document. 

1. Protecting Children and Educators: Schools are meant to be safe environments. Joining this campaign helps push for laws that prioritize the safety and well-being of students and teachers. 2. Preventing Tragedies: Gun violence in schools has led to heartbreaking losses. Banning guns from campuses can reduce the risk of shootings and save lives. 3. Creating a Peaceful Learning Environment: Fear and anxiety have no place in education. Removing firearms from schools helps students focus on learning rather than survival. 4. Sending a Message to Lawmakers: Every signature shows that people care. A strong collective voice can influence real policy change at the local and national levels. 5. Standing Up for Common-Sense Safety Measures: Most Americans support reasonable gun laws. This campaign is not about politics it’s about protecting people and preventing preventable violence.

The right to access abortion is under attack—and without the Trump administration’s commitment to protecting access to medication abortion, state governments must step in.  By stockpiling mifepristone, states can help ensure that if access is threatened, patients can continue to access this safe and effective medication, which accounts for the majority of all abortions in the United States. This is a practical and necessary step to protect abortion—and we need other states to follow suit, now. Sign the petition urging all governors to start stockpiling mifepristone. 

Without your support the forgotten women in beers beautiful and diverse history will remain forgotten. 

While republicans may be receiving "marching orders" to avoid town halls, it is up to us, the people, to demand them and to ensure members of congress who support the current administration answer to their actions and the impact it will have on individuals and community alike.

On Sept 11th, 2022, at 12:45 am, my 26yr old daughter, Hanahn Mystique Benitez, was struck and killed by a driver who just said he " saw nothing" and was not charged with anything. Not even a ticket. My daughter was almost seven months pregnant with a baby girl that she was naming Winter. She was struck on the eastbound side of 347 & Terryville Rd. She was wearing a bright yellow hoodie and was a few feet from the crosswalk. She had already passed almost all the way across the two lanes from a very lit up area coming off the sidewalk from a car dealership corner when the driver struck her from his front left side of his vehicle, and he said he "saw nothing! The driver that killed them made it a point to tell the officers that he is a head nurse at Stony Brook hospital. He hit her so hard that the impact flew her over the metal divider and threw her to the westbound side traffic and she was then hit by two other cars *as per the witness’s statement whose car was facing west and was waiting at the left turn lane. The witness saw everything even though he was facing the opposite direction. How did the killer see "nothing". Was he distracted by something in his car? The police failed to inform me of the driver’s actions before and at the time of impact. The driver was not given a breathalyzer, asked to take a toxicology test, his phone was not looked at (that I know of because it’s not in the incident report), his speed was not documented, and he was NOT made accountable for his actions. When the detectives came to my house that morning to inform me that my daughter and granddaughter had passed, one detective simply stated that it was an accident. How could they come to that conclusion without a thorough investigation yet? It sounded more like it was a vehicular manslaughter. He walked away and she didn’t. This tragedy has devastated her family, her twin brother, and friends.

Since day one, Trump has attacked abortion rights, issuing executive orders that attack access and cut federal funding for care, and now EMTALA is on the line. The very people who authored Project 2025 have called for the reversal of the Biden administration’s guidance that the law protects the right to an emergency abortion. Doctors and medical providers don't want to refuse patients emergency medical care, and they shouldn't have to risk going to jail for helping to save a patient's life. Sign the petition to call on the Trump administration to enforce EMTALA nationwide.