If we do not start to stand up against this type of behavior, it will continue the culture that we live in an area that breeds hate. If you look at comments on the many local articles, you will see a common trend that people outside our area think of our town as racist and bigoted. We are fully aware that we are far from it, and the words of one do not reflect the ideology of the majority of us.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. On behalf of all student athletes and students, we hope that you will take this time as an opportunity to invest in their mental health. The Mental Health Reform Act embedded in the 21st Century Cures Act includes funding to promote integrated physical and mental health care. A policy requiring student athletes to speak with a mental health professional at least once during their sport’s season. Just as students are required to have annual physicals and dental check up requirements for player eligibility. We are asking you to work on creating a mental health component to add those requirements. In addition, athletes experience emotional trauma from being out of the game due to an injury. If an injury occurs that causes an athlete to be out at least 3-4 months, speaking with a mental health professional prior to returning to play would be just as beneficial. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I am asking policy-makers to support a student athlete mental health initiative.

Addiction is a brain disease, not a choice. Individuals in Connecticut with Substance Use Disorders are overdosing on heroin and fentanyl at alarming rates. In March, 2022, Connecticut received approximately $95 million from the Purdue Pharma and the Sackler Family settlement, yet addiction treatment is still not readily available. The agreement authorizes Connecticut to use a portion of the settlement funds to establish an Opioid Survivors Trust to directly aid survivors and victims of the opioid epidemic. WHERE ARE THE SETTLEMENT FUNDS? CONNECTICUT NEEDS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO ADDICTION TREATMENT NOW!

A robust PhD program is a vital component of a research university. Producing scholarship is a cumulative process and interruptions have lasting effects. Rutgers understands this as they have offered accommodations for faculty – namely, tenure timetable extensions. Accommodations must also be made for graduate students. The administration must commit to an additional year of funding for ALL of those affected.

If we are to be a country of religious freedom, then we need to be a country free from religious influence in our laws and government. For no one who lives under laws created by religious influence and zealotry has freedom of religion, only freedom to be subjugated under a singular religion.

Over the past year, we've seen unprecedented attacks on democracy, including the ability of eligible voters – especially Black and Brown voters – to participate in elections and have their vote count. This must stop and companies need to step up and defend democracy. Unfortunately, many companies that claim to support civic participation and racial justice – including AT&T – have practically done the opposite, standing by and passively supporting the same politicians who have launched these attacks. - AT&T was one of the first companies[1] to break their commitment[2] to stop contributions to members of Congress who voted against certifying the 2020 election results. - AT&T is a top corporate donor to politicians that sponsored laws making it harder for many voters to participate in elections, especially Black and Brown voters. In 2021, for example, AT&T gave Texas Gov. Greg Abbott 100,000[3] on the same day he called a special session to pass legislation that makes it harder for eligible voters to register and cast their vote. - AT&T is also a top corporate contributor[4] to the sponsors of bills designed to intimidate and criminalize peaceful, non-violent forms of protest. - AT&T needs to stop giving money to radical insurrectionists and do business in a manner consistent with its values. Actions speak louder than words and AT&T's actions often contradict the company's commitment to equal opportunity and racial justice. That cannot continue. We call on AT&T and CEO John Stankey to stop supporting extremist politicians that are making it harder to vote and participate in our democracy. ----------------------------------------------- References 1. https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-04-19/corporations-pledge-donations-politicians-opposed-election-certification-biden 2. https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-04-19/corporations-pledge-donations-politicians-opposed-election-certification-biden 3. http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/business-a-lobbying/563541-watchdog-says-att-gave-over-100k-to-abbott-gop 4. https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Democracy-Report-2.pdf

Black Californians are about three times more likely to be seriously injured, shot, or killed by the police relative to their share of the state’s population (Public Policy Institute of California, October 2021). California has already implemented many reforms through state legislation, including requiring local law enforcement agencies to report incidents of serious use of force, permitting public access to law enforcement records for certain misconduct and use-of-force incidents, and establishing an independent board and data collection effort aimed at reducing racial disparities in police encounters (Public Policy Institute of California, October 2021). Although these efforts may be valiant, there is still room for continued change in decreasing the amount of deaths due to excessive force and police brutality. Through the passage of Assembly-Bill 89, California police officers will be required to be trained at a state standard. Along with this, officers will be required to obtain either an associates or a bachelors degree. These changes will allow police officers across the state to be held to a higher standard and training program as well as increasing education has shown that it can decrease excessive use of force. T

Earlier this week, a leaked draft opinion suggested that the Supreme Court could overturn Roe v. Wade. My senator, Susan Collins (R), claims to support abortion rights, even stating she “supports the right to an abortion and believes that the protections in the Roe and Casey decisions should be passed into law” (nbcnews.com, Dec. 2021) but at every single turn, has voted for people that could ultimately contribute to the downfall of Roe v. Wade. During his 2017 confirmation under then President Donald Trump, Justice Gorsuch referred to Roe as precedent, “worthy of treatment as precedent, like any other.” In 2018, Collins supported Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh’s controversial nomination because she believed that he would uphold Roe v. Wade as the law of the land and legal precedent. When we reached out to her about our concerns she not only ignored our voices but accused us of being paid lobbyists from out of state. She refused to listen to her own constituents. Now, despite hearing about this leaked draft and what it could mean for millions of people, Susan Collins is refusing to support the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA). Can my Senator continue to call herself pro-choice if all of her actions indicate otherwise?

Justice Gorsuch should hold no influential office in the Colonial Williamsburg organization as long as he pursues overturning Roe and Casey. His actions are egregiously uncompassionate, harmful, and inconsistent with the values and mission of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. As the organization stands to have "the future learn from the past", it must acknowledge that this decision is legally, intellectually, and socially regressive and would be desultory for the health, safety, and well being for a large portion of the American public. Colonial Williamsburg should stand against such behavior and expel Justice Gorsuch from its ranks.

Health care is a human right. Abortion is health care, and abortion needs to remain LEGAL. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, and now abortion access is dictated by states, which means that abortion access across the country for millions of people is essentially nonexistent. Now is the time for urgency and education on what resources are available for people if they need to safely self-manage an abortion at home. For more than 20 years, medical advances have come forward to revolutionize how people experience abortion. We’re aggressive proponents of people being able to have an abortion on their own terms—without interference from the government, whether they seek that care from a provider at a clinic or self-manage at home. Right now, anti-abortion politicians are impeding progress by trying to prevent anyone from being able to have a safe, effective, and affordable abortion. But we cannot let people in power continue to ban abortions and criminalize people who exercise their right to choose.

 Abortion by mail can significantly reduce the harm done by right-wing, anti-choice legislation, but people need to know about this avenue. Acquiring and using pills may carry legal risk, especially for marginalized people; you can check if it's legal in your state here: https://abortiononourownterms.org/self-managed-abortion/. The Biden administration has recently taken steps to make it easier to acquire abortion medication from retail pharmacies and for the Postal Service to deliver pills nationwide. We need to build on this progress and ensure that anyone who chooses this option to end their pregnancy can do so safely, effectively, and privately—on their own terms. It’s crucial that we create a world where every person is free from stigma and shame, and protect access to safe abortion for all.

After George Floyd’s murder in 2020, there was a national cry to end racist policing. Though the national outrage has fizzled, police brutality remains far too common. In 2022, Orlando Taylor was killed by Springfield Police and Miguel Estrella was killed by Pittsfield Police, both during calls for a person in mental distress. Policing is not the solution to public safety. Advocates in Amherst have continued to call for defunding the Amherst Police Department. A promising, BIPOC-led envisioning of an alternative safety department has been implemented. However, the funding proposed is inadequate. The FY23 budget proposes only $621,520 in funding for CRESS, or $2,117,780 less than CSWG’s recommendation. There FY23 budget allocates $0 to a BIPOC cultural center, $407,690 less than CSWG’s recommendation. The FY23 budget allocates $500,000 to the youth empowerment center, above what was recommended— but it provides no clear plan as to what this money will support. The FY23 budget proposes $175,257 to the DEI office, $52,390 less than CSWG’s recommendation. These proposed programs will help create community safety in a responsive, anti-racist manner. They should be fully funded with money redirected from the police budget. The demand is still DEFUND THE POLICE.

I implore all Americans to stand up, be heard & do something to help better your life & the lives of all those around you! If we don’t speak up NOW, there will never be change… We have the power to change the world, right the wrongs, unlock the chains of injustice & demand a better quality of life! Change starts with you! Your voice matters! You CAN make a difference! Stand with me in pleading… no, DEMANDING more from our government! We demand more assistance to climb our way out of poverty! We demand our government to respect & hear the people! We demand a better quality of life for our children! And lastly, we demand action from our government! If change doesn’t happen NOW, I fear those people who feel frustrated & unheard will begin to revolt. We do NOT need a revolution, we need a resolution… When parents go hungry so their children do not, you know there is something inherently wrong with the system. When the people are scared to seek medical help because of the outrageously high costs, there is something inherently wrong with the system. When a parent has to choose between working just to pay daycare or staying home to raise their children and not being able to pay rent, there is something inherently wrong with the system. We are not asking for a handout, we are asking for a leg up! I implore you to take these words seriously. For if you don’t, the people may rise up to seek justice themselves. We will no longer stand by and go unheard and unseen. We will shout from the rooftops until change happens! I will stand up for what is right, even if I have to stand alone…