Dear Dignity and Respect: An Open Letter

An Open Letter to My Community: The Urgency of Voting with Empathy and Understanding

Dear Dignity and Respect,

Life has been a bit heavy lately, and I just wanted to take a moment to talk about it. With the upcoming political election, I’ve been feeling a lot of anxiety and fear about losing you.

Years ago, I watched as those within the disability community were mocked on national TV and saw you slowly leave this society. This experience profoundly changed the way I viewed many things, especially those in the government. We are often the subject of ridicule or simply seen as people not worth living or capable of having you. So this level of investment and emotional reaction to the presidential race is new for me. Maybe it’s the social work beast I am working hard to become one day… I just cannot stop mentally pacing and wanting to do something to keep you.

As a disabled person, my life heavily relies on the services and support systems that are often taken for granted. I need help to do things that probably take most able-bodied individuals 5 minutes flat if needed. The truth is that if programs that provide these services are cut or diminished, the very essence of my existence is threatened. The fear of non-existence is very real for me. Without these supports, it’s hard to imagine how I could continue to live independently and pursue my goals. I fear it would be hard for anyone to pursue their goals without you.

Because of some of these programs that provide needed access to services, I am able to live independently with the right supportive things in place, work towards my master’s degree in social work, and self-publish a book, all of which have helped me make my health and happiness a priority in my life. Many may not give credit, but I, alongside many others in the disability community, are amazing, talented, driven individuals who just want to live life and have the opportunity to have a seat at or create our own tables. We have a lot to bring to the table, if there’s a seat, and some of us have our own, just slide the chair over so someone else can join us. We simply want to be heard and respected.

Access to accessible housing, affirming healthcare through telehealth, and the opportunity to live my best life have all been crucial in my life and journey. For me, these services have allowed me to pursue my dreams and rise as a public speaker, sharing my story and advocating for the rights of others. For others in the disability community, these services represent the ability to make their own decisions and live with you. The very fight many in the disability and other marginalized communities engage in daily is about retaining the right to make decisions about their own lives. Project 2025 threatens to take these decisions away, impacting everyone fighting for you, Dignity and Respect.

I remember a time I booked an accessible hotel room only to get there and find it wasn’t accessible. My caregiver had to make it work. I remember feeling like I wasn’t enough to speak my needs and be heard. I also remember being stuck in bed for 45 days while attending school and fighting COVID as I fought for an accessible wheelchair. The fight is hard enough with these services. I can’t imagine not having anything.

Dignity and Respect, being Black, Transgender, and Disabled, I check all the boxes and find myself at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities, continuously fighting for you as my foundation. This intersectionality means that the decisions made by our political leaders impact me on multiple fronts. Project 2025, for example, has significant implications for people like me. It aims to reshape social services and healthcare in ways that could strip away essential supports for many vulnerable communities.   For instance:

• • As a Black person, I am deeply concerned about policies that fail to address systemic racism and the drive to erase our history from the educational curriculum.

• • As a transgender person, I am alarmed by initiatives that seek to undermine or erase the rights and protections of the LGBTQIA+ community, including access to gender-affirming healthcare.

• • As a disabled person, I fear the reduction or elimination of services that are critical to my independence and well-being, such as accessible healthcare and housing support.

Project 2025’s approach to social services and healthcare could result in a significant rollback of the progress we’ve made in ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their identity, orientation, needs, abilities, or backgrounds, have the support they need to live dignified and fulfilling lives. It would strip us of the very essence of who we are as humans.

Additionally, Dignity and Respect, being Black, Disabled, and Transgender, I experience compounded stress and discrimination, which severely impacts my mental health. The mental health services that I rely on are not just beneficial but crucial. Project 2025’s cuts and changes could limit or remove access to these essential mental health services, exacerbating the mental health crisis in our communities and leaving many without the necessary support to cope with their daily struggles.

This election is about more than just policies – it’s about people’s lives, dignity, and the ability to live independently and freely. I can’t tell you who to vote for, but I will be voting for Harris 2024. I want to be clear that I believe there is a lot of work to be done beyond the election, but at least we can start moving forward. I urge you to think deeply about those in your life who might one day become disabled or who already rely on these critical services. Consider your friends and family who might find themselves in a similar situation to mine.

We must remember the importance of meeting people where they are. By understanding and empathizing with the diverse experiences and challenges that individuals face, we can help others get to where they want to be. This election, let’s vote with empathy and understanding, ensuring that every person, regardless of their identity or ability, can live with dignity and respect.

Please take these thoughts with you as you make your decisions in the upcoming election. Together, we can ensure that every person, regardless of their identity or ability, can live with dignity and respect.

Keep rolling. Keep pushing. Take care of each other.

Fighting for Freedom,

– MALAKAI