It was an amazing experience to deliver MomsRising.org member messages along with compasses telling legislators to get back on track to covering all kids! Our fabulous group of moms and kids reminded me again of the power of personal stories. One of the Assembly’s health policy experts was even moved to tears by the personal story of one of the moms delivering the Compass-o-Grams.

Krystal, flanked by her two beautiful children, recounted the nightmare of being told that her prematurely born daughter might never walk or talk. She had just quit her job in order to take care of her baby when her husband was laid off. It was only through state health insurance that Krystal’s daughter was able to obtain the healthcare she needed to become the walking, talking, reading, bubbly six year old child that she is now. And with a healthy child, Krystal was able to go back to work and resume covering her children through employer sponsored health insurance.

It’s stories of heroic mothers like Krystal that challenge legislators to think beyond the short term costs of funding programs like Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. Walking through the halls of the state capitol crowded with pinstriped corporate lobbyists, I was struck again by the importance of bringing the real voices of California’s families to the legislators.

Another big highlight of the day was presenting a giant card of congratulations from MomsRising.org members to Speaker Karen Bass. We expressed our excitement that we finally have a woman and mom as the Speaker of the Assembly in California. Speaker Bass reiterated her support for healthcare for all kids and noted that there are only a handful of members who still need convincing before we reach that goal.

So, we’ll keep amplifying your voices until each of the 763,000 children in California currently without healthcare has coverage. Thanks again for all the messages and for sharing your personal stories. Check out the photos from the Compass-o-gram delivery and Speaker Bass accepting the congratulations card from MomsRising.org.