1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I was on a call today with advocates (people with disabilities) from across the country and every single person on that call expressed a certain degree of fear and worry over the uncertainty of funding for social programs. I have been thinking about the role of music and the power of words a lot lately and as I was listening to these stories from these leaders with lived experience, the lyrics from a song in the musical Rent kept playing in my head: " Will I lose my dignity?/ Will someone care?/ Will I wake tomorrow/ From this nightmare? People are hurting, people are suffering, and congress' deliberate choice not to do their job has real human impact and consequences. Please share this message with your colleagues on the other side of the aisle and ask them what does it mean to be human? If you prick us, do we not bleed? Shame on you for your greed.