John,
I wanted to reach out today — not just as a legislator or elected official, but as a father and an educator — to say that we must follow the leadership of the youth.
When I look at the future of our fight for progress, I know this fight will be led by the bold, fearless young people of this country. Today, I witnessed these young activists, stepping up and speaking out to build a world that we've yet to see — and I stand with them in this fight.
Together, we're fighting for the working people and redlined communities. We're fighting for those living in public housing that our federal government refuses to rescue, all while they perpetuate the ecological apartheid that directly causes our district to have the highest rates of childhood asthma and other diseases.
I've seen this firsthand as a middle school principal. Children are unable to live fully and freely because of the poison in the air that's left them with respiratory illness. These illnesses lead to severe illness and missed school days. And without the proper medical care or ability to take off work, this cycle of poverty and sickness will only continue to grow.
I'm worried about what our world will look like in the future. I'm worried about what my children's future will look like, too, if we continue to ignore this climate crisis. Children deserve to live in a world where the walls, air, and water do not make them sick just because they happen to be Black and brown. These issues shouldn't be partisan issues, John.
But the truth is this: We are fighting for this world. Right now, Republicans are not. We can't afford to compromise on issues as massive as these, because when we compromise, we're working alongside Senators who have never shown up for my students, my constituents, and folks that look like me.
We need to listen to our youth and set our plans into motion to bring immediate change around climate. Not since 2009 have Democrats held the White House and both houses of Congress at the same time — so we have a narrowing window of opportunity to act, and we absolutely have to get it right.
I care about delivering for the working people who got me to Congress, and even those who didn't. At the end of day, this work should benefit everyone. So let's come together to uplift the youth who are fighting for a better world, and let's use our progressive power to build a world that benefits us all — not just the privileged few.
One of the strongest ways to make sure this action comes to light is by helping us boost our grassroots fundraising to reach our quarterly FEC fundraising goal by midnight this upcoming Wednesday. So if you stand with us in this fight, please chip in $5 today to help strengthen our movement for bold, progressive change. Together, we can truly shift the future of our world to finally support all of us.
I am so grateful to be a part of this fight, John. Your action and faith in this movement gives me hope, and I urge all of us to keep fighting.
Peace and love,
Jamaal Bowman
