At the end of February, members of the Student Sharing Coalition boarded a bus and went to Annapolis to lobby for the homeless and healthcare. Students took a day off from school to partake in what they hoped would be a worthwhile experience.
The first part of the trip consisted of a march through Annapolis where people chanted things like, “Healthcare is a universal right” and “Support the safety net.” The “safety net” refers to protecting those who do not have health insurance. Everybody marched to the Maryland General Assembly Building where the rally occurred.
The rally consisted of many different types of people including, high school and college students, former homeless people, and many others with concerns about the healthcare and homeless situation in America. Politicians, students, and members of Student Sharing and Healthcare for the Homeless spoke during the rally. There were also singers and musicians all coming together for one cause, universal healthcare.
Although it was a rainy morning, everyone stayed spirited and continued to shout. The weather had no affect on the lobbyers. They chanted and screamed so the politicians inside the building could hear.
After the rally, everybody walked into different meeting rooms and sat down. They got the chance to meet with their politicians and work with others to make changes.
“We went to congress to converse with delegates to mediate the conflicts at hand,” commented sophomores Jacob Koenig and Luis Bernardo. The students were given the opportunity to question Maryland senators and delegates about healthcare and convince the politicians to vote in favor of health care bills.
“I thought I could make a difference,” said sophomore Ian Baker. Every person had the chance to voice their opinion and hope that their politicians were listening.
Many of the students who attended felt that this was a worthwhile experience. Although it was a cold, rainy day, most of the students from Student Sharing would go on the trip again.