Janet Fox 

Because you can’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps if you have no boots

I support Kamala.

Early childhood education has been shown, over and over, to create far better health and economic prospects for children as they grow, even into middle and high school years.

Children who lag in school—who can’t afford a school lunch… who have parents working multiple jobs and are too busy to help their kids with homework… these kids are our future, and we are giving them little chance at success in life.

We need Kamala, who will fight for those who can’t fight for themselves. You can’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps if you have no boots.

We need Kamala, who knows that “trickle-down economics” is a fallacy. Disparities in tax laws benefit the wealthy and cripple the poor.

We need Kamala, who understands that a hungry child can’t learn, and if they can’t learn, they can’t keep up, leaving them to fall by the wayside and their prospects to dim.

The health crisis brought on by poor nutrition and economic crisis brought on by food deserts are the result of years of increasing wealth disparity. We need Kamala, who recognizes that poverty is not a fault of character but a lack of action from local, state, and federal institutions.

When our leaders think that big government is a problem and cut out programs—like early childhood education—that benefit the poor, they undermine the very success of the American future and American dream.

My American dream is a nation led by Kamala Harris, who recognizes the importance of the government’s role in an individual’s future.

I support Kamala because she will support our children.

Janet Fox is an author and teacher.