Longevity in My Future

Not voting has never been an option. I grew up with my grandmother and great-grandmother and they both instilled in me the importance of casting your vote so your voice would be heard. It became almost a ritual that you vote.

Every election I’ve voted not based on political parties, but based on the candidate’s policies that I felt would be in the best interest of the community where I live, work, play, and worship. And of course who wouldn’t vote in the historic presidential election of 2008? What great memories I have to share with my children and grandchildren of where I was the night the first Black President of the United States was announced!

However this election is different. This time I didn’t vote because it’s the “responsible” thing to do, I voted to save my own life. During the summer of 2011, I lost my job. It took over a year before I became employed again. During that time I was diagnosed with a medical condition that requires me to take medication every day. At that point I not only became a candidate for employment, I became a candidate with a pre-existing medical condition seeking employment.

The thought of being denied health coverage frightened me. What frightened me even more was the thought of not being able to watch my daughter grow up.  I’ve been fighting for access to care, treatment and medication for people living with HIV for 22 years, but now who was going to fight for me? One of the candidates proposed a health plan that would protect me from insurance companies that could otherwise deny me coverage because of a pre-existing condition. One of the candidates offered me hope that, with health coverage, healthy outcomes to increase my longevity could be in my future. That candidate is the one I voted for.  I believe that candidate will continue to move this country’s healthcare system FORWARD.

Leisha McKinney-Beach is Director of Technical Assistance and Stakeholder Engagement for the Black AIDS Institute.