Open Letter to Donald Trump Portrait

Dear President Donald Trump,

My name is Mariam Paré. I am a daughter of a veteran, I am an artist, and a Disabled American living with spinal cord injury as a result of gun violence.

President Trump, this changing of the presidential guard is an uncertain time for many Americans with Disabilities. For those of us who have valued and relied on the policies of the last eight years under the last administration, we are especially nervous about what's going to happen to the critically important policies that affect our lives.

President Trump, my hope for your presidency is that you will help us maintain the rights and policies that enable us to have better futures for ourselves and our families.

I pray that when you take office, you will keep a high regard for our civil rights, our safety nets, and our inclusion.

It is my hope that when you call for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, that you will still ensure access to affordable healthcare without judgment for pre-existing conditions.

I hope you will keep the provisions that allow disabled (and elderly) citizens to live in our homes instead of nursing facilities; the provisions that allow us to be a social, economic, and cultural part of our communities.

Please help remove the literal and figurative barriers that prevent us from equal access.

Please find it within yourself to help protect the ADA. We have only had the ADA for 26 years and are still a long way from equality. I hope you will be our ally and oppose bills or legislation that may obstruct the hard-won protections afforded to people with disabilities under the ADA.

President Trump, in your victory speech, you pledged to every citizen of our land that you will be a president for all Americans. You say "I will not let you down. I will always be your voice.”

My question to you President Trump is...

Will you be the voice for Disabled Americans?

Sincerely, Mariam Paré