By KR, Executive Director
You are invited to BCAction’s virtual Legislative Advocacy Day, happening all day today, October 26th!
This year, our annual Think Before You Pink® campaign is going rogue. Since the first of October, we’ve connected the dots between environmental racism, fossil fuel divestment, and the politics of breast cancer.
Now, it’s time to turn that political education into collective action!
During today’s Legislative Advocacy Day, the three pieces of legislation we’ll take action on together are:
In week 2 of this campaign, we named the ways in which environmental racism exacerbates the breast cancer crisis. The A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act will establish several environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address environmental racism. This law seeks to rectify decades of unfair environmental harm done to low-income communities and Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities.
In week 3 of this campaign, we explored fossil fuel divestment strategies as a means to move us closer to a healthier environment with fewer exposures to cancer-causing chemicals. SB 252, the Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill will require CalPERS and CalSTRS—the two largest public pension funds in the country—to divest over $14 billion from fossil fuel companies. The oil and gas industry is one of the most egregious producers of cancer-causing environmental toxins and they must be phased out!
This week, in week four of the campaign, we are focused on the politics of breast cancer and demonstrating how political decisions impact public health. More than 150,000 people across all races and socio-economic statuses are currently living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act calls for a waiver of the 24-month waiting period to obtain Medicare coverage, and the 5-month waiting period for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, for eligible individuals with MBC. Passage of this bipartisan bill will help reduce disparities in treatment and healthcare services for people living with this disease.
Here’s why we want you to participate:
Our Representatives have been elected to enact legislation that improves the lives of their constituents. And as the trusted watchdog of the breast cancer industry and advocates for people living with and at risk of breast cancer, we continue to hold policymakers accountable to this goal.
BCAction has vetted these bills according to our endorsement criteria:
Here’s how to participate in today’s virtual Legislative Advocacy Day:
We’ve made the process of reaching out to your legislators super easy. Include your name here, here, and here to easily send letter to your Congressional Representative, advocating on behalf of people living with and at risk of breast cancer.
Have you already taken action with us on these opportunities? Then you can participate in today’s Legislative Advocacy Day by sharing these actions with your community and on your social media platforms.
Addressing and ending the breast cancer crisis requires individual AND collective action. Let’s work together to make sure every person gets to live, work, and play in a healthier environment.