I am an elder millennial, and I fought my way out of poverty. I’m proud of what I have achieved, but I know it could have been easier. It is from this perspective that I support the Build Back Better Plan and encourage Rep. Jared Golden, who is roughly my age, to support it as well, for the benefit of all of our generation and for our children.
Like many in our generation, I attended college for a career that has largely been eliminated in a changing economy. Instead, I have pieced together a living, making some of my income as an adjunct college professor while also working as a nanny, private tutor, etc. Still I struggle and often work paycheck to paycheck. I haven’t had truly affordable health care since I was a teenager. We, the millennial generation, are statistically very well-educated while also having very little wealth, and the Build Back Better plan is an important step in leveling the playing field and giving us the opportunities we were promised.
The Build Back Better plan is full of positive things for Maine, but among these are that it will offer more affordable health care coverage for working families and it will make an investment in childcare programs, both life-changing things for many Maine families. It’s not enough for us to return to “normal” as we battle this pandemic. This is an opportunity for America to repair and transform our system to better benefit everyone, giving all of us more opportunities.
Katrina Ray-Saulis
Augusta