"I do not Have to Help Them": Pushing Back Against the Apathy of Those With Power
"The Representative would like to meet with you," came a young woman's voice over the speaker of my cell phone. "It is urgent. You must come to Harrisburg as soon as possible." I agreed to attend, and quickly contacted two other adoption activists. It was the summer of 2010. I was relatively new to adoption activism and knew better than to go by myself. I knew why she had called. This legislator had submitted a bill that competed with a pending original birth certificate access bill. After his office ignored our attempts to engage with him personally, we launched a social media campaign in opposition of the bill. We knew he had heard our voices, yet nothing prepared me for what I walked into that day. Joined by two other activists, I nervously sat down at the large oval table. Several Representatives were there, including the bill sponsor. He was flanked by numerous staff. No one looked happy. "Can you tell me what this is about?" he