Machon Kaplan

By Abby Kirshbaum When I was in 10th grade, I attended the Religious Action Center’s L’Taken Seminar with my confirmation class. On the last day of the trip we got to lobby to one of our senators on an issue that appealed most to us. Little did I know, the legislation in which I lobbied, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), would become such a huge part of my life.

By Elise Glaser With the correct resources and aid, those suffering from mental illness can find a way to a cure, or a way to effectively manage their illness. I watched my brother climb out of a deep addiction after years of rehab, sober living, Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous and therapy. Only with my parents’ health insurance was this possible and was his stability secured. I have many friends who have found their way out of depression, anxiety, eating disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder with the right medication and treatment. However, these treatments were always accessible by their families’ income and insurance. Throughout these rehabilitation processes, there was little help or guidance from the government, putting the majority of the stress on the concerned family members.