TL;DR
- Cleve Jones endorses Marni von Wilpert for Congress.
- Marni is a bisexual San Diego City Councilmember.
- She supports LGBTQ rights and healthcare reforms.
- Jones emphasizes the importance of community support.
- The race is crucial for California’s 48th District.
In a bold move that’s sending ripples through California’s political landscape, LGBTQ+ activist and AIDS Memorial Quilt founder Cleve Jones has thrown his support behind Marni von Wilpert for Congress. Why, you ask? Because this bisexual San Diego City Councilmember is not just a candidate; she’s a fierce advocate for our rights and a champion for healthcare reform in California’s 48th Congressional District.
Jones, who famously worked alongside Harvey Milk, knows a thing or two about the stakes involved in this election. “I’m Cleve Jones, and I’m here to recruit you — for Marni von Wilpert for Congress,” he declared, channeling the spirit of his late mentor. With Palm Springs now part of this crucial district, the community’s voice is more powerful than ever. It’s time to take back Congress from the clutches of Trump and his allies, and Marni is the one to do it.
Reflecting on his experiences, Jones recalls the dark days of the AIDS epidemic when politicians hesitated to even utter the word. “We learned fast how to recognize who was really with us — who showed up when it was hard,” he said. And Marni? She’s shown up in spades. Serving in the Peace Corps during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis in Botswana, she helped secure treatment for those abandoned by the world. As a labor attorney in the Obama administration, she fought for worker protections, and as a city councilwoman, she’s taken on powerful entities like Monsanto and drug companies.
“Marni is one of us – part of the LGBTQ community. She has never once treated our rights as negotiable or secondary — and never will. Marni is family,” Jones passionately stated. In a time when LGBTQ rights are under siege, with marriage equality being questioned and trans youth facing relentless attacks, we need a fighter like Marni in Congress.
Jones warns of the consequences of complacency: “What’s being dismantled in Washington is the very infrastructure of survival for millions of people, including us. Medicaid: gutted. NIH: defunded. Global AIDS programs: gone.” But he believes Marni will be the one to restore what’s been lost. She plans to fight for the Affordable Care Act tax credits that were ripped away, push for a public option, and ensure Medicare can negotiate drug prices.
Moreover, Marni’s commitment to working people resonates deeply with Jones. Having witnessed the struggles of everyday Americans, he knows that when working people stand with the LGBTQ community, change is possible. “I marched with Harvey and the Teamsters to boycott Coors Beer, because the family running that brewery was notoriously far-right, anti-union and anti-gay. That coalition built this movement – and it’s what can take our country back from Trump today,” he reflects.
As Jones rallies support for Marni, he reminds us of the power of solidarity. “I have spent my life watching what happens when governments decide some people’s health, some people’s dignity, some people’s labor — are somebody else’s problem. I also know what’s possible when we stand together and fight back.” So, as we gear up for this pivotal election, let’s heed Cleve’s call: it’s time to stand with Marni von Wilpert for Congress. For our community. For our future. For our rights.
In the words of Cleve Jones, “I’m here to recruit you.” Are you ready to join the fight?