*Legislative Advocacy

ADVOCACY Updates

IMPORTANT FACTS:

HISTORY shows that:

March 1975, Senator Mitchell Parren of Maryland, a person with Vitiligo presented HR5264 to the house floor with 10 sponsors but it got NO Where...

February 1977, AGAIN, Senator Parren presented HR 3520 and got ONLY 16 sponsors one of whom was Shirley Chisholm(NY). This bill would authorise the Secretary to make GRANTS and enter into contracts with such entities and with individuals for projects for:

(1) research and research training in the diagnosis, treatment, and control of vitiligo;

(2) the development of programs to educate the public concerning the nature and inheritance of the disease.

It has been 48 years ago that VITILIGO was first presented to the U. S. House of Representative. This is our CAUSE and it is time for our attention to this matter. We are working on a post-card but we ask that in our Vitiligo Community, that every State group would make contact with your Senator and State Representative in Congress and share FACTS about Vitiligo and Share what we are ASKING for:

- Full Insurance coverage for Doctor visits and treatment for Vitiligo

- Correct designation of Vitiligo as a disease NOT a "mere cosmetic issue"

- Early education curriculum to include Vitiligo as a skin condition

- Attention given to the bullying of Vitiligo patients, especially children

- Full Coverage for mental and emotional care for Vitiligo patients

- Funding for Viable support groups for Vitiligo patients

- A National Vitiligo Act that recognizes our condition and our plight and also recognizes June 25, which is celebrated globally as our day...World Vitiligo Day!

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Our community is honored to have attended the:

- 2016 Visit with State Reps before our inaugural Capitol Steps Rally

- 2017 Lobby Day on the Capitol

- 2018 Congressional Black Caucus Meeting

- 2019 American Academy of Dermatology Meeting in D.C.

- 2019 Global Vitiligo Meeting in D.C.

- 2019 The Skin of Color Coalition Meeting in D.C.

"Boots on the ground for our cause..."

*See NEW advocacy photo album:

https://www.vitfriends.org/apps/photos/album?albumid=16093586

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2018 our community attended our first

Congressional Black Caucus Conference

in Washington, DC.

https://www.cbcfinc.org/annual-legislative-conference/

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Send QUESTIONS for our Legislative Lead - Rev Dr. Wallace Henry to: advocacy@vitfriends.org

Our 1st Lobby Day

was on

October 4, 2017

Dr Wallace with Rep Maxine Waters D-CA and VITFriends Vice-President Patricia Rossy

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Below, Find and Write to your legislator. Tell them about World Vitiligo Day. Tell them about your Support Group. Tell them about our CAUSE and about our annual Vitiligo Conference!

Please HELP! - Please do your part!

CONTACT your senators: Health Legislative Aide

United States Senate:

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

United States House of Representatives:

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

How to WRITE the U.S. Congress:

- Living Dappled shares ideas on writing your elected officials:

http://livingdappled.com/send-postcard-vitiligo-us-congress/

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