On April 7, 2015, Maryland mom and Moms Clean Air Force volunteer Eneshal Miller met with President Obama, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, and other health professionals at a roundtable discussion on climate change and health at Howard University in Washington, DC. The event was part of National Public Health Week.
Eneshal was invited by EPA staff last week to meet with Administrator McCarthy, but she did not know that President Obama would be there until she sat down in the Howard University conference room and saw that there was a nametag for the President on the table. She said that the President and Administrator McCarthy both expressed gratitude for the work of Moms Clean Air Force and extended a very warm welcome to her at this event. She was the only non-medical expert among the nine people at the table.
At the event, she shared her personal story, talking about her son with asthma, how air quality affects his health, and how climate change will worsen his health problems. She also shared the story of the DC resident she met right before the event, a Howard University Janitor whose many family members have struggled with asthma. After the event she spoke with Howard University medical students, who were crowded in the nearby hallway, and handed out fact sheets.
After the event, Eneshal said: “It was so exciting to be part of this discussion.”
“This is a personal issue for me. Climate change will make asthma worse, and my son has asthma. It’s hard for us to travel or go to events where the air quality is bad. I’m willing to do my part to protect my son and future generations from the dangers of climate change. I’m inspired by what MCAF is doing and support the President’s actions to fight climate change.”
As a volunteer for Moms Clean Air Force MD, Eneshal educates her community on air pollution, passing out literature, sharing personal stories, and talking with community members about how to make a difference.
Thank you, Eneshal, for your dedication!
Watch President Obama’s remarks from the roundtable here.
Photo: Administrator Gina McCarthy’s tweet
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