Hundreds of families joined our 5th annual Play-In for Climate Action and met with their Senators and Representatives on Wednesday, July 11th. National Field Manager, Trisha Dello Iacono and her 12 year old son, Logan, appeared before the Democratic Environmental Message Team and Leader Nancy Pelosi at the “People Over Polluters” forum.
Trisha and Logan shared their story of being exposed to toxic air pollution after a train derailed in a nearby New Jersey community, spewing a toxic chemical that made her family sick.
Recounting the aftermath of their ordeal, Trisha said,
“Liam has suffered neurological and speech issues in his short 8 years. It’s like peeling back the layers of an onion and every year we notice a new symptom.
A mother’s instinct is to protect her children. This experience made me realize that you can’t buy clean air. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t protect my children from the poisoned air we were breathing, I learned that the equipment officials used to test the air in my community was faulty. They actually didn’t know how to calibrate the machines properly. And more importantly, I learned that I needed to use my voice to advocate for my kids because others were not protecting them.”
Logan shared his heartfelt thoughts,
“It’s scary to watch my brother’s health suffer from our exposures to that toxic chemical. And it makes me sad to hear my mom tell our story over and over again,” adding, ”I shouldn’t have to spend my summers in Washington DC advocating for the health of my family. But I know if I don’t, our health is on the line.”
House Democratic Leader, Nancy Pelosi congratulated members of Moms Clean Air Force for the difference we make in advocating for children’s health against air pollution and toxic chemicals. She also mentioned the important role we played in EPA administrator Scott Pruitt’s resignation.
Trisha left Leader Nancy Pelosi, Representative Kathy Castor, Representative Donald McEachin, and all Representatives on the Environmental Message Team with a call to action,
“It’s time to listen to your mothers.”
After the forum Representative Pelosi sent a press release with this statement,
“I, too, met Trisha [Dello Iacono], Logan [Dello Iacono] and Liam [Dello Iacono] earlier today. I didn’t meet Lincoln, but I love the alliteration of it all. And I think Liam has a little political instinct as well as Lincoln, as well as Logan. Logan, thank you for your courage in making the statement that you did. And to both of you and your dad and brother for being here, and to Trisha for saying more eloquently and with more clarity than any of us can in terms of public policy, your personal story. And as you said, it’s time for Congress to listen to our moms.”
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