My Honest Reaction to Congress’s Reply

A week after I sent my heartfelt email to members of Congress, I received replies but they all said the same thing: no real update, no progress, and no answers to my concerns.

As a Lumbee and Deaf author, I wasn’t writing to check a box. I wrote with purpose to speak out for my community, for H.R. 474, and for recognition that’s long overdue.

But the response I got felt like a repeat. It didn’t address the heart of what I shared. It didn’t reflect that anyone truly listened.

This isn’t about politics for me. This is personal. It’s about my family, my tribe, our identity. We’ve waited for decades. We’re still waiting.

Still, I want to be clear I do support our leaders. I believe in the power of what Congress can do. But belief alone is not enough we need action.

I strongly urge every senator and representative to push H.R. 474 forward, to move it from words to real law. Let this be the session where recognition is no longer delayed. We deserve that.

Our voices matter. Our stories matter. And the time to listen and act is now.