Fight for the Future launches its first A-Team to pass universal health care in New York, nationwide.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, May 17, 2017
Contact: Holmes Wilson, press@fightforthefuture.org, 614-465-6371
First A-Team sets out to secure a ground-breaking victory on universal health care in New York state
Fight for the Future is proud to announce the launch of its first A-Team, a program created to help activists launch special-ops teams for a new style of resistance activism.
Yesterday, the New York Health Act (NYHA), the bill that would bring single-payer healthcare to all New York residents, passed the Assembly. Fight for the Future is supporting NY Health Act Now, a group created with A-Teams funding, that joined the fight in recent months. They are building support for the Act through the power of the internet – web, social media, and grassroots campaigning. The group—made up of freelance film and media professionals who rely on the Affordable Care Act—met through a slack channel made up of people concerned about the attacks on the ACA following last November’s election. The group decided to get behind the New York Health Act.
The Act would be the first of its kind and expand Medicare for all New York residents. The bill will now move on to the Senate and with only 35 days left in the legislative session, the members of NY Health Act Now are working feverishly to demonstrate overwhelming support for the bill in order to secure a victory.
“Trump seems determined to end Obamacare, so states like New York have millions of people they need to protect,” said Holmes Wilson, co-founder of Fight for the Future, “But the best part is, this is an opportunity to pass something better and cheaper than Obamacare, making it a model for other states to follow, and using Trump’s onslaught to achieve long-overdue change—that’s why we’re so excited about this team.”
The bill already has widespread support thanks to years of grassroots organizing largely coordinated by the statewide umbrella organization the Campaign for New York Health, which has secured endorsements from hundreds of labor organizations, community groups, faith groups, businesses, and local governments.
“We are honored and excited to get the opportunity to join the incredible people fighting for healthcare reform in New York. With A-Team support, we can focus our energy on bringing coverage to all New York residents. We are New York. We’re progressive, we’re caring, and we have a higher GDP than Australia. We can lead the way on healthcare,” said Alexandra Rivera (Brooklyn, NY), co-founder of NY Health Act Now. Australia already has universal, single-payer healthcare.
Fight for the Future was instrumental in the massive grassroots campaign that successfully pushed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to enact the strongest net neutrality protections in US. history last year. They built the page BattleForTheNet.com, which was responsible for more than ¼ of all the net neutrality comments received by the FCC during its feedback process.
Fight for the Future is best known for their role in the massive online protests against SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act, and continues to organize many of the largest protests in the history of the Internet. Learn more at FightFortheFuture.org
NY Health Act Now started as a group of film, media, and communication professionals who rely heavily on the Affordable Care Act and were concerned about the attacks on it following last November’s election. They partner with progressive organizations, public health groups, physicians groups and others to provide media content and communication strategy to bolster their efforts. To date, they have launched passnyhealth.com, launched DearCuomo.com to write letters encouraging Gov. Cuomo to come out in support of the bill, and created tools for canvassers and local organizers to engage with businesses owners.