On February 20, 2018, Drury Allies and Young Democrats attended Equality Day at the Missouri State Capitol. Equality day is an event ran by Promoting Equality for All Missourians (PROMO).

PROMO hosts Equality day annually with different bills at the focus. This year, the Missouri Nondiscrimination Act (MONA) was the forefront of PROMO’s agenda and Drury students talked with their representatives to push the bill forward in the legislative process.

Drury students pose with state representative from Saint Louis who supports MONA bill                            Photo by Lindsay Duede

Freshman Anna Meadows attended the lobbying event and elaborated on the experience.

“This was my first time going to a lobby day. I’ve emailed my representative before, but I was never comfortable calling, let alone talking to them in person. I was excited but also pretty nervous,” said Meadows.

At the event, Drury students were given a briefing of MONA talking points so that they could effectively talk with their congress person about the bill. Each student learned that MONA is a bill that essentially protects LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination in the work-place and public accommodations. This means that an employer cannot fire or choose not to hire an individual based on sexual and gender identification. Each student was also given a representative to speak with.

Freshman Jaxon Adams also attended the lobbying event as an Ally and secretary of Young Democrats.

“MONA is something that should’ve happened a long time ago if you ask me. I’ve grown up knowing people of all sorts of identifications but even if I didn’t they all deserve the same rights as you and me,” said Adams.

Senior Natalie Maxson attended the PROMO event as a member of allies. It was also her first time speaking with her representatives and her first time attending a lobbying event.

“The atmosphere was bustling at the State capitol; everyone was moving around from office to office trying to talk to their representative. It was busy. It was also really neat to be there today because there was a large group representing Moms Demand Action fighting for gun reform and it was cool to see that much community engagement in politics and grassroots organizing,” said Maxson.

This Equality Day was sophomore Lindsay Duede’s third time in attendance. Duede is president of both Young Democrats and Allies and related heavily to the MONA bill.

Duede said, “I identify as queer, in all aspects of the word. I have been in businesses that I have been removed from. I have been in classes that I have been asked to leave. I have had friends kicked out of their apartments. These are all real cases of discrimination that are occurring, and they are despicable but more than that they are scary. MONA is just trying to make people feel safe in ways that other people already do. ”

Our Drury students are standing up for the injustices of the world. For some, it was their first time doing so at the State Capitol and for others it may have lost the novelty.

If Drury students are interested in supporting MONA, the next lobbying day for PROMO is scheduled for April 20, 2018.

Article written by Ciara DuBan