Stacy Tarango, MD, FAAP
Trustee, WCAAP Board
On Advocacy Day 2021, I poured a cup of coffee, affixed my trusty “The Kids Sent Me” button to my sweater, and opened up my laptop. There was no pre-dawn flight from Spokane to Sea-Tac, no digging through my closet for a suit and a white coat, and no impromptu night at a Katy Perry concert where most of the fans could be our patients. While seeing 90+ colleagues from around the state in little Zoom squares wasn’t as much fun as seeing them in person at the Capitol, this challenging year makes me all the more grateful to be part of this community of dedicated pediatricians.
We learned from Dr. Tumaini Coker how to advocate in a manner that advances equity. We honed our advocacy skills with advice from our legislative liaison, Amber Ulvenes. We were encouraged by legislators on both sides of the aisle who shared how our partnership is making a difference for families throughout our state.
When the time came to meet with the senator and representatives from my own district, I saw how these conversations over the years at Advocacy Day and back in Spokane between sessions have built relationships that may even earn us an unexpected vote or two. Our expertise and experience as pediatricians allows us to provide excellent care for our patients and their families every day. Our presence (under the rotunda or in a little Zoom square) amplifies that expertise and experience into a powerful voice on behalf of the voices in our community that so easily go unheard. Please join us in Olympia next year for Advocacy Day, when the joy of gathering together will vastly outweigh the bother of ironing your white coat.
WCAAP 2022 Advocacy Day
February 4, 2022
Olympia
Registration is open!