She Runs Illinois 2022! — Sara Feigenholtz, candidate for IL State Senate, District 6
She Votes Illinois is pleased to feature Sara Feigenholtz, incumbent, running for IL State Senate, District 6. Follow our series, She Runs Illinois 2022!, leading up to election day as we showcase and uplift the voices of Illinois women running for public office in the upcoming election, November 8, 2022.
Tell us about yourself
As a lifelong Chicago resident, I have a deep commitment to my city and my community.
Like all members of the General Assembly, I bring my personal story to the workplace and focus on issues from my lived experience.
Having been adopted and raised by a mother who was a physician, I witnessed firsthand the challenges of healthcare access, matters of child welfare, and adoption, and have sponsored scores of bills focused on repairing the inequities built into systems that often leave the most vulnerable at the wayside.
I have been fortunate that for as long as I have served, my personal values have aligned very closely with the people I represent. This has allowed me to advance cutting-edge legislation and move the needle on progressive policies in our state.
I continue to effect change in this role, which is the reason I continue to serve. There is nothing more rewarding and satisfying than improving the lives of Illinoisians.
I am a founder and Vice President of the Kennedy Forum Illinois, which works with the Hon. Patrick Kennedy and a host of statewide advocates with the goal of eliminating the stigma of mental illness and assuring that the Illinois parity law is implemented to its fullest extent.
What are the priorities that you intend to focus on in office?
I came to the legislature 100 percent pro-choice and have successfully advanced measures that help women forge a path to achieving economic independence (contraceptive equity, HB40, removing the trigger in Illinois law).
Deciding when to pursue an education and when to have a family are the underpinnings of that path. Bodily autonomy and access to a full array of reproductive options, including abortion care, are the core of my belief to achieve that path to success. For now, we are safe in Illinois, but I am constantly reminded that we are one election away from losing much of what we have achieved.
I plan to continue to protect what we have in Illinois and advance as many protections as needed to lock in the right to choose along with protections for the LGBTQI community.
For many years, I have been working toward helping young children who present with behavioral health issues. Sadly, Illinois has struggled with coordinating an efficient upstream system that can intervene and implement a treatment and recovery plan.
Our failure to break down silos between agencies and implement a coordinated plan is what forces many desperate, exhausted, fearful parents to sign away their parental rights and leave their children to be cared for in the DCFS system.
What piece of legislation have you worked on and really hoped would pass, but hasn’t?
None really. I am very tenacious and have passed mostly everything I set out to do. Some of these even took 14 years!!!
Right now, the “hope” you ask about is for the future passage of bills that will protect the rights we currently have in Illinois. This is what is on top of my mind. The overturning of Roe changed everything.
Reproductive justice is frequently labeled a “women’s issue”, however, that only imperfectly captures part of the story. How we can ensure that the fight for reproductive justice is more inclusive of all people who can become pregnant (whether cis women, children, trans men, or non-binary people)?
Reproductive freedoms are inherent rights afforded to everyone, regardless of gender identity or any other characteristic. It is pivotal for policymakers to understand that becoming pregnant is not exclusive to cisgender women.
Anti-LGBTQ legislation has become an agenda in states across the nation. What policies do you think are necessary to help ensure individuals are able to live full, safe, and happy lives?
I will always be a fierce defender of LGBTQI equality. Republicans across the country are actively pursuing policies that restrict the constitutional rights of our LGBTQI friends and family members. Not on my watch!
Toxic masculinity, the cultural idea that manhood is defined by violence and aggression to maintain power or strength, combined with gun availability can result in gender-based gun violence and mass shootings. What can the ILGA do to address this deadly combination?
Gun safety legislation has always been one of my highest priorities. I am participating in a Senate discussion group about a myriad of policy changes.
Two proposals relate to red flag laws and an assault weapons ban. In the Senate, I am working to pass HB2541, which would expand the authority of law enforcement to remove firearms from those accused of domestic abuse.
Additionally, I am steadfast in my support for HB5522. This legislation would ban the delivery, sale, or possession of assault weapons in Illinois. Passing these necessary pieces of legislation would lead to greater protections for victims of domestic abuse.
Closing comments
We are in some tough times. The world has gone tilt like never before. The pandemic and the four most horrible years dominated by the menacing leader of the free world have bred discontent and violence.
As a member of my community, I continue to want to be an effective problem solver. I understand that there are some that reject new ideas, but I am not one of them.
I am committed to working collaboratively with my Springfield colleagues on both sides of the aisle to bridge our differences and amplify what we have in common.
However, the narrative must change.
We have to leave the world better than we found it. We need to work hard for equality, justice, access, and the environment for our children to have clean air and clean water.
My doors are and have always been open to my constituents who offer new ideas and approaches. I strive to be a reflection of them while representing them in Springfield.
I have and always will make sure they are heard.
If you would like to learn more about Sara Feigenholtz and her platform or volunteer for her campaign, please check out her website at sarafeigenholtz.com. Don’t forget to follow her on Facebook at @sarafeigenholtzforstatesenator. Reach out today and help make a difference in the upcoming 2022 election.
(The information contained in this post is provided only as general information and does not imply an endorsement by She Votes Illinois.)
