text: Patricia Ackerman - Emerge Nevada
  Candidate for State Assembly, District 39
  I'm a first generation American and I fall to my knees in gratitude for this! The rest of my family is still in Ukraine and they still suffer under an undemocratic system, along with the ongoing fight against Russian occupation. My father was imprisoned and starved, he tried to commit suicide. ...
  I'm a first generation American and I fall to my knees in gratitude for this! The rest of my family is still in Ukraine and they still suffer under an undemocratic system, along with the ongoing fight against Russian occupation. My father was imprisoned and starved, he tried to commit suicide. My mother was enslaved for 4 1/2 years. They both survived, came to America, started earning a living as a dishwasher at The Red Bull Inn (my father) and a dry cleaner employee (my mother). I learned to be tough, tenacious, to survive.
  I became an over-achiever. Built my first business at age 21, which earned me the title of "one of Pittsburgh's most accomplished single women".
  At 30, I moved to L.A., Became an award-winning stage actor, also worked soap operas, TV, films. I remember the pride I felt earning my first coveted Screen Actors Guild union card, and soon after the other two unions followed, AFTRA and AE. The unions protected me from the pervasive predatory exploitation that goes on in that industry. I stand with the Unions. It may not be a perfect system, but we cannot return to the era that had no such protection for working families.
  I agreed to serve my country as an independent undercover agent for the FBI. They partnered me with a U.S. Marine Colonel, John Jerome Norton. My job was to detect lies, and our territory was Russia.
  Went onto serve my community in a less life threatening way and joined the Long Beach Mounted Police for over 8 years. Served two years with the Altadena Posse.
  Took up the grueling sport of high altitude mountaineering with my goal being Mt. Everest. I loved the challenge (and the lifesaving teamwork) so much I started my own outfitting company, Thin Air Outfitters, teaching people how to reach their own "personal Everest".
  In 2002 I moved to Douglas Co. and it didn't take long for me to reach out to serve my new community. I graduated our Douglas Co. Search and Rescue academy and became an active member.
  I learned how to invest and earned enough for a comfortable, budgeted retirement at the tender age of 45. I cut my teeth on multi-million dollar budgets, working for Irving Gordon, Academy Award- Winning songwriter, who was fighting bone cancer.
  In 2007 my career driven lifestyle came to a skidding stop. My mother suddenly started to die – doctors said she had 3 months max to live. I agreed to take her into our home and be her primary caregiver. Well, she lived 6 years 8 months! I'd like you to let that sink in for a moment. Can you imagine what impact that would have on your life, becoming a primary caregiver to a loved one because there was no other option? On so many levels families can face complete ruin under this scenario. Medicare saved us from financial ruin. Though it's far from perfect.
  My mother was denied care by many physicians because she was a Medicare patient. My personal physician finally agreed to take her on, but he had no openings for several weeks. When they called to remind me of her appointment, I said "I'm sorry, she won't be coming… she died yesterday."
  Tapping into the depths of human compassion, empathy and courage of the heart saved us from emotional and financial collapse. This system needs to change, and I intend on fighting for that change..
  Today we all face many issues, but it can be easily summed up by working toward "Opportunity, Equality, and the basics of an American safety net to prepare people for a a better life! If you want to hear more about how I believe we can achieve this, come back to our site again, come listen when I speak. Come share what's hurting you and together as a community we can make it better.
  Our current Assemblyman has proven to be so divisive that our own governor demanded an apology for his wrong, insensitive, racist words. And there is NO rationalizing what he said. To do so is enabling a tone that is destructive to the fabric of America. Our country is born on the backs of immigrants, of all color and race.
  His ideas – or lack of, are antiquated and hurting us, so is his inaction on critical fixes, many of which have little to no fiscal consequences. This is why I am running! We are severely underserved!
  *We must – Strengthen our public schools! We are currently next to last in student performance in the U.S.. Our state spends about $8,200 per student compared to a $11,700 national average. We shouldn't accept this!
  *Close the gender pay inequality and help families get ahead!
  *Make Nevada a renewable energy powerhouse that will create a minimum of 8,000 new, honorable jobs!
  ** And develop an affordable, secure healthcare system! We are NOT FREE if we can't afford to seek medical care without the risk of financial collapse!