THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

Windy City Times: Why did you decide to run?

Amy "Murri" Briel: The rhetoric leading up to the 2016 presidential election really affected me and everyone around me. The biggest impact was with the children I was coaching. I have coached for 20 years and I have never seen as much hostility, anger and name-calling as we got closer to the election. After the election, I talked with my husband about how we were going to reconcile with this man in the White House and how we raise our three boys. We focus on honesty, inclusion and humility and telling them they can be whomever they want to be but the key is respecting those around you while you are achieving your goals. This president is the antithesis of everything we have taught them.

Then last year's Women's March happened and I knew I had to go to the march in D.C. I went with a bunch of women on a bus that I had never met before. Hearing their concerns made the decision more clear. After seeing the energy and passion at the march, I knew this was something I could do and do far better than my current representative.

WCT: How would you approach the job differently than what the incumbent has done in the past? If elected, will you hold regular town halls in the district?

AMB: Kinzinger not holding town halls is the biggest complaint I hear and it is interesting because he got elected by claiming that the previous representative was not holding town halls. Being able to come back to the district and look my constituents in the eye and tell them why I voted a certain way is going to make all the difference in the district so yes I will hold regular town halls. When I am not in D.C. I will be in the district.

WCT: Where do you fall on the spectrum politically? Would you say you are more of a centrist or to the far left or somewhere in-between?

AMB: I am somewhere in between and would call myself realistically progressive. I have to represent my district which is for the most part socially liberal but fiscally conservative so although I am more to the left of them I have to reconcile that with where my constituents are politically.

WCT: How would your time as a case manager at Southwest Women Working Together ( helping victims of domestic violence and sexual assault rebuild their lives ) inform how you do your job as a member of Congress?

AMB: People need to be heard and understood and I have always been a fighter for women to have a voice. I learned really early that I had to be extremely honest with these women about how hard their journey was going to be. When you have been abused and isolated, not only do you lose self-esteem and the essence of who you are, you are removed from your finances and any social networks you have. I learned that listening and being honest are the most important things through that work.

It was a comprehensive program with a hidden shelter that only a few people knew about and a housing facility where women could bring their families so they could stay together along with providing psychological counseling, group therapy and life management skills.

I had to work on getting federal grants and with employers to help them understand that if a women who is coming out of a domestic violence situation misses work that they should not be penalized. These employers were amazing.

Being able to navigate the needs of different parties and use negotiating strategies for rules to be changed at unions so the women could maintain their employment was something that I learned through this work. I also worked across the aisle legislatively with women leaders in order to find ways to create legislation so these women could find their way to financial stability and economic independence.

WCT: You work with girls and boys ages 8-14 as a soccer coach. How will that experience influence you if you are elected?

AMB: Soccer is a really expensive sport and gets more expensive as one gets older. Many kids, especially girls, are denied opportunities to play in middle and high school because they are not members of a travel program so that is why we started the club. There are not many clubs that have girls and boys playing together like ours. Bringing them together helps the girls play better as they move into high school and college soccer and it teaches the boys to be more respectful of their girl counterparts. Having women coaches in a male dominated industry also helps the boys see women a little differently.

I think it gives me the drive to work on legislation that moves women's issues forward at all age levels. If you look at the Title IX roll-backs that Betsy DeVos started they are terrifying because they will affect the next generation of young women in a negative way. This also applies to anyone who is disenfranchised, does not have a voice and is not being represented by the status quo.

WCT: Where do you stand on the ERA and women's reproductive choice? What about the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements?

AMB: It is ridiculous that the ERA has not become an amendment and it is beyond past time to be passed.

Women need to be able to have control over their bodies in every single way. I am 100 percent pro-choice and that means access to birth control and comprehensive reproductive health education.

The #MeToo movement is really amazing. It is great to have so many women be able to finally tell their stories. I have had experiences that fall into the #MeToo category going back to when I was in my early 20s.

Being able to help young girls feel confident in who they are and strong enough to stand up for themselves by playing soccer with boys along with teaching young boys that girls are their equals in every way really amplifies what the #MeToo movement is all about.

The #TimesUp initiative is fantastic but it needs more publicity because it was designed to help women across all industries, not just the Hollywood elite, and many people do not know that.

WCT: What are the other important issues facing the country and how would you address them if elected?

AMB: Stopping money from going into the school voucher system, putting money into public education and encouraging partnerships with the trades by giving them incentives so we can bring back vocational training. Not every kid wants or is able to go to college so they need a way to make a living and learning a trade will solve that issue. There are many good paying and secure jobs that do not require a college education.

This district desperately needs infrastructure. The Starved Rock Lock and Dam in Utica controls the water flow for the entire Illinois River and is over 100 years old. When the Marseilles Dam accident happened it flooded the entire town and this could have easily been avoided. We need to improve these dams. There are so many issues with our waterways that need to be addressed.

We also have to make sure our roadways are taken care of. Forty percent of the vehicle traffic is commercial in the district so the roads are a vital part of the local economy. The Trump administration should have focused on a public works program that had bipartisan support and would benefit everyone, not destroying Obama's legacy. It would have provided countless long-term jobs for skilled workers all over our district and around the country. This would have also helped other businesses because of the consistent customer base these infrastructure jobs would have provided.

WCT: Have you had any interactions with the LGBTQ community? If so, what were they?

AMB: I have marched with friends in the LGBTQ community in Pride Parades, helped with community outreach for marriage equality and about five months ago a group of us formed a local chapter of Hate Has No Home Here to combat anti-Muslim and anti-LGBTQ actions and bring awareness in our community about all marginalized groups.

WCT: What do you see are the most important issues or obstacles facing the LGBTQ community and how would you address them?

AMB: Discrimination across the board.

WCT: If elected, will you co-sponsor the Equality Act?

AMB: Absolutely.

WCT: What is your opinion on the SCOTUS Masterpiece Cakeshop case?

AMB: The bakery is being discriminatory and they are emboldened by small vocal faction of people in the country who are anti-LGBTQ. I side with the gay couple in this case and anti-discrimination protections need to be in place for everyone to make sure this does not happen again.

WCT: Where do you stand on transgender people in the military including providing full medical services for those troops?

AMB: I do not understand why this is a big deal because anyone who is willing to serve and the sacrifices it takes on them and their families deserves to be able to serve, including transgender people, and receive every benefit available, including medical coverage for whatever their needs are.

WCT: Will you join the LGBT Equality Caucus? What other caucuses are you looking to join?

AMB: Absolutely and I am also looking at the Marijuana Caucus.

WCT: Do you support strengthening the ACA with our current system in place or moving to a publicly funded system ( Medicare for All ) that eliminates private insurance companies?

AMB: I support an expansion of the Affordable Care Act to a full, universal health care model. Every Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development member country with universal health care pays less per capita on health care than the United States, as would be expected in a system that does not discourage preventative care. With most of these countries spending 50 - 70% of what we spend per capita, it is not unrealistic to assume that we could save a third or more of our $2.7 trillion annual healthcare expense. Roughly 40 cents of every dollar spent on healthcare in the United States is spent by Medicare and Medicaid so achieving these savings would generate significant savings for the government and the private sector.

But, Barring a nearly unprecedented wave election, we will not have a veto-proof majority in the House, and we will have a sitting Republican president for at least two more years, therefore, the immediate job of the next Congress is to reinstate portions of the ACA—like the mandate—that have been gutted by a reckless president and Congress.

WCT: What is your position on immigration writ large and DACA and the Dreamers more specifically?

AMB: Immigration

has and always will be critical to the growth of our economy and has driven innovation.

Since 2000, 35 percent of Nobel Laureates in chemistry, physics and medicine have been immigrants. The

innovation provided by those given an opportunity to thrive in the United

States improves all of our lives. Additionally, migrant farm workers fill

between 1 million and 2.7 million jobs domestic workers historically will not

accept, and immigrants actually commit crimes at a lower rate than natural born

citizens.I support DACA and the Dreamers, these are law

abiding individuals who have gone to school in this country, been productive

members of society, identify as Americans, and have made great contributions,

while also committing crimes at a lower rate than their native born peers.

WCT: What grade level should civics be introduced and built upon in subsequent years?

AMB: Civics should begin in Kindergarten and be built upon every year. The constitution test, usually taken in 8th grade, is not an adequate way to verify understanding of our nations fundamental rights. Relying on this test as the standard for understanding our government is inadequate. There is real power in educating our children about how all levels of government function, and should function, in the interest of every American.

WCT: Are there any elected officials that speak to you due to the way they do their jobs?

AMB: State Rep. Natalie Manley is a huge inspiration for me. She is in touch with her constituents, even in non election years, and she constantly strives to improve the lives of those in her district. I respect the energy and strength of Representative Jan Schakowsky and Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand. They stand for their constituents and, as evident by the votes they have taken, and reject the consensus when necessary to meet their constituents needs.

For more information visit www.murribriel.com/ .