Ep. 87: Lillian Salerno Is Running For Congress For All The Right Reasons
“If we don’t bring a wave of women into United States Congress, we will not solve the problems that are facing us.” – Lillian Salerno
During the height of the AIDS epidemic, Lillian and an engineer together created a retractable syringe to protect nurses from getting HIV from accidental needle pricks, but a medical supply monopoly blocked her life-saving technology from being used by hospitals. Lillian later served in the Obama Administration, where she worked to help alleviate poverty and improve the economy for underserved communities in rural America.
“It’s not just about longevity in Congress. It’s about intention, and it’s about who you represent…There is just no amount of money that somebody could bring to me that would make me do the wrong thing…because we’ve got to do better for our kids, and then their kids.”
Lillian decided to run for the 32nd Congressional District seat to speak up on behalf of those people and populations in her home state of Texas who don’t have a voice in Washington. She wants to have a seat at the table in Congress to demand more transparency in healthcare, fight corporate consolidation, and get the corporate money out of politics.
Listen as Sally and Lillian discuss the low number of women and people of color in politics, and how this equates to certain issues not even being in the political discourse.
“When you have women and people of color at the table, you just get better decisions.”
Texas women are mad, and they’re tired, says Lillian. She shares why she thinks she has a shot at winning the seat, why she isn’t taking any money from “the usual suspects” for her campaign, who her competitor incumbent Pete Sessions really represents, and how her unique experiences and abilities will help her make a difference in the country.
“We need waves of people that are there for the right reason.”
Learn more about Lillian at SalernoForCongress.com