The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reports that during 2017, 102 people died on America’s roads each day: 37,133 fatalities for the year. Many thousands more were injured – some permanently. About 70 percent of traffic accidents occur within 10 miles of home. Already this year, at least 90 people have died in collisions on Connecticut’s roads.

It certainly is no secret that there are political divides across America that began even before the rise of Donald Trump as a presidential candidate. Increasing occurrences of violence, stigma and polarization against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, in particular, continues to rise. LGBT individuals compromise nearly 4.5 percent of the American population (16,425,000 people), but disproportionately make up 16 percent of hate crime victims (FBI.gov). Stigma and violence are nearly 225 percent more likely to happen to an LGBT individual compared to other minority individuals. This begs the question: Why should you elect an LGBT official?