Good evening! I’m Karen Pence. My husband is Vice President Mike Pence.
100 years ago, today, the 19th Amendment was adopted in the US Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote. Because of heroes like Susan B. Anthony and Lucy Stone, women today, like our daughters, Audrey and Charlotte, and future generations, will hear their voice and count their votes.
The women’s election movement was the gateway that allowed women the opportunity to reach monumental milestones and achieve significant achievements in both civic and governmental roles.
This evening we are looking at heroes in our country.
As the second lady of the United States for the past 3 and a half years, I have had the honor of meeting many heroes in this great country.
The Pences are a military family. Our son, Michael, is serving in the U.S. Navy, and our son-in-law, Henry, is serving in the U.S. Navy.
And one of my major initiatives is to increase and encourage military spouses. These men and women, like our daughter, Charlotte, and our daughter-in-law, Sarah, are the heroes of the home front.
I have the privilege of hearing so many stories of selfless support, volunteer spirit, and great contributions to the armed forces and our communities. Military spouses can often experience movements, job changes, periods of single parenthood while their loved ones are being engaged – all while exhibiting pride, strength and determination and being part of something bigger than themselves. To all military couples, thank you.
President Trump and Vice President Pence have supported our United States forces, including our military families, on a significant scale. As I travel through our entire journey to learn military spouses about policy solutions promoted by President Trump, including real, tangible advances in the employment of military partners, I am inspired to meet heroes like Lisa Bradley and Cameron Cruse.
These military spouses decided to start their own business, R. Riveter, named after the Rosie, used the Riveter campaign to recruit women workers during World War II. R. Riveter makes beautiful handbags exclusively designed and made by military husbands. Many of those spouses live all over the country. She prepares and sends her section of the bags to the company in North Carolina where the final product is assembled.
Hero of military spouse Jilan Hall-Johnson in Billings, Montana is a culinary artist who dreamed of starting her own restaurant. Together with the Small Business Administration’s Development Center, Jilan started her own restaurant, the Sassy Biscuit. And they just opened a second restaurant in Dover, New Hampshire.
And as the Second Lady, I was also able to bring awareness to some form of therapy for our heroic veterans suffering from PTSD. Art therapy, facilitated by a professional art therapist, is especially effective in post-traumatic stress disorder. Master Gunnery Sergeant Chris Stowe, a Navy veteran I met in Tampa who is committed to fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan …….. said that nothing helped him cope with the trauma of his service in the to treat marines until he finally agreed to meet with the art therapist at Walter Reed Medical Center. Chris credits art therapy with saving his marriage and his life. And Chris went on to set up a glassblowing workshop to help other veterinarians.
Many of our veteran heroes struggle as they transition back into civilian life. Sometimes the stress is too severe to handle alone. A few weeks ago, I had the honor of speaking to some great Americans who respond to the Veterans Crisis Line. One in particular, Sidney Morgan, particularly influenced me. A veteran herself, Sidney said it is the highest honor of her life to be at the other end of the phone to hold a veteran hand every step of the way until they physically walk to a clinic to get help. they deserve it and they can pass their hand on to someone ready to help.
In these difficult times, we have all seen so many examples of everyday Americans reaching out to those in need, those who “in humility have considered others more important than themselves.” We have seen health workers, teachers, first responders, mental health providers, aldermen, shoppers and caregivers, and farmers, and so many others. Heroes all!
100 years ago, today, women cared for the right to vote. So let’s vote, America! Let us honor our heroes! Let’s re-elect President Trump and Vice President Pence for another 4 years!
God bless our heroes. God bless the United States of America.
Thank you.
.
