It took a seventh-grader to break Arizona's fight over disabled funding

Yahoo

02-05-2025

It was the first time I'd put on pumps in nearly 10 years.
When my twins, Caleb and Grace, turned 3, I left my corporate job to care for Caleb, who is medically fragile and behaviorally complex. That world of suits and strategy was replaced with feeding tubes and endless hospital hallways.
But this February, Republicans at the Arizona Legislature had begun questioning Arizona's disability services — and my son needed me in a new way. So, I found those uncomfortable heels and stepped into a fight I never thought I'd take on.
At first, I assumed the majority party just needed clarity. But instead of open minds, I met closed doors.
Then my seventh-grade daughter quietly stepped in.
Without telling me, Grace emailed our District 13 representative, Julie Willoughby, asking for a meeting.
And Willoughby opened her door.
In March, we loaded the wheelchair van and headed to the Capitol. Both of my kids have always had something to say — Caleb without words and Grace with words to spare. I asked if Grace could lead the meeting, and she took charge.
She asked about Willoughby's role as majority whip, her background as a trauma nurse and how committee chairs are chosen.
Grace had attended a House Appropriations hearing and had been shaken by the way Chairman David Livingston and Vice Chair Matt Gress had treated terrified constituents. She came with questions and purpose.
Willoughby met her questions with grace. She treated Grace's curiosity with dignity and care.
I sat back, watching my daughter hold her own in a room that rarely makes space for voices like hers. I saw something begin to build — a bridge, tentative but real.
Then it was my turn. I could've softened, made a friend. But, by the grace of God, I chose honesty — with empathy. I spoke about what life is like raising a medically complex child. I shared facts, countered misinformation and asked where we might meet in the middle.
Willoughby listened with a genuine desire to understand.
A few weeks later, we attended a roundtable with Gov. Katie Hobbs and several Democratic legislators. I brought both kids, and that night, Grace felt something stir in her. She read a speech she had written herself — thanking them but also challenging them.
She spoke of her dreams for unity, and she reminded them, 'There is no champion and no enemy in this story. We all need each other.'
After the meeting, Rep. Nancy Gutierrez, the assistant minority leader, pulled Grace aside.
'I hear you,' she said. 'And I promise, I'll try to cross the aisle.'
Then came the blow: Chairman Livingston introduced a bill that demanded legislative control of the Medicaid amendments and began dismantling the Parents as Paid Caregivers Program — a lifeline in the caregiver shortage.
But Willoughby kept her door open. She asked questions and in time, drafted an amendment to protect our families while addressing her party's concerns. It was practical and compassionate.
She realized she needed bipartisan support. That's when I called Gutierrez. She read the amendment and agreed to back it. This was her chance to keep her promise to Grace.
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But three new Republicans were added to the committee before the vote to ensure the amendment would fail.
Still, Willoughby stood firm. She said this issue was her hill to die on.
Days later, I heard from Willoughby and Gutierrez separately. I turned to Grace and whispered, 'They finally met.' She shouted, 'THE WOMEN WILL GET THIS DONE!'
And they did.
A bipartisan amendment passed that valued families and proved that collaboration is still possible. I wasn't there when the vote passed, but I knew we all collectively exhaled.
So, I'll wear those pumps one more time, walk my children through the Capitol and remind them: this place belongs to you, too.
Because in a world so quick to divide, three ladies — one red, one blue and one still believing in purple — chose to meet in the middle.
That's where hope begins.
Amy Haley of Chandler is a mother, caregiver and disability advocate. Reach her on Facebook @amyhaley or on Instagram @amyhaleyphotography.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona caregivers have an unlikely savior: A seventh-grader | Opinion