Meet Health Care Advocate Anthony Wright (V)
“Access and equity have been goals of my work since my time at Prep for Prep. I hope that what I do helps others in turn—to get the care they need or to prevent a medical bill that destabilizes a family’s finances.”
As the Executive Director of Health Access, Anthony Wright (V/Riverdale '89, Amherst '93) advocates for quality, affordable health insurance and health care legislation for all California residents. For the last three* years, he was named to the Capitol Weekly Top 100 most influential figures in California politics. He co-chaired the Health4All campaign to win expansion of Medi-Cal coverage for an additional 200,000 low-income children, and helped pass legislation to protect patients from surprise out-of-pocket hospital bills. Anthony recently spoke to Prep about his public service work.
Access and equity have been goals of my work since my time at Prep for Prep. My bus route from my Bronx neighborhood to Riverdale – in the same borough but a world away – was a daily education of inequality. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane. Expanding coverage not only improves health but also financial security and economic equality, for individuals, families, and communities.
My Prep experience is central to why I do what I do. Prep gave me a mission, a method, and a model: the desire to give back, the education and tools to make a difference, and the notion that a nonprofit can change lives like my own – and that I could run my own one day.
Prep exposed me not just to educational opportunities but to types of careers I had no idea about. My first internship out of college was at the White House, in Vice President Al Gore’s office the first year of the Clinton presidency, which wouldn’t have been possible without Prep’s connections and a stipend for expenses. I was a fly on an interesting wall in the nation’s capital, and it broadened my horizons about what I could do.
I think Prep alums have a unique contribution to give to the field. I respect that for many of my fellow alums who grew up in economically challenged backgrounds, it makes sense to follow a career path that ensures one is able to provide for your loved ones. I would appreciate the opportunity to convey to Prep students and alumni that while public service isn’t the path to a payday, it doesn’t have to be a vow of poverty and can make a real change in people’s lives.
*Update: Since Prep's article was published, he has been named to the 2018 Capitol Weekly Top 100 list, for a total of four times.
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Back
How did you become interested in health care access and health insurance coverage?
Access and equity have been goals of my work since my time at Prep for Prep. My bus route from my Bronx neighborhood to Riverdale – in the same borough but a world away – was a daily education of inequality. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane. Expanding coverage not only improves health but also financial security and economic equality, for individuals, families, and communities.
California’s progress on health care is starting to show how our health care system – like our economy and democracy – is stronger when everyone is included.
What motivates you to pursue public service work?
My Prep experience is central to why I do what I do. Prep gave me a mission, a method, and a model: the desire to give back, the education and tools to make a difference, and the notion that a nonprofit can change lives like my own – and that I could run my own one day.
Prep for Prep was a gift, and I hope that what I do helps others in turn – to get the care they need, or to prevent a medical bill that destabilizes a family’s finances, or to provide some economic security for families with young children.
How did Prep for Prep nurture or encourage your career path?
Prep exposed me not just to educational opportunities but to types of careers I had no idea about. My first internship out of college was at the White House, in Vice President Al Gore’s office the first year of the Clinton presidency, which wouldn’t have been possible without Prep’s connections and a stipend for expenses. I was a fly on an interesting wall in the nation’s capital, and it broadened my horizons about what I could do.
Do you have any advice for Prep students or alumni considering a career in public service?
I think Prep alums have a unique contribution to give to the field. I respect that for many of my fellow alums who grew up in economically challenged backgrounds, it makes sense to follow a career path that ensures one is able to provide for your loved ones. I would appreciate the opportunity to convey to Prep students and alumni that while public service isn’t the path to a payday, it doesn’t have to be a vow of poverty and can make a real change in people’s lives.
*Update: Since Prep's article was published, he has been named to the 2018 Capitol Weekly Top 100 list, for a total of four times.
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Prep for Prep's mission is to develop future leaders by creating access for young people of color to first-rate educational, leadership development and professional opportunities.
Prep for Prep's mission is to develop future leaders by creating access for young people of color to first-rate educational, leadership development and professional opportunities.
