RENO, Nev. (AP) — Dr. Angie Taylor — a Reno pastor and school board trustee — addressed the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday evening as part of a round-robin discussion on healthcare and the 2020 election.
During the second day of the virtual convention, former Vice President Joe Biden digested stories from Taylor and groups of supporters presented in front of him on television screens. Taylor said she worried about members of her church, Reno’s Greater Light Christian Center, that lacked health insurance.
“As a church, you’re concerned about people spiritually, but you’re also concerned about other areas of their life. And that includes their physical well-being,” she told Biden.
Taylor has supported Biden’s bid for the presidency since the Nevada caucuses due to his support for the Affordable Care Act and ability to connect and inspire strangers on a personal level, she said.
After battling breast cancer, Taylor became one of the Reno area’s most vocal advocates for universal access to healthcare. While she was undergoing treatment, a childhood friend who lacked health insurance was also diagnosed with breast cancer, giving her a first-hand understanding of the importance of access to healthcare.
“I had a chance to see the difference in my care and someone who didn’t quite have that level of care. What I had access to, she didn’t have access to,” she said. “There are a few things we can do to make the Affordable Care Act better … But today, the efforts are more about dismantling the Affordable Care Act with no replacement. What happens if someone gets cancer and they don’t have insurance?”
She’s served on the Washoe County School Board since 2014 and is up for reelection in November. She said she plans to continue to support Biden however possible.
U.S. Rep. Dina Titus and Nevada state Sen. Yvanna Cancela also addressed the virtual convention in support of Biden on Tuesday evening.
