Rick Neal

Yesterday, I was proud and excited to join the Columbus 50501 protest and supply drive at the Statehouse. I went as a candidate for the Ohio Senate to stand up and speak out against the abuse of power by Trump, MAGA, and Ohio Republicans - but also to connect with our local 50501 organization and to see for myself how the connection between protest and mutual aid happens.

These are both important parts of my campaign, and for what I'll do as your senator in the Statehouse: to fight for freedom, and to fight for each other. Our state legislature, under the lock of Republicans in office through anti-Constitutional gerrymandering and corrupt campaign financing, is not helping us but attacking us - and too many people in Franklin County are having trouble putting food on the table, keeping a roof over their heads, getting the healthcare they need, and sending their kids to decent schools.

So when we're under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back! One hundred protesters or more came out to speak out, and brought food, school supplies, and clothes to help their neighbors. I was curious where these donations were going, so one of the organizers took the time to show me: Mid-Ohio Food Collective, Motherful Columbus, JUST - Justice, Unity, & Social Transformation, and FACO. They took the food and kids clothes I brought, and I watched as protester after protester walked up and filled the waiting boxes.

This is how we do it: stand up for our values, and help each other out.

And we have to tell the truth - as unsettling as it is- that it's going to get worse. I've been shocked by the reports throughout the spring and summer about dwindling food aid in the face of ever-rising need. The Columbus Dispatch has a report out today: "Ohio food pantries face rising demand as state and federal funding shrinks." Elon Musk and DOGE forced cuts of food to central Ohio; and MAGA Republicans at the Statehouse and in Congress jammed through budgets that cuts funding for food assistance. In the meantime, Broad Street Food Pantry and NNEMAP Food Pantry, both in neighborhoods that I'm running to represent in the State Senate, are overwhelmed with demand. What are hungry people supposed to do? The resources are there, the food is there - but MAGA is on a rampage to show that they can do whatever they want, people and hunger be damned.

Enough. What do we do when we're under attack? Stand up, fight back - and help out!