One of the lessons my grandmother taught me was to “put your money where your mouth is.” It’s something I’ve hesitated a few times or couldn’t afford to do at the time. Over the years, I’ve provided financial assistance, protested, wrote letters, and made phone calls for issues that were important to me.

Every six years, Nebraska is required by law to change its license plates. When the plates changed in 2017, I decided not to get the general plates and opted to order the mountain lion plates. This was a good thing because the redesigned general plates looked like garbage and I wanted nothing to do with them.

The plates were redone again this year and the general plates look like garbage. There are now 52 options you can choose from for your plates. I had planned on keeping my mountain lion plates, but my grandma’s voice was bouncing around in the back of my head.

When Roe v. Wade was overturned on June 24, 2022, I was devastated, but vowed to keep fighting. I opted to change my plates to the Planned Parenthood plate. I put the new plates on my car on April 19, 2023. So far, no one has keyed my car, yelled at me, or flipped me off in traffic. Then again, I don’t get out much and when I do, I’m out wandering around where the mountain lions and big horn sheep live.

I’m still writing letters, making phone calls, protesting, and with this plate, providing financial assistance, which is even more important today. Nebraska is pushing forward with its plan to pass a six-week abortion bill into law. I’ve already done all I can, but still hold out hope there might be a constitutional amendment to keep abortion legal.

This is my way of fighting every day and standing up for folks who may not be able to. It’s just one of many ways I practice putting my money where my mouth is.