75th Candidate Io Wie [D5]

[shrimp]

After losing two siblings to the Hunger Games [Storm Wie of the 57th; Sundra Wie of the 59th], Io Wie dedicated her life to her studies and her family; as valedictorian of her graduating class, Io and her sharp mind (and sharper tongue) drove her towards medicine. Throughout secondary school she interned at one of the major factory's medical offices, working her way up from research and clerical work to emergency medicine. Currently head clincian, her quick-thinking and never-say-never personality has enabled the team to slow the worker to gravestone pipeline.

Yet the sheer amount of preventable injuries and infections frustrate her; the limitations of a clinic to heal those who run ridiculous hours in an unforgiving climate is hard to bear. Her longtime friendly rapport with the factory owner does little to help. So she's turned to other means.

Wie's platform stands steadfastly on worker's rights, a livable wage, and reasonable hours. While she knows that this is a fool's campaign (for what rights do they have in a world where two of their own are sent to die every year?), someone has to stand up for something, right?

Thread/Points Tracker

Endorsements: +10pt
Speech: +10pt
Public Opinion Rolls: +10pt
Event Proposals: +10pt
Schmoozing: +4pt*
_____________

Total: 44pt

[shrimp]

Together We Rise (703 words)

Oh fuck my life I haven't spoken to a crowd like this since graduation.

Well, what's the worst that could happen?

Death, probably.

Her heart's threatening to leap out of her chest, but it's the anger that bubbles away, the salt that dissolves in her throat, that keeps her sitting in the chair. Just five years ago, if you asked Io Wie if she had governmental ambitions, she would have laughed in her face. To be honest, some days she almost laughs at herself in the mirror.

But she has the endorsements, from her sister and Esau to 68th Victor Patricia Valfierno. And she has her platform, the issues that can't be fixed - won't be fixed, without someone who's willing to get their hands dirty to make their lives better. Or as better as they can be in a land that ritualistically kills two of their children each year.

She knows that they're watching, waiting to see what she's made of. From the citizens of 5 to the Peacekeepers, there's a fine line to tread when advocating for change lest she loses her head - literally. She's run through her speech countless times, making sure to maintain a level of restraint. Her temper may have gotten the best of her when she was in her teens, spewing impatience and spite, but it won't do so here. It can't.

She breathes in, breathes out, clears her throat quietly during the applause before she begins speaking. And then she does.

"When I was young - younger than I am now, District 10 was hit with a devastating flood. Homes and ranches collapsed, livelihoods were destroyed. And when I first heard that District 5 was sending a group of volunteers to aid in the disaster, I jumped on board to help on the front lines.

It was difficult work. I saw a lot of life-altering injuries both physical and mental, and far too much death. But beside me was a girl from 6 with a steadier hand than mine. Our supervisor was a woman from 2 with quick instincts and a lifetime of experience. And it taught me that when we work together, we can rebuild a District back from rubble.

That's what we can, and should, be doing here. As a head doctor I have seen far too many patients come into the factory clinic with traumatic injuries that could have been avoided had they been more awake, or infections that could have been staved off if they had just come in a few days earlier. Exhaustion is etched in the bags under their eyes and the trembling of their fingers. But there's no opportunities for bed rest, or for sick leave - many of us are still scrambling to make end's meet, and a day without work is a day without food in their family's stomachs.

We as citizens need working hours that allow for us to rest. We need wages that enable us to provide for ourselves, our parents, our spouses, our children. We need allowances for us to take the time to get better, so that we can be better the next day. As mayor, I will work for an increase in factory wages, a better standard on labor laws, and a solid sick leave policy. And through this, the quality of our work can be better than it currently is.

Now, it's been some time since our District changed from herding sheep to manning oil rigs, but you can still see the ramifications of this in the ranches left abandoned or sold to the highest bidder, in the weathered hands of our parents and grandparents who spent a lifetime mastering their trade, only to have the deck reshuffled.

I want to improve education - not just for those currently in school, but for those who have already worked for decades and found themselves trying to keep up in the aftermath of an industry change. We can help former ranchers learn the standards while recycling their skills and point of view for better adaptability and quality of our products.

This world is hard - there's no denying that. But helping each other is what we do, and through that we grow and we prosper. Together, we rise, and become our best selves.

Thank you."

[shrimp]

1. Patricia Valfierno, >18 rook
2. Europa Wie, 27 ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ
3. Anubis Grimes, 27 Diomedes Adama D11 - Cato
4. Bambi Britton, 17 [[earthling] ]
5. Melody Vallanso, 17 Benson Sharpe D3M [Tom]
6. Pax Shim, 18 Benson Sharpe D3M [Tom]
7. Kira Galloway, 18 lance
8. Avery Westbrook, 18 lance
9. Esau Wickham, 17 L△LIA
10. Jacob Wickham, 17 L△LIA

[[earthling]]

Peacekeeper Nightlocke Helmsby approaches Patricia Valfierno. "Victor Valfierno, my apologies, but I need a moment of your time. You've endorsed Io Wie for Mayor. What makes you think she's a worthy candidate?"

rook

[shrimp]

EVENT PROPOSALS

FREE CHECK-UP DAY:
"I really want to start working on actual healthcare initiatives," Io says to her campaign manager, Lotta, as she scribbles down notes. "What if we start with something simple - a day of free checkups? We can ask all the factory clinicians to participate and use funds from the mayor's office to pay them. Plus it'd help with catching things early - better for the patients."

"In the District Square?" Lotta suggests. "That gets the most traction I figure - everyone knows where it is."

"Hm, it still takes time for people to even get to the center of town, and the elderly would have a difficult time going there. We can have stations throughout District 5, coordinate where volunteers will be based on their addresses. More locations, more people get help."

It'd be even better if we made it a monthly thing, she thinks.





LANTERN FESTIVAL:
"We do have oil surpluses sometimes," Io states as she walks, Lotta following her as they make their way across the factory floor. A campaign is hard work but she still has a job to do, as she bends down to check on a splinted leg. "What if we used it for a community thing?"

She ponders for a moment as she tells her patient to try to have as much bedrest as possible, all the while knowing that he won't listen.

"They used to have hot air balloons, remember? The hot air makes the cloth float. We could do that on a smaller scale - people write wishes on cloth lanterns, and we release them at once?"

"It'd look nice, at least." Lotta deadpans.

"With free food?"

"Mhm."

[shrimp]

SCHMOOZING

About Time - w/Europa Wie and Anubis Grimes
hydrangea - w/Rose Valfierno
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