I grew up in Arkansas. I went to preschool all the way up to some University in Arkansas. My mother's family has been in Arkansas for generations. By this alone, I should identify as an Arkansan. But, I never have.
Arkansas and the lack of resources and the strong culture of ultra conservative Christianity with a heaping dose of bigotry and White Supremacy severely traumatized me. It severely traumatizes so many and leads them to their graves daily. Suicide and mental health issues are prevalent. I personally know friends and family who took their own lives as a direct result of the collective trauma - including my sixteen year old best friend.
Maternal mortality rates are the highest in the country - many counties don't have a hospital or OB/GYN department. Hospitals and clinics are crumbling under the weight of cuts to their funding and lack of staff. Healthcare providers are burnt out. Patients wait for hours or die from lack of healthcare. Nursing homes and facilities are perpetually full. Insurance companies are a huge part of the crisis.
