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I’ve always believed that the collective prayer of young people can change the world. From the early days of hip-hop to the emergence of the millenial’s to the power of the Obama presidency, young people have pushed forward a much more progressive agenda than any generation prior. When young people want something, they go get it. No waiting in line, no asking their turn, no seeking permission; their tenacity to achieve the impossible is unmatched.

A few months ago, it almost seemed impossible that the Obama administration would reach their original goal of enrolling 7 million people into the new affordable health care system. After a bumpy start with the crash of their website, very few people believed that the administration would get to a place where the program would be deemed successful. The President needed at least seven million new people enrolled in ACA in order for the most important program of his presidency to actually work. Republicans had certainly written him off and many Democrats quietly gave up.

But, what happened in the past few months has been nothing short of extraordinary. The President and his staff reached out to many of their supporters and asked for our help, something we were proud to give. When we got the call, I put my entire staff on the case. Led by my Political Director and President of GlobalGrind, Michael Skolnik, I allocated resources within GlobalGrind.com to make sure that we were able to effectively communicate with millions of young people around the country to educate them about how to enroll. As we continued working, I was incredibly impressed by the staff at The White House, including Heather Foster, Marlon Marshall, Brad Jenkins, Maurice Owens and so many more, who dedicated every waking hour to make sure that all Americans got covered. I was inspired by the commitment of young leaders, including Valeisha Butterfield, Tamika Mallory, Brian Benjamin, Marvin Bing and Michael Blake, who put together an amazing New York City bus tour that enrolled thousands of New Yorkers. And lastly, but certainly, not least, I was in awe of all of the artists, musicians, actors and athletes who used their collective celebrity power for good by promoting this critical initiative.

Our work certainly is not done, but with over seven million people enrolling in Obamacare, we ought to be very proud of what we have accomplished. The legacy of this great President is growing by the day, as one who leads with compassion, tolerance and generosity with always a focus on equality. I thank him for his resilience for never giving up, even after so many thought he would fail and so many actually wanted him to fail. He led this campaign with incredible determination and this nation will forever be indebted to him for uplifting all Americans and changing our health care system forever. Now, let’s go enroll another 7 million people next year!

-Russell Simmons

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Juelz Santana Signs Up For Affordable Care Act (PHOTOS)
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