Statewide effort backed by leading health organizations and foundations urges Californians to share how  loved ones are harmed by health care cuts—and take action through storytelling and voting

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A new statewide campaign, Someone I Love, is launching to help Californians tell the story of how health care cuts are affecting the people they care about most—and to turn that love into action through voting and speaking out. The nonpartisan campaign launches May 4, timed to coincide with vote-by-mail ballots going out for California’s June primary election.

Across California, rising health care costs are forcing difficult choices for millions of families—pressures that are intensifying after Congress voted to cut roughly $1 trillion in federal health funding last year. About 6 in 10 Californians say they or a family member have skipped or delayed care because of the cost, and 7 in 10 say health care expenses are a financial strain.¹ At the same time, research shows that fear and uncertainty are keeping some immigrant families from seeking care or enrolling in coverage they qualify for, further putting their health at risk.³ 

“Protecting health care is an act of love- for our families, our patients, and our communities. But right now, policy decisions at multiple levels are making it harder for people to access the care they need. Through Someone I Love, we’re sharing those real stories––and turning that love into action by speaking out and voting.” - Isabel Becerra, President & CEO, Coalition of Orange County Community Health Centers

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Someone I Love is being co-created by leading health care providers and the state’s largest health foundations, including AltaMed, the California Primary Care Association, The Coalition of Orange County Community Health Centers, and Disability Voices United, alongside the California Wellness Foundation, The California Endowment, and the Archstone Foundation.

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Someone I Love invites community members, families, health care providers and professionals, caregivers, and small business owners to visit someoneilove.vote and:
 

• Share a story about how the health of someone you love or care for is being affected by cuts to our health care system

• Speak out about the impact of health care cuts in your communities

• Make a plan to vote and help others do the same

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“More and more people are losing access to care—and are left wondering what happened, who is responsible, and what they can do about it,” said Mary Lou Fulton, Director of Communications at The California Wellness Foundation and a family caregiver. “Someone I Love is connecting the dots by telling the stories of the people we love who are being hurt by health care cuts, and turning our love into action through voting and speaking out.”

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The campaign will unfold across social media, including on Instagram at @someoneilove.vote, and through someoneilove.vote.  Throughout the year, partners will also host and participate in community events across the state to bring these stories into public spaces and connect them to action.  Someone I Love is coordinated by Revolve Impact, an award-winning Los Angeles based creative agency that brings together arts, culture and organizing to drive social justice campaigns. 

Someone I Love grew out of a collaboration that brought together community health leaders and philanthropic partners to mark the 60th anniversary of Medicaid and highlight what health care means to the 15 million Californians served by Medi-Cal. That gathering sparked a shared commitment to work together — and that’s how Someone I Love came to life.

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About Someone I Love

Someone I Love is a nonpartisan, statewide storytelling and civic engagement campaign created by a collaborative of California-based health clinics, nonprofits, and foundations. The campaign invites Californians to share stories about who they’re fighting for—and to turn that love into action by speaking out and voting. Learn more at someoneilove.vote.
 

Sources:

¹ California Health Care Foundation, 2026 California Health Policy Survey

² UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, Immigrant Access to Health Care and Public Programs