Cody Rooney did not allow his cerebral palsy, a global pandemic, or anything else to get in the way of voting in this year's election.
“This is my first presidential election. I’ve voted in town and state before, but I was just 17 or 16, last election,” he says. “[I’m] excited and nervous… it’s like walking on a tight rope.”
Wary of mail-in voting — the ballot box fire in Copley Square earlier this month convinced him of the dangers of the process — Rooney was determined to make it to the polls on Election Day to cast his ballot in person, even if that journey was difficult with his mobility issues. This year, his hometown of Amherst held their polls in a local gymnasium, which he hoped would be more accessible than the previous location in the town’s firehouse.
Plus, there was an important person he just couldn’t let down.
“My grandma… we both need help voting, so she’s like my voting partner," he grins.
But it’s not just Rooney’s civic duty or loyalty to his grandma that made participating in this year's election especially important to him. He also wanted to fight for valuable resources for the many communities he inhabits.
“…Funding is on the line, you know, with all these cuts, so we need to make our voices heard after years of silence and discrimination,” he says. “It’s kind of hard not to sound biased. I know coming on here, I wanted to remain neutral to respect everyone, but it’s kind of difficult... [we have] a leader that has made fun of people with disabilities. [And] I’m not just disabled, but I’m also Black and native. And those groups have been attacked over these four years.”
The coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll on the many communities within which Rooney is an activist, as well.
“I’m not a homebody, so it’s mentally challenging," he said. "To just know that I could be in Connecticut next week and doing a [Native] event… you know, that depresses me.”
Along with the camaraderie that comes from participating in Native American events throughout the region, Rooney also misses them as a source of income. With events cancelled and travel out of the question, he has been left to rely on his family for financial support.
“I can’t just go out and work at McDonald's or a Dunkin’ Donuts because I’m not sure if I’d be even a good cashier… So for this year, with everything cancelled, I really lean on my parents," he said. "The pandemic has definitely hit me. But it wouldn’t have if there were more accessible jobs. Without a doubt.”
It’s this mix of personal and professional loss that makes Rooney so passionate about casting his ballot this year — and why he thinks that people should take their responsibility to vote seriously.
“I hope they think [that]… even though they may not like the other candidate, they think about who they really vote for…. even if causes a drastic change," he said.
