When organizers for a Tim Walz town hall in Eau Claire on March 18 asked the City Council for residents with healthcare stories to tell, the ask reached CVI — and CVI put forward member Kayanna Spooner.

Kayanna’s story — of navigating the healthcare system as costs climbed and coverage shrank — resonated far beyond that room. The event drew national attention from CNN, WPR, and MSNBC, and Kayanna appeared on The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell. Tim Walz himself shared her story on TikTok.

What started as a local town hall became a turning point: a CVI member’s voice reaching millions, and a reminder that the most powerful advocacy comes from real people telling the truth about their own lives.