Every year, hundreds of advocates from across Colorado come together for Speak Up for Kids Day. And behind every conversation at the State Capitol, every email to a legislator, and every sticker proudly worn in support of kids, is a personal story.
That’s why The Campaign launched “Voices of Speak Up,” a series highlighting the individuals who make this movement possible. From parents advocating for affordable child care, to educators championing equitable school funding, to health care professionals working to ensure every child can access care, the series shines a light on the many reasons Coloradans choose to speak up for kids.
Name: Dr. Paul Melinkovich 
Title: Retired Pediatrician; Retired Medical Director at Denver Health
How many Speak Up for Kids days have you attended? Not entirely sure! (Founder of The Campaign)
City/region: Denver
Why do you speak up for kids? I speak up for kids because they’re rather voiceless. Unless there are adults who are promoting their interests and advocating for their needs, often they get forgotten. I worked as a pediatrician, and a lot of the problems I saw in kids depended a lot on their socioeconomic status, family income, and access to health care – so advocacy to get better services for kids, particularly low-income kids is essential.
What change do you hope will happen because of today? I hope that as we make cuts in Medicaid, we prioritize services for children – and that legislators prioritize coverage so we don’t lose coverage for kids – and that they prioritize basic primary care. We’ve made real strides in expanding coverage. We don’t want to slow or reverse them.
