September 23, 2026

Dear Family and Friends,

I am about halfway on my pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. As I rest after walking for hours in a soft, gentle rain that soaked me through and through, I am taking this quiet moment to compose myself for the next leg of the journey.

I remain ever thankful to my colleague Tammy Simkins, of ERA Action , who continues to follow up diligently on scheduling visits on the Hill. Tammy is an amazing woman who struggles daily to make ends meet. Widowed only a few short years ago, she is helping her daughter to homeschool while carrying numerous other family obligations. For those who may not know, Tammy is the woman whose petition helped bring the Equal Rights Amendment to the attention of the Obama administration. Her steadfast work continues to inspire us all. She will be accompanying me virtually at the meetings.

We are preparing to meet with Senators to discuss three urgent objectives of this pilgrimage.

First, upon arrival in Washington and before heading to the Hill, I will hand-deliver a formal letter to the Embassy of the Republic of Zambia. The letter appeals for mercy in the case of Bishop Trevor Musonda Mwamba, a retired Anglican clergyman, former Bishop of Botswana, President of the United National Independence Party (UNIP) of Zambia, and a fellow board member of Katrina’s Dream.

Bishop Mwamba, now 68, has been held in custody since mid-August 2026, formally charged with treason on 29 August, and transferred to Mukobeko Maximum Prison in Kabwe. Family and legal representatives have raised concerns about his age, medical condition, access to medication, counsel, and family visits. He is widely regarded as a man of peace and longstanding commitment to justice and reconciliation. As a trusted spiritual advisor and fellow board member who has supported our work for nearly two decades—including our efforts for the Equal Rights Amendment—I am delivering this appeal out of both humanitarian concern and the bonds of long friendship, requesting assurance of his safety and medical care, continued access to counsel and family, and full respect for due process under Zambian law.

Second, as a computer geek who still sees rays of possibility even in difficult financial times, I am advocating for the establishment of an American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund. Technological advancement—driven by both artificial intelligence and automation—is rapidly reshaping demand and supply chains across every sector of the economy, with profound effects on the workforce.

A short example: in manufacturing and logistics, AI-powered predictive systems and automated warehouses now forecast demand, optimize inventory, and move goods with far fewer human workers than only a decade ago. Similar shifts are underway in customer service, transportation, agriculture, and office work. As machines and algorithms absorb tasks once performed by people, wages stagnate or disappear for many while enormous new value is created for the owners of the technology. Without deliberate mechanisms to share that value, inequality widens and social cohesion frays.

Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced legislation that would create a roughly $7 trillion public fund through a one-time 50% equity stake in the largest AI companies, managed by an independent commission, providing annual dividends to Americans and funding for public goods while giving the public a meaningful voice in the future of this transformative technology. President Trump’s February 3, 2025 Executive Order directed the development of a United States Sovereign Wealth Fund to steward national wealth for the benefit of American citizens, promote fiscal sustainability, and strengthen long-term economic and strategic leadership. An AI-focused or AI-linked sovereign wealth fund is one of the most practical ways to ensure that the productivity gains of this new era lift the many rather than only the few.

Third—the icing on the cake, and the foundation that makes all other progress more secure—is the full inclusion of women in society through the final passage and recognition of the Equal Rights Amendment.

The ERA is not merely symbolic. It would write into the Constitution the simple, powerful principle that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex. In an economy being transformed by AI and automation, women already face disproportionate impacts in sectors such as administrative support, retail, and care work that are highly susceptible to technological displacement. Constitutional equality strengthens women’s ability to participate fully in the workforce, to advocate for fair transitions and retraining, to secure equal pay and benefits, and to shape the policies that will determine how the gains of technology are distributed.

Without the ERA, women remain one Supreme Court decision or legislative shift away from the loss of hard-won protections. With it, the Constitution itself affirms that half the population cannot be relegated to second-class status.

These three concerns—mercy and due process for Bishop Trevor Mwamba, shared prosperity through an AI Sovereign Wealth Fund in an age of automation, and constitutional equality for women via the ERA—are why I am walking. We will be meeting with Senators to discuss them directly, with Tammy accompanying me virtually.

The rain has soaked me, but it has not dampened the purpose. Onward, with gratitude and resolve.

Love and Light in Christ,

Helene de Boissiere-Swanson
Founder, Katrina’s Dream