Friend, the 2026 election will have long-term consequences for some of the most pressing challenges driving inequality here at home and around the world. This month, the most important thing you can do to fight for a more equal future is vote.

The truth is that every day matters in our mission to fight poverty and injustice—but some days matter more than others. This election will be a decisive moment for a range of issues that are core to Oxfam’s mission.

Here’s what’s at stake:

• The Future of Lifesaving Humanitarian Aid: In the last two years, 40 percent of the world’s aid has evaporated in the aftermath of the Trump administration cancelling tens of billions of dollars in humanitarian and development aid and the brutal shutdown of USAID. Estimates suggest more than 700,000 people have already lost their lives, and studies project that aid cuts could lead to 9.4 million deaths by 2030. Where do we go from here?
  
  We need leaders who will protect and strengthen smarter humanitarian aid programs that invest in local leadership, empower women to lead disaster management initiatives, and advance risk reduction and preparedness efforts to build resilient communities before emergencies strike. These programs are essential to saving lives—all for less than one percent of the federal budget.
  
  
• Global Economic Inequality: Poverty and injustice are consequences of political failure. From tax-dodging billionaires to mega-corporations profiting off unfair labor practices, the U.S. political and economic system has allowed the ultra-wealthy to grow their fortunes on the backs of everyone else.
  
  We need leaders who will make the ultra-rich and corporations pay their fair share and who will ensure workers have livable wages, safe working conditions, paid leave, and the right to organize.
  
  
• Aggressive, Destabilizing U.S. Foreign Policy: The Trump administration has launched reckless wars in violation of international law, driving up the costs of everything from food to gas, putting civilians in harm’s way, and making all of us less safe. Members of Congress who have failed to exercise their power to rein in the Administration bear responsibility for these consequences.
  
  We need leaders who will follow the law, use their power to rein in the Trump administration’s unlawful attacks, and solve problems through diplomacy and cooperation. The U.S. should work hand in hand with partners to protect human rights and build a world where everyone can live with dignity, opportunity, and security.

Inequality, here in the U.S. and around the world, is not inevitable. It's driven by systems and policies that can be changed when people organize, speak out, and VOTE.

See you at the polls,

Gina Cummings Vice President of Policy and Practice Oxfam America