I have spent the last seven months learning to be a volunteer lobbyist — registering with the Colorado General Assembly, showing up with research, hoping someone will listen.

I became a lobbyist because I became a caregiver. In Colorado, you can be fired or denied workplace flexibility simply because you’re caring for an aging parent, a child with disabilities or a seriously ill spouse. There’s no law protecting you.

Meanwhile, big tech and AI interests have poured significant resources into federal lobbying, shaping regulations for rapidly evolving technologies like artificial intelligence. By contrast, people provide $600 billion in unpaid care annually, with broader national studies valuing unpaid care at over $1 trillion each year. Yet caregivers have virtually no voice in our state capitol.

This isn’t just unfair. It’s economically irrational.

AARP Colorado reports that one in five adult Coloradans — over 1 million people — are employed family caregivers: We’re the accountant leaving at 3 p.m. for Mom’s dialysis. The nurse needing Tuesday mornings for her son’s physical therapy. The engineer working remotely to care for his husband with ALS.

We’re not asking for special treatment. We’re asking not to be punished for keeping our families alive.

National caregiver studies show family caregivers face average lifetime wage losses of $295,000, with 36% reporting moderate to high financial strain. Many quit jobs entirely, losing income, health insurance and retirement precisely when they need stability most.

But here’s what businesses miss: This isn’t just a family problem. It’s an employer problem.

Companies hemorrhage experienced workers because they won’t provide basic flexibility. Replacing an employee costs 50% to 200% of their annual salary. Applied to Colorado’s caregiver workforce, this translates to hundreds of millions in employer losses annually. Supporting caregivers through reasonable accommodations could save employers tens of millions each year in reduced turnover.

That’s why I’m developing the Colorado Caregiver Accommodations and Rights Enhancement, or CARE, Act with legislators for the 2026 session.

The bill would do three things:

First, it would add family caregiver status as a protected class under Colorado’s Anti‑Discrimination Act. Workers couldn’t be fired simply for caring for a parent with dementia or a child with cerebral palsy. Surveys show 42% of Colorado caregivers quit or cut hours due to these demands, and wrongful termination tied to family responsibilities is documented in state and local law.

Second, it would require employers to provide reasonable accommodations — flexible schedules, telework for remote-capable positions, brief phone access for care coordination — unless doing so creates genuine hardship. Many good employers already do this. We’re ensuring everyone has access.

Third, it would create streamlined pathways for family members to become certified paid caregivers through existing Medicaid programs. Right now, families often can’t provide paid care for relatives, forcing them into institutional settings that cost taxpayers far more. This fixes that — at zero cost to the state budget.

The projected impact? Supporting caregivers through reasonable accommodations reduces costly turnover and protects small businesses through mandatory mediation.

I shouldn’t need to become a lobbyist to advocate for basic dignity. But when big tech pours millions into shaping policy for hypothetical AI risks while real people lose jobs caring for family members, grassroots advocacy isn’t optional — it’s survival.

I founded CASI because caregivers don’t have PACs or super PACs. We have stories, data, lived experience and moral authority. In a democracy, that should be enough.

But it’s not always enough. That’s why we need legislators willing to champion working families, not just corporate donors. That’s why we need Coloradans to tell their representatives: “I’m a caregiver” or “This matters.”

Because here’s the truth: We were all cared for at birth. Many of us will need care in aging. Most of us will provide care at some point. Care isn’t a niche issue — it’s the universal human experience.

I’m working to introduce the CARE Act in the 2026 session, pending final sponsor commitments. Meetings with legislators are ongoing to review the proposal.

If we secure sponsors, caregivers will testify about denied promotions and lost wages. Business owners will share how supporting caregivers improved retention. Policy experts will present data showing this isn’t charity — it’s infrastructure for an aging state.

Then legislators will vote. That vote will answer whether Colorado values family caregivers or only listens to those who can afford massive lobbying budgets.

I’m betting on Colorado. I’m betting on legislators taking time to understand this issue. I’m betting on employers who recognize that flexibility is a competitive advantage. I’m betting on everyday Coloradans who understand that supporting caregivers strengthens families, businesses and communities.

But I’m not leaving it to chance. I’m organizing, mobilizing and lobbying. Contact your legislator and say: “I’m a caregiver,” “I know a caregiver,” or “Support the CARE Act when it’s filed.”

Because if big tech can spend millions shaping the future of machines, surely we can invest in the people caring for humans.

Mark Fukae, of Brighton, is the founder of CASI, a Colorado caregiver advocacy organization, and serves as Director of Advocacy for Professionals Who Care, a national nonprofit supporting family caregivers. 

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Patrick Roy was very familiar with Jonathan Drouin, the phenom, from his days coaching against him in the QMJHL.

A dozen years later, they’ve been reunited in the NHL with the New York Islanders. Roy is a different coach in his second go-round behind an NHL bench.

And Drouin is a different player than he was as a teenager terrorizing opposing defenses alongside Nathan MacKinnon for the Halifax Mooseheads.

“He’s very mature right now,” Roy said. “When he was in junior, he was a phenomenal playmaker. When he was playing with Nathan in Halifax, they were always a threat, and they were the leaders of their team. What I love about his game right now is that he is playing both sides. He makes really good plays for (Mathew Barzal), but he also defends really well. The 200-foot game that he’s playing shows me a lot of maturity in his game.

“I’m very impressed with him.”

Drouin’s evolution as a player has not happened on a linear path, but his two years with the Colorado Avalanche did wonders to rebuild his career and his value. The Avs got him on a bargain one-year deal after an up-and-down tenure with the Montreal Canadiens.

He fit in well and earned another one-year deal. Eventually, it was time to ask for more, and the Avalanche — with Gabe Landeskog coming back and Brock Nelson needing a long-term deal — could not provide it.

“It sucked. Obviously, sometimes you’ve got to do a decision for your family and for other reasons,” Drouin said. “I enjoyed my time in Colorado. I would have loved to stay here for the rest of my career, but the business side of it doesn’t allow it sometimes. You’ve got to move on and do different things.”

Drouin’s relationship with MacKinnon got him in the door with the Avs, but he became an integral member of the club for two seasons on his own. He had 19 goals and 56 points two seasons ago, then 11 goals and 37 points in just 43 games last year.

His development as a two-way player was a consistent talking point with Avs coach Jared Bednar. That was something Roy echoed. Drouin had 14 points in his first 17 games with the Islanders.

“He’s been a great addition for us,” Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri said. “I think he’s a guy you can put with anybody, and he elevates that line. He’s done a great job so far, and hopefully he continues to get better and more comfortable. It’s awesome to have a guy like that in your room and your lineup.”

When last season ended, it was pretty clear there wouldn’t be room for Drouin in Denver unless he was willing to take a discount again. Asking a player to do that multiple times in the prime of their career just isn’t feasible. Drouin said there were plenty of talks with the Avalanche, but he also knew before the free-agent market opened that a return wasn’t going to happen.

So on July 1, Drouin went back to the Eastern Conference, signing a two-year, $8 million deal with the Islanders. That meant parting ways with MacKinnon.

“It was tough,” Drouin said. “Obviously, he brought me here. He was one of the main reasons I came here. It’s a very close group over there. It sucked to leave. Some of those happen as part of the business, I guess.”

Landing with the Islanders has meant a few reunions. Drouin and Anthony Duclair have been friends going back even before his Halifax days with MacKinnon. He knew Roy well, but he’s also played for assistant coach Ray Bennett with the Avs.