All Blog Posts

05/30/19

As Alabama was passing its total abortion ban, a friend posted a CNN clip that I didn’t watch in which a guest or the anchor seemed to imply that a fetus was akin to an organ in a woman’s body that she might choose do with as she pleases. My friend posed the following question with this post: “Will...

MomsRising Together

Mimi Chapman

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: MC Governor Roy Cooper stands with MomsRising NC Director Beth Messersmith, smiling at the camera after signing a paid leave bill.]

Family Economic Security MomsVote Paid Family Leave

05/30/19

Happy spring! May has been an amazing month for our movement, from the joy and honor/memorial messages we shared with each other on Mother’s Day, to the legislative progress we celebrated on paid family and medical leave and maternal health. We also stood up and spoke out to protect our rights and...

MomsRising Together

Anita Sarah Jackson

Take Action!

MomsRising Open Flexible Work Realistic & Fair Wages

05/29/19

Discrimination is the last thing you should have to worry about when you’re pregnant, but even in 2019 pregnant workers are still being denied reasonable, medically-necessary accommodations at work (like extra water breaks or being able to sit down) because of loopholes in the 35 year old Pregnancy...

MomsRising Together

Sara Alcid

Health Care

05/24/19

My mother was diagnosed with a mental illness years after arriving in the United States from Sri Lanka. Some of the doctors she saw believe her illness began as postpartum (maternal) depression that was unrecognized and undiagnosed years earlier. Since her diagnosis 30 years ago, my father and I...

MomsRising Together

Isha Weerasinghe

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A colorful graphic that says "Weekly Blog Round Up" on a pink background]

Family Economic Security Health Care Maternal Justice Paid Family Leave

05/24/19

VICTORY IN NC! State employees of any North Carolina department, agency, board or commission under the oversight of the Governor can access up to eight weeks of paid parental leave after giving birth or four weeks of paid parental leave after a partner gives birth or to bond with and care for a...

MomsRising Together

Anita Sarah Jackson

Social & Emotional Development

05/24/19

I was deeply sorry to hear of the passing of my friend Mayor Unita Blackwell. She was one of a kind. She was always laughing and making other people laugh and she never stopped growing, learning, rolling with the punches, and punching back when she had to. As a civil rights activist, a member of...

MomsRising Together

Marian Wright Edelman

Families & The Federal Budget Health Care Maternal Justice Politics & Policy

05/24/19

We're back with this week's list of top #5Actions from the past week, featuring hot items around defending a woman's right to choose, demanding justice for Eric Garner, Delrawn Small and Tamir Rice, and speaking up for child nutrition programs and pregnant workers. Your voice is urgently needed;...

MomsRising Together

Karen Showalter

Childcare & Early Education Social & Emotional Development

05/23/19

For some kids, summer means getting on the computer and not getting off 'til September. And even though a lot of parents relax their screen limits over the break, allowing a full-on hibernation is just not gonna happen . And it shouldn't. Kids need to get outside, of course. But they also need to...

MomsRising Together

Caroline Knorr

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A graphic image with a blue and red ombre background and text that lists the cities for the "Vote Run Lead" "Run As You Are" training.]

Immigration Maternal Justice MomsVote

05/22/19

Having a child always seemed overwhelming even though I have worked in education throughout my career. I was terrified to bring a black child into this world, knowing how hard it would be for them. However, when your father dies and mother suffers a stroke, your priorities change. I was blessed to...

MomsRising Together

Angela Andrews

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A young child with shoulder length black hair wears a light blue dress, sits on the floor with bright color blocks, and laughs.]

Childcare & Early Education Immigration

05/22/19

If federal immigration agents came to your family’s child care program to arrest or interview a parent or staff member, would program staff know what to do? Would they know that immigration agents are generally restricted from entering their centers? An unwelcome, unexpected visit from immigration...

MomsRising Together