Hey MomsRising family!
Big thanks to YOUR support, we cheered this month as the recently passed Pregnant Workers' Fairness Act went into effect. This momentous national legislation helps ensure pregnant people can support their families without a sacrifice of health and wellbeing. At MomsRising we know it’s so important to celebrate victories like this one because simply knowing we can win inspires us all to keep pushing for even more wins so that one day every family can thrive.
The success of our members in advocating for policy changes like the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act is evidence that your support and your voice, along with the voices of our million members and the leaders in our growing fellowship programs, is highly effective. Opening up spaces for moms and caregivers to share their stories, to reach elected leaders, and to help shape policy is key to our effectiveness together and paramount to our work.
We are beyond grateful to know that we have your support. Your belief that change is possible ensures that we will build a brighter future together.
With gratitude,
Selina and everyone at MomsRising.org
The importance of the Head Start program cannot be understated, it has been the most important social and educational investment in children, families, and communities the United States has ever undertaken. Our families and children need MORE early learning support, NOT cuts! We know how hard we fight for our kids; Urge Congress to fight for them too.
FIGHTING THE HATE OF “MOMS FOR LIBERTY”
“Polls show, and moms know, that Moms for Liberty is lying when they suggest they represent moms. Their agenda is not moms’ agenda. In fact, moms fully reject the division and hate that Moms for Liberty spreads.” – MomsRising Executive Director Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner
As Moms for Liberty descended on Philadelphia for their national convention we made it clear that they do not represent the true concerns of everyday moms by circling a rolling billboard with the above message around their convention. We know that in reality, Moms for Liberty promotes a dangerously harmful agenda and also regularly uses tactics that are abhorrent to America’s moms. Moms don’t want hate and division; moms want a care infrastructure and maternal justice.
Make no mistake: Polling shows that Moms for Liberty lies when they suggest they represent moms. Their actions to strip our children of a robust education by persecuting educators, banning books, and whittling away important educational curriculums are highly unpopular. To make matters more insulting, they’re doing this all under the guise of liberty. We won’t stand for it.
Moms for Liberty does not speak for us and we will continue to speak out loudly – even put it on a rolling billboard, to make it crystal clear: moms are RISING to advance programs that unite us all, lift our businesses and economy, and build the care infrastructure we all need. Moms reject hate and division…and we have the recent polling info to back that up.
STATEMENT: Mobile Billboards at Philadelphia Summit This Weekend Will Underscore that America’s Moms Are Appalled By the Moms for Liberty Agenda
MORE: Take Action, Instagram
To-Wen Speaks at PWFA Event
Signed into law late last year, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) recently went into effect. MomsRising member and RISERS fellow, To-Wen Tseng, was there when the law went into effect to share her remarks at the White House event celebrating both PWFA and the PUMP Act.
Thanks to the PWFA, pregnant people can remain on the job and continue supporting themselves and their families with the common sense accommodations they need. Reasonable accommodations include but are not limited to: access to a water bottle or food, flexible work schedule, additional or longer breaks and leave time off for bedrest, recovery from miscarriage, postpartum depression and other pregnancy-related health issues. They no longer have to choose between a healthy pregnancy and a paycheck. Additionally, by law, workers are now guaranteed to have an adequate space to pump milk for their babies. As To-Wen noted, there are immediate as well as longer term benefits to accommodating lactating parents in the workplace.
Being a part of empowering moms like To-Wen to advocate for the change necessary to lift up our families and our economies is an honor and a joy – and we’ll continue to celebrate each moment and victory.
MORE: PWFA and Pump Act Legal Rights, Instagram
This Mama Shares How MomsRising Empowered Her to Become an Advocate
Are you interested in becoming an advocate?
Learn more about the 2023-2024 Risers Fellowship
Netroots Nation
The MomsRising delegation to Netroots Nation 2023 showed up in full force, leading and participating in a number of events during the conference! Our staff spoke on panels that addressed topics such as Data Engineering for Organizers, Gun Violence, and the Care Infrastructure.
Care, especially, was top of mind during Netroots as we co-hosted an overflowing “Care Reception” where guests could network, strategize, enjoy snacks, and discuss the policies that support us taking care of our own families. MomsRising also created a space for moms and caregivers to connect, be in community, and celebrate our growing power in a special caucus. The dynamic group shared their caregiving stories and ways policies could support them. Truly, moms and caregivers are rising like never before to fight for programs that unite and lift us all!
We were even able to squeeze in a few interviews with some powerhouse attendees for our weekly podcast and radio program, Breaking Through, that you don’t want to miss.
SEE MORE: Blog Post, Instagram, Podcast
BRIGHT SPOTS AND CELEBRATIONS
In other MOMentum,
We spoke at the re-introduction of the People’s Response Act, marked Black Women’s Equal Pay Day with an ode to Barbie to help shift the national narrative, and New Hampshire Beacons celebrated this year’s trifecta of big wins with a luau.
Do you hear that? We are cheering as loud as we can for the Champions for Equal Pay, also known as the US National Women’s Soccer Team at this year’s World Cup.
MOMSRISING IN THE NEWS
NBC: New law goes into effect to protect pregnant workers nationwide
“I would encourage women like me, if you are not treated fairly at work, remember, it’s not a kindness for employers to support employees at work. It’s the law. And, you needed to stand up and speak out. And, not just for you, but for any mothers who can be treated wrong just like you.” — MomsRising member To-Wen Tseng
THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR: Moms navigate a post-pandemic shift back to offices
"You shouldn’t have to win the boss lottery or the geography lottery in order to have families and businesses thrive." — MomsRising Executive Director Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner
POLITICO: White House hopefuls court MAGA moms at Philly bash
“It’s not okay to use our schoolchildren and our schools and our families as political footballs.” — MomsRising Executive Director Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner
The Guardian: ‘A critical emergency’: America’s Black maternal mortality crisis
"They were just going to let me sit here and die because files didn’t get moved over quickly and I am not in the bed upstairs on the OB floor, which didn’t make any sense to me." — MomsRising member, Danielle Wilson (MomsRising Chief Strategy Officer Monifa Bandele is also quoted)
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