Happy Friday! We hope you found a moment to unwind over the long weekend. Let's be honest: we know it isn’t always easy to relax—balancing the very real frustrations of this moment while projecting calm and optimism for our children and families can be a challenge. We’re not claiming to have mastered this balance, but we invite you to hold onto hope with us, with the belief that together, parents like us can achieve incredible things. Sometimes we pause to re-center, sometimes we draw our community closer, and at other times, we take swift, decisive action.

In this edition of PA Rise and Shine, we begin with a snapshot of how we’re navigating these turbulent times. We encourage you to dive in and engage in ways that resonate with you in this moment. 

• We began the year by holding space for all the feelings, because we can't move ahead until we discharge some of that energy. Thank you to everyone who joined our action to "let the big person words out"-- it was both fun and necessary. That action is still live here, if you have anything new you'd like to say (or scream). 
• This month, we're re-centering on the heart of our work with our 'why I rise' call to action. Thank you to everyone who has shared thoughts on this one. Your statements are powerful, inspiring, and necessary reminders that each of us shows up for people we love, because of values we hold, and due to our fierce commitment to our communities. We're sharing the first set of reflections below, and invite you to share yours here.
• We are building community. This month we welcomed our 25 new Pennsylvania Parent Power Fellows, who will spark action on the ground across the commonwealth. We're also holding our next MomsRising PA Community Meeting next Thursday night, Feb 27. Find more information on both below.
• And of course, we're also speaking out about nominations and bills in both Harrisburg and Washington. This includes the reintroduction of the state paid leave bill, the Family Care Act. We're also pushing leaders to champion nominees who reflect our values, and to stand strong for programs and systems that support our people, including urging leaders to prioritize families over billionaires. 
• We're asking each of you to share our personal connection to key issues like paid leave and early learning, to help fuel our efforts. Our stories remain one of our most powerful tools for inspiring change, and we hope you will take a few minutes to  share why paid family and medical leave would matter so much to your family here. 

Though the world may feel divided at times, our community remains strong, resilient, and ready to shape the road ahead. We can’t wait to build the future together in 2025. As always, feel free to share this with friends or family who might want to join us! (And make sure you're signed up for MomsRising emails to receive these right to your inbox in the future! The Rise and Shine is sent to our PA members approximately every 2 weeks.)

PLEASE SHARE: What are you rising for?

Please take a moment and share why your rise. What makes you show up, over and over again? What fires you up? Who are you fighting for? Please take a moment to share. We are eager for your inspiration and your wisdom, as we build our MomsRising PA plan for 2025. Your sentiments will help inspire and rally others, too. Share your ideas here. And here's a first snapshot of responses from our members, to get you fired up: 

I rise for:

• "The wellbeing of our grandkids, our kids, the vulnerable, the voiceless, the elderly, the immigrant, everyone who is struggling and our Democracy that's what I am fighting for."
• "The imbalance of power is palpable. The weapon of using fear to control is blatant. That is why we rise and rise above and go forward. That is why I fight. I may be one small voice but many together make a chorus of reason, love, compassion, and power."
• "I want my teen daughter to have unfettered access to all forms of birth control— including abortion if necessary— when she is an independent adult. The current trends make me concerned for her future."
• "I want parents (and healthcare providers) of trans children to be able to support their kids without government interference."
• "I want my daughter to be able to get a good job with a salary equal to any male working in the same field."

JOIN US: MomsRising PA Community Meeting Thurs Feb 27, 8pm ET

Mark your calendar! Next Thursday night we're meeting on Zoom to: check in on the state budget and how it will impact families with our friends from the PA Policy Center, and talk about the upcoming federal tax work with MomsRising's own expert Elyssa Schmier. Both are critical sets of work for our community in the months to come. We'll also share updates on our broader 2025 agenda, and ongoing ways you can get involved. RSVP here and tell your friends! 

Add Your Name (And Share Your Story): Tell PA Leaders to Support Paid Family and Medical Leave

We are making as much noise as possible for paid leave, as the Family Care Act moves through the state legislature. Thank you to the 500+ members who urged their representatives to co-sponsor the legislation. Later this month we're going to be delivering signatures and stories from our members, too. Please take a moment to add your name, and share your story about why paid leave matters to you and your family if you can, too. 

Sign now: Families over Billionaires!

The Republican-led leadership in Congress want to pass a bill that gives $4.5 trillion in tax cuts to the super rich (think Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg) and mega-corporations, and pay for them by making massive cuts to Medicaid and raising taxes on the tens of millions of Americans who get their health care from the Affordable Care Act. In addition, they plan to slash funding for food stamps (SNAP), K-12 education, and other vital programs that help families, small businesses, and our economy in order to fund these tax cuts. This is outrageous! SIGN our letter calling on Republican leadership, along with every member of the U.S. Congress, to prioritize families over billionaires!

RESOURCE: Legal rights of immigrants in PA Schools 

This week we're sharing some important resources from the ACLU and Education Law Center on the legal rights of immigrant students in Pennsylvania schools. This includes this guidance on the legal rights of immigrant students, which was sent to all PA school superintendents and charter school CEOs earlier this month, as well as this template for school boards on how to create a welcoming school, including establishing a process for responding to requests for student information, what to do if immigration agents enter the school, how to document any actions taken by immigration agents, and more. And check out these broader tips on supporting immigrant families from MomsRising here. 

How We Shine: 
Welcome to our new Fellows!

This month we are thrilled to welcome 25 new Pennsylvania Parent Power Fellows to our 2025 Fellowship program! These local leaders will be deepening their knowledge around issues impacting PA parents and families, and building their skills to lead change. We'll be introducing a few of them each week, beginning with this inspiring set below! Welcome Makaila, Christine, and Colleen! 

 In solidarity,

- The MomsRising PA Team