Nina is an Early Childhood National Campaign Director and Florida Director at MomsRising/MamásConPoder where she has been organizing moms and families across the nation for over a decade on family economic security issues. Nina has been interviewed in numerous local and national news outlets, including PBS NewsHour, the New York Times, and The Guardian. On child care policy, Nina has testified in front of Congress for the Ways and Means Committee as an expert in her field. Nina's career has focused on ending the oppression and exploitation of women and girls. She was previously a Program Manager at Community Family Life Services supporting direct services and leadership with low-income communities in Washington, DC. Nina was also a founding member and Program Coordinator for the Young Women Leaders Program at the University of Central Florida. and lives in Jax, FL with her loving partner, inquisitive child, spunky cats, and books.
Blog Post List

April 7, 2020
Every morning for the last two weeks I’ve woken up wondering what impact this COVID-19 crisis will have on my toddler’s life along with our entire country. My partner and I are juggling our work schedules (like so many parents and caregivers!) the best we can as we try to give her some semblance of normalcy. But more than ever, I'm grateful for the loving care my child normally receives while we work. That’s why it pains me to tell you that, as a nation, we are on the verge of losing more than half (yes you read that right - MORE THAN HALF) of our child care programs IF there isn’t...
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![[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Text at the top reads "Coronavirus Childcare Corner"]](https://www.momsrising.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Coronavirus%20Childcare%20Corner%20Links.png?itok=H_Z5ZI3Y)
March 23, 2020
As MomsRising's senior campaign director on child care policy, I'm leading our work to push the federal government to cover childcare costs for both providers and parents as part of the emergency relief effort. We know there is a real and present danger that if this goes on for an extended time, we will see the collapse of the child care system. The burden shouldn't fall on either parents or providers! AND- we need both providers and parents to push back on elected leaders right now. Below are some things you can do to help ahead of the negotiations happening TODAY: * Sign here to urge...
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Take Action!

July 17, 2019
There are parents across the nation holding their scared children tight right now, children who are terrified of what tomorrow could bring. It’s not an imaginary “monster under the bed” terrifying these kids; it’s the real life monsters created by the Trump Administration that are coming after immigrant families, including intentionally separating children from their parents. This week immigration enforcement officers, directed by the Trump Administration, are targeting thousands of families in mass raids in as many as 10 cities to increase deportations and continue the cruel intentional...
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June 19, 2019
My daughter will be eight months old this Saturday. From the moment my doctor put her on my chest after 48 hours of labor, I was obsessed. I remember not even wanting to give her over to have tests done and to this day I still cringe when I need to leave her for more than a few hours to work. As a mother, the ability to care for my child is the most important thing in my world. But right now, in Trump’s America, the Trump administration is taking newborns, infants, and children away from their parents. This happened to a mother in Texas who cried for 72 hours straight when her newborn was...
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Take Action!

April 1, 2019
I’ve taken my daughter's diapers for granted. From what kind of diapers to use, to whose turn it is to change the epic blowout (again) -- diapers are a sore spot in our house. But luckily, we’ve never had to worry about our daughter having access to a diaper to keep her clean and healthy. Unfortunately, 1 in 3 American families can’t say the same. And that’s a big problem, because when families can’t afford diapers, it can put a baby’s health at risk. Not to mention that it can make it harder to access childcare too, and that can make it impossible for parents to get to work. Diaper need is a...
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March 8, 2019
As Latinx parents raising multicultural kids we know the challenges too well. Do we speak Spanish at home with our kids? How do we keep our kids from rejecting our cultural traditions (do we even care about these traditions...)? Where do we find books and toys that are representative of our various communities? The list is never ending. But what if I told you access to high-quality, affordable childcare was another challenge that uniquely impacts Latinx parents? Well, it’s true. Right now, 42% of Latinx kids live in childcare deserts - areas with overfull or no childcare centers available...
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Childcare & Early Education Family Economic Security Politics & Policy Social & Emotional Development
February 27, 2019
I’m newly back in the office after having my baby and I have one thing on my mind—we HAVE TO solve the childcare crisis in this country. At my neighborhood meetup for new parents not a week goes by that childcare doesn’t come up as a major issue for families. Moms with no choice but to quit jobs they love because of the high-cost of care. Waiting lists so long that families are depleting their life's savings to take unpaid time off work on the off chance a childcare spot opens up. It’s never ending. One parent is even flying in different family members from across the country in shifts to...
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February 18, 2019
Acabo de volver al trabajo después de tener a mi bebita, y al igual que muchos padres latinx, ¡tengo muchas preguntas! ¿Debo hablarle español a mi hija en casa? ¿Cómo evito que mi hija rechace nuestras tradiciones culturales? ¿Dónde puedo encontrar acceso a cuidado infantil de alta calidad económicamente accesible? Me preocupa mucho la crisis de cuidado infantil en este país. De acuerdo con un estudio publicado el año pasado, las familias latinas gastan el porcentaje más alto de su salario en cuidado infantil en comparación con los demás grupos étnicos –casi el doble del costo máximo...
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Quick Action!

October 19, 2018
"I receive childcare assistance through my local DHS office. If I didn’t get this assistance I could not work (even though I live paycheck to paycheck) and would have to apply for Welfare. I’m more than grateful for every penny I receive for childcare. Without it I would have to pay $120 a week! My daughter is learning so much from the program that is offered: she knows how to count, read (some small sentences,) knows her alphabet, and she knows how to draw. She is four years old." – Amanda Investments in affordable, quality childcare can be THE difference in a family’s ability to thrive...
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Sign on!

September 12, 2018
So here’s a head scratcher for you: Just days before DC Mayor Muriel Bowser holds a Maternal and Infant Health Summit, she released a statement encouraging the DC Council to shift funding from the District’s Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2016 to the comprehensive Birth-to-Three for All DC Act of 2018 . Uhhhh…...I'm confused. As a pregnant soon-to-be mom myself, I’m struggling to understand how Mayor Bowser can champion maternal and infant health while ...at the same time!... urging the Council to divert funding from one critical family and infant support to another. It’s like robbing...
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August 30, 2018
It’s been twenty years since the release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and at thirty-two I’m ecstatic that J.K Rowling's amazing magical world is still alive and well for our kids with the re-release of all Harry Potter movies this Friday on August 31st (time to pull out my Gryffindor scarf!) and the new Fantastic Beasts movie being released this November . I grew up reading these amazing books and twenty years later I still find myself wishing I lived in the Wizarding World, but now as soon to be mom, it’s less about charms and battling dragons and a lot more about wanting to...
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Sign the thank you card!

August 1, 2018
Thanks to community advocates, educators, and DC families (like YOU!) who submitted their childcare stories, decorated bibs with messages to Councilmembers, sent emails to the Council, and testified in front of the DC Committee on Education – the Birth-to-Three for All DC Act (which incorporates pieces of the BEGIn Act) was passed unanimously by DC Council!!! Celebrate with us by keeping up the momentum for early childhood in DC! As parents, we know positive reinforcement can go a long way! Click here to sign our thank you card and urge the DC Council to continue to remain strong on early...
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June 27, 2018
I had my 20-week ultrasound last week for our first baby and my partner have never been more over the moon...and terrified all at the same time. Nothing could make the fact that we are going to be parents more real than seeing our sweet baby girl sucking her thumb on the screen (I mean could she be any cuter already!?!). But in our rollercoaster of emotions, one reality came up front and center for us quickly - how the heck are we going to afford childcare in our state - where, as is the case with most states, childcare costs are higher than college tuition?!?! For our young family, these...
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January 11, 2018
A first time drop off to childcare or preschool can be rough on kids, parents, caregivers, and educators. Let’s talk about it! Get the latest tips on surviving childcare drop off with early childhood mental health specialist and founder of Stop Parenting Alone , Lina Acosta Sandaal, live on the MomsRising.org Facebook page Tuesday 1/23, 8:30pET/5:30pPT. We’ll be answering questions and sharing resources live, so RSVP here and invite your friends and family to join, too: https://www.facebook.com/events/1812776642128324/
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September 22, 2017
Congratulations to our friends at CommuniKids for the opening of their new free Spanish immersion Pre-k seats the District of Columbia! For more information on this new program, see the full press release below or visit CommuniKids main free pre-k website with information on details on how to apply: http://communikids.com/free-dc-pre-k/ ** For resources on raising multilingual children, check out MomsRising’s parent resource site: http://action.momsrising.org/survey/bilingual_baby/ ----------------- DC Mayor and Council Representatives to attend CommuniKids Preschool’s September 14 Ribbon...
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September 5, 2017
Como hija de inmigrantes cubanos, puedo decir con confianza que pocas cosas me han ayudado más en mi desarrollo profesional y personal que ser bilingüe. La capacidad de hablar inglés y español fortaleció mis lazos familiares porque me permitió hablar con mis abuelos, me ayudó a ser más sociable al traducir para mis compañeros monolingües, me abrió insuperables oportunidades académicas, y me hizo ser significativamente más competitiva en la fuerza laboral desde el primer día. Pero no fue fácil. Nuestra comunidad (incluyendo maestros que tuve en la escuela) le decían a mi madre que no era bueno...
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September 5, 2017
*** Want more information on raising multilingual children? Visit MomsRising's bilingual parenting resource site: http://action.momsrising.org/survey/bilingual_baby/?source=blog As the daughter of Cuban immigrants, I can say with confidence that few things have helped my professional and personal growth more than being bilingual. The ability to speak both English and Spanish strengthened my family ties by allowing me to talk to my grandparents, helped me become more social by acting as a translator for my monolingual peers, opened up unique academic opportunities, and made me significantly...
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Facebook Live Event

July 20, 2017
For many of us, our language is intimately tied to our culture, how we connect with our loved ones, and how we navigate our communities. But what does it mean to parent multilingual kids? Whether you’re trying to navigate the ins and outs of raising a bilingual kid, aren’t sure if you should be speaking more than one language at home, or are just curious about the brain science behind being bilingual - we’ve got you covered! Join MomsRising.org on Wednesday, 7/26 at 8:30pm ET/ 5:30pm PT for a Facebook Live Event with author and bilingual parenting guru Maritere Rodriguez Bellas and early...
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April 28, 2017
“Preschool helped all three of my children to sit, listen and learn in kindergarten! They learned about the joy of learning and were hungry for more! These programs helped them in their social skills which is another important part of learning! Because of these programs they are and were not afraid to speak with teachers and professors as they grew! They had the confidence and strength to go after what is important!” ~ Judy Moms are speaking up loud and clear -- affordable, high-quality early learning programs, like preschool and childcare, are critical to overall health and development of...
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January 20, 2017
The Women’s March on Washington and hundreds of sister marches are TOMORROW ! We are excited, fired up, and ready to GO GO GO! Tomorrow , MomsRising will be standing up with our families, children, neighbors, and hundreds of partnering organizations to protect our rights, our safety, our families, and our democracy, and to say NO to hate. Look for our banners! To make sure we’re all ready for the big day, we’ve put together some must-have resources below to make sure marchers (whether you’re marching in-person or cheering on from home) have everything they need: Women’s March on Washington, D...
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