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Sen. Patty Murray wearing crayon pin
MomsRising

You're Going to Love Your February MOMentum

March 1, 2023
Kerri Karvetski's picture
Kerri Karvetski
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In his novel The Alchemist, author Paulo Coelho wrote, “When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” 

This February, we celebrated when we heard President Biden use one of the biggest megaphones in the nation, the State of the Union, to mention our top policy priorities again and again as we played State of the Union BINGO. This wasn’t a coincidence. It was a direct result of the profound love and hope that MomsRising members across the nation have shown for America’s moms and families by signing petitions, sharing our stories, reaching out to leaders, making phone calls to Congress, and so much more as we work together to help build a nation where everyone can thrive. 

From championing solutions to the childcare and paid family/medical leave crises, to advocating for expanded Medicaid coverage for hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians, to lifting the voices of Black Feminists for Black History Month, the MomsRising community strove for a better, brighter future for us all.

Our hearts are filled with gratitude for this February MOMentum that YOU made possible. Scroll on and feel the love!

In peace,

Kerri and everyone at MomsRising.org

ACTION OF THE MONTH: 30 years later and working families still need Paid Family and Medical Leave

Everyone deserves the time to care for themselves and their loved ones. Urge Congress to pass a national, permanent, and comprehensive paid family and medical leave program just like every other industrialized nation has already done. 

MOMSRISING TOP POLICY PRIORITIES FEATURED IN STATE OF THE UNION

BINGO! The 2023 State of the Union (SOTU) address was chock-full of MomsRising's top policy priorities, including child care, paid family/medical leave, stopping gun violence, eldercare, recognizing immigrants' contributions to our country, and so much more. Thousands of members downloaded and played our fun SOTU BINGO game, and we were thrilled to see several MomsRising members attend as guests of members of Congress. 

But that’s not all! MomsRising worked with U.S. Senator Patty Murray and many other members of Congress to wear crayon pins on their lapels during the State of the Union to promote increased access and affordability for childcare – and LOTS of leaders engaged! 

It’s proof that your gift is creating MOMentum for women and families and that the powerful work we are doing together is being noticed. 

 

“President Biden delivered a wise, reasoned, thoughtful speech tonight, proposing measures that would help build a care infrastructure that allows families, businesses and our economy to thrive and makes our country stronger and more successful. But we will only get there if Congress acts on his proposals. America’s moms are watching.” – MomsRising Executive Director Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner

BLOG: RISERS Recap: State of the Union 2023 & Get Your Dabbers Ready: SOTU 2023 Bingo is Here! 

STATEMENT: President Biden’s State of the Union Speech Hit All the Right Notes. Now Moms and Families Need Congress to Act. 

INSTAGRAM: Did you catch the Crayon Pins at the SOTU?

OUR FIRST-EVER WELCOME TO CONGRESS EVENT

At the beginning of 2023, MomsRising held our first-ever Welcome To Congress event inside the U.S. Capitol for members of Congress and their staff in order to educate leaders about the top priority policies of MomsRising members across the nation. The event was spectacularly well-attended, and the power and visibility of the MomsRising movement was expanded in very good ways. At the Welcome Event, we shared books of member stories about what life is really like in America as a mom, as well as superhero capes, and gratitude awards for the U.S. Speaker of the House emeritus Nancy Pelosi and also for the original “Super Mom in Tennis Shoes” U.S. Senator Patty Murray.

*Check out some of the awe-inspiring, hope-renewing pictures from our event:

INSTAGRAM: MomsRising https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn7aUGnOH_a/ 

INSTAGRAM: U.S. Speaker of the House emeritus Nancy Pelosi https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn4-npgLsdF/ 

INSTAGRAM: U.S. Senator Murray: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn4nHhQroc4/

NC MEDICAID EXPANSION UPDATE

After more than a decade of advocacy by MomsRising and many partners, North Carolina moved a step closer to Medicaid expansion with bi-partisan passage of HB76, “Access to Healthcare Options.” MomsRising North Carolina rallied support for the bill with a bilingual English/Spanish webinar for advocates, “Love Thy Neighbor, Expand Medicaid” advocacy day, and a storybook delivered to every North Carolina lawmaker. Thank you for making these game-changing resources possible!

We’re optimistic that the legislation – which would extend Medicaid coverage to hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians who are not currently eligible for Medicaid – will be passed and signed into law this year.

READ: North Carolina: Love Thy Neighbor, Expand Medicaid

BRIGHT SPOTS AND CELEBRATIONS

In other MOMentum, we celebrated the news that a record number of people have signed up for a health plan under the Affordable Care Act and that the number of Americans with medical debt fell by 8.2 million; highlighted and honored Black Feminists for Black History Month; and enjoyed Rihanna’s words and performance pushing for that hopeful place at the Super Bowl.

MOMSRISING IN THE NEWS

 

CNN: Meet the new face of gun owners in the US: Asian Americans
"Bringing guns into the AAPI community will only increase gun violence in our community. That’s exactly what happened in Monterey Park." — MomsRising Senior Vice President Gloria Pan

MARKETWATCH: Millions of working parents, especially women, are unpaid caregivers. So why doesn’t government data account for their labor? 
"Morrison, who is a member of MomsRising, an advocacy group, felt like her job as a full-time mother went unseen. She’s not wrong." — MomsRising member Jessica Morrison is quoted

SCRIPPS NEWS: Weekend DeBrief with Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner
“It is long past time for the United States of America to catch up with the rest of the world when it comes to having paid family medical leave…This policy is good for businesses. It’s good for families. It’s good for our economy.” — MomsRising Executive Director Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner

THE 19TH: ‘We’ve failed mothers and kids so much:’ One year later, there’s no end in sight to the formula shortage
“We are not totally out of the woods. It should never be that one factory goes down and the entire country is thrown into a tailspin.” — MomsRising Vice President for Government Relations Elyssa Schmier

USA TODAY: Child care crisis: What costly daycare and fewer workers mean for US economy and taxpayers
“I have gotten amazing positions that I’ve had to turn down because I could not get child care.” — MomsRising member Angélica María González

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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