Sparkling Strategies for Storybook Delivery and Family Activism Success
New Year’s is a time for reflection, joy, and moving forward with resolution, with goals in search of realized outcomes. As I was reflecting on this and considering my vision for 2026, I got the invitation from MomsRising to join other Mombassadors in a “Disco Day of Action,” to sparkle, shine, and share the constituent stories with our legislators. A day of purpose, sharing family-friendly public policy and urging leaders not to be DISCO-nnected from their constituents? Modeling what it means to be an involved citizen and being a positive change agent with other amazing ladies? Yes, please! Sign me up! When the MomsRising team asked if I’d be willing to talk to other volunteers, I had to dig deeper and reflect longer. What did MomsRising mean to me, how and why did I start to volunteer in 2025, and what strategies for success would I share when involving little super citizens in activism as a family?
To me, MomsRising is the community I found when I needed it most. After the current administration was sworn in, I found myself reeling from the day-to-day news cycle and the announcements of public policies that did not benefit my family or other families. We were looking for…
fair wages for meaningful work,
healthcare, vaccines, and science-backed recommendations,
child care, preschool, and fully funded public schools,
affordable groceries, utilities, and housing,
an eldercare system for our aging loved ones, and
communities rooted in respect and safety from gun violence.
After attending a HANDS OFF rally, I found myself looking for meaningful ways to go a step beyond holding a sign. I came across a MomsRising Storybook Delivery event on Mobilize.us. Looking through the MomsRising.org site, I saw that public policies advocated for were ones my family sought, AND I could include my kids in advocacy!
What I love about MomsRising Storybooks is that it takes the stats and figures about why a public policy works and connects them to the lived experience of children and families. It gives a name and face to the numbers. My first storybook delivery involved going to Rep. Raskin’s Maryland state office. We…
Introduced ourselves, “Hi, my name is Jean, I am a Maryland member of MomsRising, and these are my kids.”
Started with the positives: “We’re so proud of the actions you are taking to protect science at NIH and NOAA.”
Stated our concern: “We’re worried about millions of Americans losing Medicaid.”
Shared our son’s personal story, “My son was born a teeny tiny preemie, and the ACA and Medicaid benefited him and our family personally during a really scary, vulnerable time.”
And advocated for action, “We’re asking you to prioritize families over billionaires and vote to protect Medicaid.”
Since then, we’ve done several things with MomsRising, such as advocating for Medicaid on Capitol Hill, sharing our concerns with a local news station, elevating the constituent stories during a Medicaid Vigil, making videos with MomsRising multimedia tools, and even sitting on a shadow congressional forum regarding RFK’s vaccine policy changes.
How to make storytelling and advocacy successful? Here are my tips and tricks.
You are the subject matter expert in your lived experience. Someone else has given Congressional leaders the numbers. We’re giving them the story and the face.
The day will involve sometimes rushing from one place to another, sometimes waiting in a hallway or a room.
Plan for position changes. I like to bring my stroller, a backpack harness, and a carrier.
Set the expectations, talking to little ones about what we’re going to do before we do it. “Today we’re going to meet some leaders. Leaders set rules for schools, roads, libraries, parks. To be safe, we sit in the stroller or walk in the hallways. To be kind, we talk in soft voices, say please and thank you, and take turns. To be ready, we sit when others sit, walk when others walk, wait when toys with others wait, listen when others ask questions, and answer the best we can.”
I know the expectations will be hard and recognize that it’s okay–loud voices, giggles, shrieks, and stink faces will punctuate the day and my patience at times! But I also know they will make the Congressional leaders’ day memorable, giving them a smile, chuckle, or something to shake their head at, reminding them what it’s like to raise children and what families need to thrive.
Those pesky, breakable, oh so child alluring birthday party favors? I pack them and a couple of books in a large, gallon zip lock bag and store it in my mom bag. Scratch pads, ink stamps, funny pens, teeny tiny notebooks, water wow pads, bubble wands, sticker books, you name it. Whenever my littles need engaging activities, I pull one activity out at a time, let them play with it until they are satiated, allow them to be bored sometimes, then pull another.
Then I pack another large ziplock bag with snacks, snacks, snacks, so I’m able to give a juice box, goldfish, or apple slices when needed. We know full bellies make for ready bodies and happy hearts!
Overall, I have had a great experience volunteering with MomsRising, meeting our legislative leaders, working alongside powerful women, and learning more about myself as a change agent. And, most importantly, our smallest super citizens learn how bills become law and to advocate for their needs. As we were leaving the Capitol after MomsRising’s Disco Day of Action, a staffer asked me when my youngest constituent in training would be running for office. The year is yet underdetermined, but her platform? It’s all about reading books, learning from teachers, playing fairly, sharing snacks, and being a kind friend and neighbor! Ideas our leaders can certainly take to heart.
To all our DMV moms, we would love for you to join our Mombassador program to get involved with programs like this and raise your voice!
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