T-Mobile Women: Rape Is No Laughing Matter
We were shocked. We are still shocked. As employees of T-Mobile US, we were deeply disturbed to watch our CEO John Legere launch an expletive-laden presentation about how rival telecommunications companies are “raping” consumers. "These high and mighty duopolists that are raping you for every penny you have, if they could do something nice for you they would,” he said on stage in Seattle.
Moms who DREAM
I never thought sending a Facebook “Friend Request” could impact me they way it did. One day on my Facebook wall, I noticed an organization called “DREAMers Moms”, so I sent them a friend request. I quickly received a response that they wanted me to come to a meeting in Miami, Florida. I was changed forever… The meeting overwhelmed me, and I was able to catch it on film for “Documented” (which a
Sign our thank you card to keep the MOMentum going!
Take Action! Do you have a second to sign a very important thank you card to the White House? Click here to sign on to the thank you card now: http://action.momsrising.org/sign/WH_Summit_thanks/ Why the card? Well, we (and you) just had a… drumroll please…. MAJOR VICTORY! Many of MomsRising.org's top policy priorities and members were just prominently featured at the White House Summit on Working
Michigan moms want fairness
My family has been in Michigan for generations and I am proud to keep up that tradition as my wife Colleen and I raise our two daughters here. Michiganders share a set of values – a strong work ethic, integrity and fairness – that I’m happy to pass on to my daughters. But like many other parents, Colleen and I are concerned that our daughters are going to enter a workforce that doesn't reflect tho
The Pink Peril
It was a Tuesday evening, and we were getting ready for the next day. Lunches packed, coffee made, preschool calendar consulted. I never thought "Pajama Day" could cause my heart to stop. "So, Bean," we said, nonchalant as only nervous parents can be. "Tomorrow you get to wear your pajamas to school! Won't that be fun?" He grinned. "That's so silly!" &
#FoodFri Tweetchat: Healthy Tips for Eating Out
Eating out accounts for a third of Americans’ calories and contributes to poor nutrition and obesity. Restaurant foods and beverages often contain high levels of calories, saturated fat, sugars, and salt, and not enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. And restaurant practices, like large portions, upselling, free refills of sugary beverages, and unhealthy default side dishes, make healthy e
Major victory for the movement!
MAJOR VICTORY! MomsRising.org's top policy priorities & members were prominently featured at the The White House Summit on Working Families--and also in their blog recap of Monday's Summit! You've got to check it out: The black t-shirts with the red Super Ms are MomsRising!Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that what happened on Monday at the Summit could ever happen… From our launch in
May Justice Be Served: One Mom's Career In Sex Law, Part 2
One day in the early 1950s, my father’s folks loaded their kids into the car and took off down a central Indiana road for a picnic. My dad’s mom sat in the front seat, holding three month old Beverly, in her arms. As they turned a corner, an oncoming truck smashed into them, killing baby Beverly. Today would we even consider dismantling the child safety seat laws just because some guy fervent
Work Over Family? Why Family Values in the Workplace Matter To Me
This week I had the opportunity to attend the White House Summit on Working Families, where I got to meet advocates, labor leaders, media, and other working mothers, all looking to address issues of workplace flexibility, equal pay, workplace discrimination, opportunities for low-wage workers, and other issues. The summit was particularly significant to me because it focused on women as breadwinne
The United States of Compost
Vermont is a cool place and it’s getting cooler. The Green Mountain State passed a “universal recycling law” (Act 148) that has a number of progressive provisions including mandatory composting. Starting this summer, enterprises that generate two tons or more of food scraps per week – e.g., grocery stores, restaurants and food producers – must divert them from landfills. Because the
Documenting Mama
On Sunday, June 29th, my story in the form of the film “Documented” will be told to the nation on CNN. A large part of my story is that I haven’t seen my mother since August 1993. Telling my Mama’s story was not something I was eager to do. Yet halfway through filming “Documented,” it became abundantly clear that I couldn't possibly tell my story and not include Mama, who lives in the Philippines.
Family separation? Not in our name!
While I was thinking about writing you this note, I remembered that when my daughter was a little girl she'd run to the door to hug me when I came home from work. Her smiles lit up the room as she'd chant, "Yay, mommy's home, mommy's home!" She never doubted I'd return home at the end of the day. But an estimated 5.5 million children who are in mixed-immigrant status familieslive in fe
A Tale of Two Macy's
Cross-posted from NWLC's blog Earlier today, I caught up with Kay Thompson and Sasha Hammad during a break at the White House Summit on Working Families. Kay spoke at the Summit about what having a predicable full-time schedule and a say in the timing of her work hours has meant for her family. Sasha Hammad is director of the Retail Action Project, and is fighting to secure these same protections
Why Economics is a Family Issue: Getting Ready for the White House Summit on Working Families
My mom was sitting across from me at the kitchen table, coloring a kite for me to take the 837 miles from my home in Florida to Washington, DC. She looked up at me and said, “You did everything right. You should be able to have anything you want; it’s not fair that you all work so hard and struggle.” It may not be fair but the reality is that in the United States today many families are struggl
We are going to be on Capitol Hill tomorrow. Are you coming?
The storybooks are all printed and we have bright colored kites made by little kids calling for Congress to pass working family policies like paid sick days, affordable child care, minimum wage, equal pay, and paid family leave. The only thing missing is YOU! Join us on June 24th (TOMORROW!) to help deliver to Senate offices kites and stories from working families around the country? RSVP here: ht
You're Invited: SEIU Facebook Chat on Working Families
Today, too many working Americans are falling further and further behind. Thanks to decades of failed policies, there just aren’t enough good jobs with good pay or access to quality, affordable child care and health care services for enough of America’s workers. How can we begin to fix this? It’s a conversation we think is worth having and we'd like you to take part. Join us TOMORROW, June 20 for
The California minimum wage needs your voice now!
Who would benefit from California raising the minimum wage? Moms like Jessica from Carlsbad who writes, “I have two children that I chose over education and career. The divorce made it necessary for me to go back to work and minimum wage just doesn't cut it. No family should have to choose between food and medical care, or taking a government handout because working full time is not enough, especi
#FoodFri Tweetchat: Save School Lunch!
TweetchatParents have spoken. Nationwide 78 percent of parents think that healthier food in schools will increase academic performance and 90 percent of Americans want K-12 schools to play a role in reducing obesity in their community. The USDA heard and implemented USDA nutritional standards for school meals, the first in 15 years. Currently, 90% of schools are serving healthy meals - that's prog
Moms deserve to bond with their nuggets without losing sleep
When I found out I was expecting the best thing ever (my baby boy!) I had just turned 23 years old. I had finally moved out on my own with my husband and been employed with my company going on two years. Unfortunately, my joy was short lived and I was rapidly overwhelmed with worries about money. My husband was unemployed at the time and my job did not offer paid maternity leave! I tossed and turn
Beyond Summit, Sustained Focus Needed for Working Women and Families
Next week, people from all over the country will convene in Washington, D.C.—and many more will log in to participate virtually—at a White House Summit on Working Families. Under the banner of “creating a 21st century workplace that works for all Americans,” we’ll hear from businesses, economists, advocates, workers and, yes, labor leaders to discuss policy solutions that can make a difference in
