Activistas

I pump, You pump, We all pump. Right? Nope.

Go ahead, put yourself in these shoes: You're taking a 9-hour medical exam (eek!), you're away from your infant to take it, you studied for the exam with an infant (heroic!), and you aren't allowed to pump during the exam.  But it's 2007, you say?  But it's America, I say.

Moms Rising is hot on this one.  They've got a great petition you can sign lickety split to show your support for breastfeeding and pumping across the country (and, by extension, working mothers' rights more generally).  The Breastfeeding Promotion Act (H.R. 2236) is in Congress right now and our Representatives and Senators should know if you want to see it passed.  Tell 'Em, Mamas.  Sign the petition.  Tell 'em that nursing mothers need to pump (duh). That it's time to walk the walk.  82% of American women are mothers by the time they're 44.  That's a lot of Mamastituents, folks.  Surely we can prevail here.  We're really not asking for much.  Just some common decency.

The short & sweet on the bill: It would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to protect breastfeeding by new mothers by providing tax credits to employers who provide a place to breastfeed and/or provide breast pumps.  Keep tabs on this bill's progress on GovTrack.  It'll give you that "I'm just a bill" feeling. 

Oregon, Sweet, Oregon: We're relatively lucky here in Oregon, what with the hard-won legislation in the 2007 legislative session allowing women who work for employers with 35+ employees to take unpaid time to pump while at work.  For more about this new legislation, check out the Nursing Mothers Council of Oregon - they've even got a Lactivism page, with some good ideas for promoting breastfeeding and raising consciousness.  And for some unbiased facts, the National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL) does a great job summarizing breastfeeding laws in all 50 states (as of July, 2007).

Read on if you want the full scoop from Moms Rising.

100% Health Coverage for Families: What do You Get?

I admit that I'm torn here.  When I read in yesterday's Oregonian article, Workers Find Bonus in the Benefits, that the state has agreed to continue paying 100% of the health care costs for employees and their families, part of me was very proud that my state covers its employees' families, not just the employee, as so many employers do these days.  What a drag that would be: Mom goes to Kaiser and Dad and junior head to Providence - if they can afford it.  Lovely scenario.  But another part of wondered whether covering 100% is really necessary.  It seems that paying a portion of one's own health care is fair, and requires employees to pay attention to their coverage choices and be invested in the health care system (such as it is) in our country.  If you don't pay anything out of pocket, can you be expected to worry as much?

Last winter my premium doubled in one month with VERY little notice (thank you, Kaiser Permanente), and ever since I have paid much closer attention to the health care crisis in our country.  All of the sudden it was me they were writing about in the paper, my income that wasn't increasing fast enough to cover my rising health care costs.  Yikes, I always thought they were talking about other people. 

I know I am not alone in my opinion on premiums, but I also know that others strongly disagree.  My point here is not to incite a riot over who should pay for health care - but rather to ask Activistas what your experience has been with this, and what the impact has been on your work  - and thus child care  - decisions.  Whose work brings in the health coverage for your family - you or your partner?  Does it cover the whole family (mine does, thankfully, though at greater cost) or just the employee?  And if it covers just the employee, how do you cover the rest of the family?  And, most importantly, if you were to go active on this issue, what would you fight for?  First thing I'd do is separate health care and employment - completely and forever.  Why?  Because I don't believe that my employment choices should be governed by the need for health care for me and my family - and they are.  You? 

Wanna be a Mom Ambassador?

Willing to hit the capital to make a point?  Drive to Salem with the kids and some other uber Activistas to press the flesh and make a very powerful in-person statement to our state legislators?  Then read on, you may well be Mom Ambassador material!  Moms Rising is inviting interested mamas around the country to sign up as 'ambassadors' to be at the ready when an issue arises and needs local attention - in person.  Is that you?  Are you the type to head for the capital and make a statement for family-friendly policies?

Here's the opportunity (as e-mailed by Moms Rising):

INTERESTED IN BEING A MOM AMBASSADOR?  Click here to sign on today.  After you sign on, we'll put you on the list of people to be specially alerted anytime a small group is needed to come join us at your state capitol, or to other important events. Don't worry, you can always decline, or ignore, the special alert.  We know you might not be able to make it every time, but by signing on as a Mom Ambassador you'll be the first to know when these opportunities arise.

YOU CAN MAKE A BIG IMPACT:  We've seen first-hand how powerful MomsRising Ambassadors can be.  In our work in Washington State, a handful of members who visited the state capitol once or twice made all the difference in passing the Paid Family Leave legislation.  Let’s face it--it's hard to ignore a mom (particularly with a baby or kids in tow) who tells a legislator how important a bill is to them and their kids.  And our Mom Ambassadors carry the message for the thousands of us who can’t be at the Capitol themselves.  Thanks for all that you've done!   We’re excited to work with you in the coming months!

And we're excited to show Moms Rising how many Activistas there are in Portland, willing to work together to make needed change.  If you sign up (as I did), we'd love to get any feedback on how it goes.   

What do Working Women with Children Want?

That's the question David Reinhard attempts to answer in his August 22nd piece in The Oregonian, Sexual Politics.  We discussed flexible work schedules before on this blog, but it's worth revisiting, I think, to consider this piece.  Reinhard believes (as I do) that governments could (I would say should) do a lot more to support the now-documented desire of working mamas to spend more time with their kids. 

But not surprisingly, he believes that we can solve much of this by cutting taxes so families have more money and mom can stay home.   A possible solution for some families, but (don't tell the kids) I don't wanna stay home!!!  I just want the opportunity to work less, more flexibly, so I can successfully meet both my work & family responsibilities (without suffering a nervous breakdown in the process!).  Oh, and did I forget to mention, it's my work that gives my family health benefits - all four of us.  Not easy to walk out on.  The more working mamas think about untangling from the workplace - if that's your goal, the more complicated it gets!  Reinhard does acknlwledge the need for some flex-timey changes in the workplace, which I appreciate.  Papas could use a little of that, too!

What do you think of this tax-cut approach?  Is it the answer to all the problems of us time-challenged working families?  If you had more money, would you (could you?) work fewer hours?  I would, but, and here's the BIG ROADBLOCK for many of us: my workplace probably wouldn't let me. 

If the lack of real flexible work opportunities is something you'd like to see change, check out our disucssion of the Balancing Act.  There's even a letter you can download and send to Rep. Blumenauer supporting the bill.  Don't just get mad, get active!

SCHIP: Still Not Reauthorized

Back in July we talked about the importance of reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Plan (remember?).  Well, the bill hasn't been reauthorized and, in the meantime, the Bush Administration has proposed new, restrictive rules that would limit access for some uninsured middle class kids.  The issue has expanded to a broader discussion of government's role in health care  - an important issue to be sure, but not one that should cloud the real issue here: health care for uninsured kids through a successful, established program. 

The Oregonian ran an editorial yesterday supporting the program and opposing the Bush Administration's newly proposed, restrictive rules.  Check it out.  And if you want to learn more, specifically about how the program works in Oregon, skim Children First for Oregon's 2-page policy brief on it.  But best of all, if you want to rise up and DO something about it (yah!), it couldn't be easier to e-mail your Senators and our man Earl to send them this simple, very clear message:

Fund SCHIP.  Fully.  All children need access to quality health care.

Speak up, Activistas.  Your voice can make a difference.

Activistas 101: The 'How To' Series

We're thinking that not all urbanMamas who want to change the world know exactly how.  We sure don't.  But we plan to learn.  Because, well, knowledge is power.  Once we understand the system, we can influence the system.  At least that's the plan. 

We aim to share information with any and all Activistas about the various governments that we might like to influence, to simplify their often mysterious, intimidating ways.  What does the county do, say, that affects children and families?  The city?  How do you know what's going on in Salem, and when?  Track a bill?  Contact your state legislator?  Navigate the halls of Congress?  Yikes, there's a lot to learn.  And as we all know, not a whole lot of time between loads of laundry, board meetings, and little league games.  So, read what we've got to say and chime in.  No doubt there are some mamas in our midst with loads more experience than we've got.  We'll learn together.

No Time to be Sick

A week or so ago a lot of urban Mamas shared how their families juggle work and sick kids who can't attend school.  Some of us split the day with our partner, others leave it to the one working closest to home or school, and a (lucky!) few call grandma.  As I was reading along, getting ideas and comparing my own situation to everyone else's (natch), it occurred to me that rather than griping about not having enough sick leave (which I don't), at least I have some - and, importantly, I can use it to take care of my kids without lying to my boss.  But a lot of people don't have any sick leave or aren't allowed to use what they do have to care for family members. 

It's heartening that this issue is getting some attention.  There are legislators and activists working hard to pass the Healthy Families Act, federal legislation that would guarantee all workers sick leave - because too many don't have it.  And without sick leave, parents are one sick kid away from losing their jobs. 

If you, too, think all full-time workers should have at least some sick leave, check out what 9 to 5 has to say on the issue, then zip over to the National Partnership for Women and Families web page where you can lickety split sign a petition supporting the Healthy Families Act.  Go ahead, let folks know how you feel, how you think sick leave is something all workers deserve.  I mean, everyone gets sick, right?  Not to mention the kids.  If you're a wonk, you can read the bill itself and the Congressional Research Service (CRS) summary.  So short. So informative.

And dare I say?  15 co-sponsors on this bill (not many), and not one from Oregon.  This is an unsettling trend.  I'm beginning to think that our legislators aren't on the forefront of family-friendly policy.  You?

We Are Activistas

Way back when in 2004, urbanMamas was officially born.  Striving to be a community -- both online and in-person -- for all parents of all kinds in Portland, we began sharing more about one another.  After all, We Are Family.

After we've watched urbanMamas evolve over the past few years, we see that mamas and papas all over Portland are passionate about their communities, their neighborhoods, their schools, their childrens' health, their public infrastructure (like transit or libraries), their community services, their mama earth.  urbanMamas all over Portland seem like the folks who would love to learn more about how they could impact some change - be it learn how to slow drivers on their busy neighborhood streets or how to do good in their 'hood or how to support Portland's expanded recycling plan.

In the same way urbanMamas was created to connect mamas to information about mamahood in Portland, the Activistas forum is intended to connect us - all very, very busy mamas and papas -to resources and information that can empower us to make a difference.

Is there something that really makes you tick?  Something that you would change in a heartbeat?  Ban plastic bags?  Make Portland a leader in global warming issues?  Change corporate culture to be accepting of part-time work arrangements?  See to it that Oregon gives all new mamas and papas Paid Family Leave?   Make free Pre-K programs accessible to all families?  What is it that is near and dear to your hearts?  Help us, help you!

We are Activistas.

The Toy Crisis: How's It Playing Out in Your Home?

So if you're like me, you've banned Chinese toys from your home  - new ones that is, because if we were to toss the ones we already have, well, there'd be one empty toy closet.  While I recognize they are likely not all toxic, I lack the time and the know-how to test them all, plus, I am hoping to send my own little economic message that this toxic toy thing is not sitting well with me. 

There's a provocative Opinion article in the NYT today that questions how we toy-obsessed Americans will handle the 2007 holidays - in other words, what will Santa bring to your house, the grandparents?  You?  The article suggests that maybe we toy-dependent parents should just try and do without - let our kids use their imaginations, play in the proverbial cardboard box, and push ourselves to do more than just buy German/American/anywhere-but-China. 

Have you made any major toy purchasing /using shifts in your house since the recent spate of recalls?   Have you told the grandparents to just fuggedaboutit if it's from China (eek, will they think you're overparanoid..again)?  And what about the 'do without' approach - is that really better?  And then there's your child care center/caregiver, have you taken any action on that front?  Have they made any changes?

Ever Been Involved in Neighborhood Involvement?

I have always heard that Portland's commitment to and level of neighborhood involvement is high, high, high.  I've heard of "ONI," the city's Office of Neighborhood Involvement, and of course am familiar with my own neighborhood association, though admittedly not very involved in it, aside from attending the occasional monthly meeting - before I had kids, natch.  I kind of get the link between my neighborhood association and the one-level up neighborhood coalitions (like Southeast Uplift or NE Coalition of Neighborhoods), but can't quite figure how they all tie together to ONI.  I did see a nifty diagram explaining all the inter-relatedness - which helped this neighborhood neophyte - but would love to hear from those of you who've been involved - what do you think?  Does your neighborhood have a real voice?  What issue(s) were you involved with?  Were you successful?  Frustrated?  And, if you've lived in other cities, is Portland's system truly unique, more effective, more, well, involved? 

For any budding neighborhood activists, check out ONI's Get Involved web page to sign up for e-notifications, toolboxes & resources, and volunteer opportunities (like downspout disconnection & foot patrols, among others).