As a young girl my Dad took me everywhere. That experience prepared me to be a great litigator because it made me comfortable negotiating with those more powerful than me. I take me daughter as many places as I can because I want her to grow up to be comfortable in public spaces, and all spaces.
I want my daughter to be a woman who is comfortable participating in the discourse of her community. I want her to have the confidence to stand-up for herself, for her values, and for others. I want her to know that she has valuable contributions to make, and I want her to be empowered to make them.
That is what I am modeling for my daughter by serving on City Council, and by running for Congress.
When we stay silent in the face of oppression, our children notice. When we give in to the politics of hate, and extremism and elect leaders who refuse to build a fairer, more compassionate, and more equitable society they notice.
But when we stand-up and fight for our beliefs, and for those with no voice, when we take action to build the kind of world we want them to grow up in, they notice that too.
This Mother's Day, I'm asking all of us to think about what we are demonstrating to our children about our values, about the people we want to empower them to be, and about the country we want them to live in. I promise, they are watching.
