John, this is a bit of a longer email, but it’s on an important issue and I hope you’ll stick with me.
I am the only single working mother of young kids serving in Congress.
I understand what it’s like to have a million meetings in one day (that I’m probably already late for) while also balancing childcare, school schedules, going to the grocery store, and so much more.
So when I read that women—disproportionately women of color—accounted for all of the jobs lost last month, I was furious.
This news capped an awful year for working women.
Working parents were already struggling in a fragile system that expected them to balance pursuing a career and caring for a family full time without missing a beat. Then the pandemic happened. Schools and daycares closed. Workplaces either shut down, transitioned to Zoom, or deemed employees as essential without providing flexible leave options. Parents were left to “just figure it out” with no support.
And, traditionally, “figuring it out” means that caregiving falls onto mothers. Forcing women to cut down on hours or leave the workforce.
We know what the solutions are, but the issue is that not enough leaders are speaking out. Washington politicians (who are usually more wealthy and more male) have ignored these issues for far too long, and still are ignoring them despite these alarming job numbers.
Here’s an undeniable fact: Policies like affordable childcare and flexible paid leave are not just for women. They are vital keys to rebuilding our post-COVID economy and they benefit every single person in our country.
If we don’t have the voice of a single working mom in Congress, we won’t have anyone speaking up about these kinds of issues that families like mine face.
Thanks for being by my side,
Katie
