Friend - The predictions were wrong. The estimates were off. The cynicism was misguided. Moms, parents, and caregivers (YOU!) were right. We know our bodies, we know ourselves, we know our communities. Throughout the year we’ve lifted much-needed public policies, we turned out to vote in November – and we volunteered in record numbers to help get out the vote too.

You believed in our power together. You knew. You voted in way higher numbers than expected, and, importantly, sparked other people to vote too. And during this week when many are celebrating gratitude and thanks, we are celebrating you and are thankful for all you do.

Together, we surprised the nation with record voter turnout. To a large degree, our surge in voter turnout was underestimated because many calculations neglected to factor in that families are in a state of emergency, and that when women and moms are talking about the economy, we’re also talking about motherhood. Afterall, being a mom is a greater predictor of wage and hiring discrimination than gender – and Black, Indigenous, and moms of color experience compounded wage discrimination to the extent that Black moms are paid just 52 cents to a white dad’s dollar, Native American moms just 50 cents, and Latina moms just 46 cents [1] to a white dad’s dollar.

It doesn’t have to be this way (and we know it, so we are working every day with you for much-needed policy changes to solve it!): In fact, studies show that the wage gaps are narrowed by strengthening the care infrastructure policies that we’ve long been fighting for –and making progress on – together [2], including: paid family/medical leave, affordable childcare and eldercare, equitable maternal healthcare, expanded Child Tax Credits, as well as having access to abortion care.

It’s in no small part due to these factors, that you, me, and us, as well parents and moms across the nation (who are MUCH more likely to vote for candidates who support care infrastructure policies) stepped forward in a big way this election, from a wave of get out the vote volunteering, to getting out to vote in record numbers ourselves.

In fact, with your help, MomsRising made over 6,290,772 texts and calls to give infrequent mom voters the information they needed to cast a ballot, sent over 1,642,888 postcards (most of them were handwritten!), and sparked more than 30,154,042 social media and ad impressions.

All told, more than 64,460 people volunteered with us in some way to help get out the vote, including by sending voting reminder texts, handwriting postcards to nearly a million moms who are infrequent voters to give them the info they need to vote, meeting moms who are infrequent voters at voting locations to help them vote with fun games for kids, committing to get 5 friends to vote, showing up on a map of voters to inspire others to vote, and more.

We’ve also stepped forward together by raising your voices, sharing your stories, clicking to sign your name on letters, and reaching out to leaders to help pass some dramatic policy wins that helped, for example, lead to the largest single year drop in child poverty in the history of our nation.

We do this work everyday because we value our freedoms – and because we value you. The freedom to be there for our children, to afford childcare, to choose what’s best for our families, to have accurate education, and to earn equal pay. And like you, we know it’s well past time to pass policies that allow our children to have the best start in life and our elders the best golden years. That means having the freedom to decide if and when we grow our families without interference from politicians. It means having the time to be there for a new baby or a parent or spouse who is seriously ill. It means having affordable child care, equitable health care, and home and community-based care. We know the solutions, you know the solutions — and are so thankful to be fighting for them with you through our voices and our votes.

The entire MomsRising team sends our gratitude to you for standing up, speaking out, voting, urging others to vote too, and making a positive impact. It’s not easy. Life is busy. We’re still in a pandemic turned endemic — and you took valuable time to help get out the vote and to push much-needed legislative change.

We appreciate working with you, lifting the nation with you, and being in community with you more than words can say.

- Kristin, Amanda, Amber, Beatriz, Beth, Brenna, Claudia, Dede, Diana, Diarra, Donna, Elyssa, Felicia, Gloria, Hanna, Jessica, Joy, Julia, Karen, Katrina, Keisha, Kelle, Kelsey, Lauren, Leanne, Linda, Lucrecer, Mackenzie, Maggie, Mandy, Monifa, Nadia, Namatie, Nancy, Nathan, Nina, Tina, Tola, Ruby, Ruth, Selina, ShaRanda, Sheila, Sue Anne, Tasmiha, Taylor, Xochitl

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