Founder’s Note: Edition 2
“The solution to adult problems tomorrow depends on large measure upon how our children grow up today.” – Margaret Mead
Welcome to the second edition of The Thread! Thank you to everyone who reached out to let us know they enjoyed our inaugural issue and loved “the look.” It meant a lot. Engage’s mission is to promote women’s economic security and advocate for bipartisan/commonsense solutions that address the challenges women face in their daily lives.
Our guest contributor Sarah Rittling focuses on the challenges that mothers face in their everyday lives, challenges that Covid-19 has only exacerbated. Sarah heads the First Five Years Fund and has written about early childhood education, which is part of President Biden’s “American Jobs Plan.” The voices for and against are in full force. Sarah’s insight is grounded in fact and is wonderfully human. I’m grateful for her enthusiasm towards Engage and look forward to us collaborating more in the future.
Next, because the features in this edition touch on broadband access and early childhood education, both of which require money – our money through the taxes we pay – I asked our Policy Director, Sophie Evans, to dive into the federal budget process. It was mostly a selfish request, as I was in dire need of a crash course. She may kill me as a result! But I hope you find her piece (and the accompanying fact sheet) helpful, especially if you are following the current budget debates in Washington. With trillions of taxpayer dollars in the federal budget, it’s important that we understand the basics of how they are being spent.
Our Engage Woman, Adrienne Schweer, is kind, fun, and smart. She tirelessly advocates for parents and caregivers at the Bipartisan Policy Center. After that, you’ll see a new feature: Lyrics with Laura. In response to her new fame as the first Engage Woman, we decided that our Chief of Staff needed her own section. The result is a musical corner (complete with a playlist!) where Laura’s spotlights a female artist and shares five of her favorite songs.
Lastly, while we’re thinking about the first five years, motherhood, working from home, and the far-reaching impacts Covid-19 will have on all of us, I can’t end this note without mentioning internet access. Over 60 million Americans do not have internet in their homes – whether due to high costs or a lack of broadband infrastructure. I am excited to share with you an op-ed I wrote on this subject. I hope you find it useful as we all think about what is worth the government paying for.
As Margaret Mead’s quote reminds us, solving our present and future challenges depends on our investments today. We want to know what you’re thinking, so please be in touch. I hope this Memorial Day weekend allows you some time to do what brings YOU joy.
Rachel Pearson is the Founder of Engage. You can reach her at rachel@engagewomen.org.
Thanks for the piece on the need for more broadband infrastructure! It was all new information for us.