While I agree that $5k is not enough, Iβm at least glad to see pro-natalist advocates realize the solution is going to take money, and not just shaming or moralizing.
23.04.2025 18:08 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0@jennawilliams.bsky.social
Working on childcare, taxes, and policy that helps kids at Voices for Utah Children π§©ππ views my own.
While I agree that $5k is not enough, Iβm at least glad to see pro-natalist advocates realize the solution is going to take money, and not just shaming or moralizing.
23.04.2025 18:08 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Thank you so much for your kind words! Keep fighting the good fight π
23.04.2025 16:37 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Thank you to everyone who has supported me and my work. Please stay in touch! Iβll stay on here for a bit but can also be found on LinkedIn or on IG at @jencolwil.
Iβd love to stay connected and support any transitions before I go!
β€οΈ thank you Utah for teaching me so much.
Iβm taking some time off to rest and travel. And then this fall, Iβll be moving to Boston to attend Northeastern School of Law (crazy time to study law, huh?). Iβm hoping to gain new legal skills to continue my advocacy work.
21.04.2025 22:18 β π 7 π 0 π¬ 1 π 1All I can say is, if you ever get the chance to work or advocate alongside a child care provider, TAKE IT.
They have shown me what it actually means to be in service to others. Their sacrifices and way they show up for kids has redefined for me what leadership and community care really mean.
This has been my favorite job. Iβve learned so much from child care providers, parents, organizers, and advocatesβyour perseverance and passion has left a mark on me.
21.04.2025 22:18 β π 3 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0Dearest Bluesky friends, I have some personal news. This Friday is my last day at Voices for Utah Children.
Iβm so grateful for the years of partnership, support, and shared work to make Utah better for kids.
For folks outside of this policy space, Iβve been growing more alarmed by this rhetoric and I just warn everyone to take it incredibly seriously.
21.04.2025 14:53 β π 3 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Iβm not opposed to a pronatalist agenda that supports parents and makes having kids more financially stable. I just have concern for approaches that rely on shame or coercion-tools that pressure families to conform to a narrow ideal or that undermine the agency/freedom of women.
21.04.2025 14:53 β π 3 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0As someone who has been working on child care policy in a cultural climate that supports traditional gendered labor roles and tends to oppose efforts aimed at increasing womenβs labor force participation, I am worried about this.
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/u...
Forcing people to pay $130 for a passport in order to vote is just a Jim Crow poll tax by another name.
It is blatantly unconstitutional.
Our Voices for Utah Children 2025 Legislative Recap is out! utahchildren.org/newsroom/spe... #utleg
We break down what happened during the legislative session, what we accomplished alongside our partners, and why staying engaged matters now more than ever. ππ§π¦
Utah: I am selling my Rad City 3 Commuter E-Bike.
~900 miles, used very lightly, stored indoors, charged indoors, and in great shape. Can remove stickers, can deliver. $850 OBO.
Itβs a very fun bike! I just donβt use it anymore.
Bernie Sanders is coming to Salt Lake on the 13th. Doors open at 3:30pm, starts speaking at 6pm
04.04.2025 19:01 β π 41 π 13 π¬ 1 π 2How a new daycare will change the economy and familiesβ lives in this Utah child care βdesertβ www.fox13now.com/news/fox-13-...
Stellar reporting from @tstevensmedia.bsky.social @fox13news.bsky.social
Utah's DAY WITHOUT CHILD CARE
When: Monday, May 13th, 3-5 PM
Who: Child care professionals, parents, advocates, owners, teachers, & children!
What: Spotlight the true cost of care and demand the funding we need for a 21st-century childcare system.
RSVP:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
πVoices Responds: 2025 Leg Recap
Join us on April 8, 12-1 PM, for a breakdown of the 2025 Legislative Session where we'll answer YOUR questions! #utleg
RSVP Today: utahchildren.org/newsroom/eve...
Donβt use our kids as props for your βfamily-friendlyβ theater. From my colleague Anna Thomas: utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/03/24/d...
25.03.2025 21:27 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Were you homeschooled and educationally neglected for religious reasons? If you share your story, it can help SCOTUS better understand the stakes of protecting every childβs right to an education: responsiblehomeschooling.org/amicus-brief...
24.03.2025 17:37 β π 4 π 1 π¬ 0 π 0NEW: The Educational Choice for Children Act would send $136.3 billion in public revenue to private school voucher programs over the next 10 years.
It would also allow the rich to donate stock and avoid capital gains tax, ultimately creating a lucrative tax shelter. itep.org/educational-...
π’ Voices Responds: 2025 Leg Recap π’
Join us on April 8, 12-1 PM for a post-session breakdown of the 2025 Legislative Session! ποΈ We'll cover key policy decisions, what they mean for Utah kids & families, and answer YOUR questions. #utleg
β‘οΈ utahchildren.org/newsroom/eve...
I was traveling out of state over the weekend and two people from different states asked me about Utah banning the pride flag.
This is shameful for our state.
The Senate is considering a budget resolution that threatens deep cuts to programs that many families with young children rely on, including Medicaid, SNAP, and Pell Grants.
Tell Congress to Stand Up for Families with Young Children! www.votervoice.net/NAEYC/Campai...
Parent Melanie Call hopes to reenter the workforce one day. βOn the last day of the legislative session, I literally cried...I just feel diminished from the workforce because I became a mom. And I donβt think thatβs right." said Call. #utleg
www.fox13now.com/news/local-n...
Iβve never heard child care providers express more frustration over lawmakers failing to engage them on legislation that directly impacts their work.
Thereβs also growing concern that policymakers prioritize the appearance of support over delivering real, meaningful solutions.
"What Happened With Childcare During the 2025 Legislative Session?"
My take: Lawmakers passed bills that didn't include childcare stakeholder input, didn't reflect the needs of the community, and won't move the needle on fixing the childcare crisis. #utleg
utahchildren.org/newsroom/spe...
Also idk how drivers donβt understand they have to stop at crosswalks for pedestrians, itβs beyond
11.03.2025 15:50 β π 3 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0The Utah legislative session ends on a familiar note
11.03.2025 02:09 β π 140 π 37 π¬ 0 π 6In the final minutes of their recently completed session, Utah lawmakers voted to disband the stateβs Women in the Economy Commission, created to improve gender equality by making policy recommendations for how to better help women participate in the workforce.
10.03.2025 18:49 β π 37 π 23 π¬ 7 π 5