Let’s talk about mothers & work!

July 12, 2012
Licia Ronzulli and baby at work in the EU Parliament (courtesy of Reuters)

We’re hosting a conversation about work and family next week in Portland and we want you to join us!  We were inspired by Anne-Marie Slaughter’s recent article in The Atlantic, “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All” (and the many, many responses to it), because she raises some important questions about mothers and work in the U.S. that we grapple with often. She also makes some very critical points about how and why our workplace and public policies aren’t in sync with today’s families.

The way we see it, our dark-age family policies prevent too many mothers from remaining financially stable, engaging with their children, and reaching leadership positions (where we need them!). Great fodder for a hearty conversation!

Details, details!

  • What? A conversation about work & family in the U.S. stemming from Anne-Marie Slaughter’s recent article
  • Who? Brief remarks from Andrea Paluso of Family Forward Oregon & Jason Graham-Nye of gDiapers
  • Where? gDiapers HQ at 2808 NE MLK Jr Blvd, Suite g, Portland (map it)
  • When? Thursday, July 19th, 5:30 to 7 PM
  • RSVP: Email lisa@familyforwardoregon.org or just drop in
  • Need childcare? RSVP required to lisa@familyforwardoregon.org

Have you read the article yet?  It’s long but well worth the time (click here to read it).   If you’re one of the many parents with very little time to read (like me!), you can listen to a local conversation about it on OPB’s Think Out Loud radio show featuring Andrea Paluso, The Mother PAC’s co-founder and director.

And you might want to peruse these two responses, too.  We liked them because they raise important issues about men’s role in all this and point out that the key question isn’t whether women can “have it all,” but rather how we can make ends meet and parent responsibly:

Please join us next Thursday, July 19th for what promises to be an interesting, personal, and inspiring conversation about how we can work together to modernize the public and workplace policies that too often prevent mothers from parenting and working in ways that benefit their financial stability, their families, their careers, and our economy.

See you soon!