MomsRising turns mothers into advocates
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Online organizing
that’s turned many busy
mothers into advocates is
taking local involvement to
a new level as MomsRising
held its first Winston
Salem chapter meeting.
The meeting was held
last week at Highland
Presbyterian Church
Fellowship Hall, which had
a large space that housed
the meeting for the moms
and supervised activities
for their children. There
were even advocacy
themed coloring books
available for the kids.
MomsRising tries to help
women squeeze activism
advocacy into their frantic
lives and constantly advo
cates for a variety of issues.
Earlier that day, Beth
Messersmith, the organiza
tion’s state campaign direc
tor, was among those hand
delivering storybooks to
state lawmakers that col
lected the stories from fam
ilies impacted by early
childhood education. The
lawmakers knew to expect
them because they’d been
hearing from constituents
on the issue, due to an
email call-to-action that
MomsRising sent out that
morning.
Email alerts, urging
women to contact their
lawmakers on various
issues, is a frequent tactic
for the group.
“We want to make sure
that every time there’s an
opportunity that our voices
can be heard for families
here in our state and our
nation, that we put those
out there for folks so they
can take action,” said
Messersmith.
The group also regular
ly gathers the stories of
people affected by the
issues they advocate for.
Messersmith said that they
plan to deliver a storybook
with stories about the need
for paid sick leave to
Raleigh next week, com
plete with little rubber
ducks to go with the theme
that paid sick days “keep
families afloat.”
Started in 2006,
MomsRising has 1 million
members nationwide ana
42,000 in North Carolina.
It works on a multitude of
issues, including living
wage, education, health
care and gun safety. The
paid staff in North Carolina
is small, with Messersmith
putting in 30 hours a week,
and two others who put in
five hours weekly, so the
group is dependent on vol
unteers and members.
“I had no idea you
accomplished so much
with so little and I want to
congratulate you on that,”
said Diana Gray, who has
been responding to
MomsRising’s emails for
several years.
Gray was one of dozens
of attendees who came out
for the meeting. They
ranged in age from senior
citizens to young moms.
Some were longtime advo
cates, others only became
politically involved recent
ly
“I wasn’t a very politi
cal person before this
administration,” said Leslie
Wakeford, who added she
was just “coasting along”
when Barack Obama was
president.
Messersmith said
MomsRising has seen a
surge of new interest since
the election, as have many
other advocacy groups.
The women there listed
many issues they were pas
sionate about, including
stronger gun taws, protect
ing the Affordable Care
Act, and the high cost of
quality childcare, which
they said can cost more
than college tuition now.
Messersmith, after
recording what issues
attendees where interested
in, asked what they wanted
to do as a next step. The
group enthusiastically
asked for training sessions
on advocacy and how the
General Assembly works.
which will be featured in
future meetings.
1
Betf^essersmutnalKS about MomsRislng’s work
at the General Assembly during a meeting held last
week at Highland Presbyterian Church Fellowship
Hall.
Photos by Todd Luck
Diana Gray (far right) speaks during the first meeting of MomsRising in
Winston-Salem last week at Highland Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall.
Photo by Tevin Stinson
In honor of Bookmarks’ new location on West
Fourth Street, children’s author Megan Bryant
added two new verses to her book ‘Dump Truck
Duck.’
Bookmarks
celebrates
expansion
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
In recognition of
National Independent
Bookstore Day last
Saturday, Bookmarks held
a groundbreaking ceremo
ny for its new bookstore
downtown. The expansion
to the new location on at
634 West Fourth St. will
also include Bookmarks
offices, Foothills CafiS and
an event and gathering
space. Construction on the
building is expected to be
complete later this sum
mer.
During the celebration,
award winning children’s
author Megan Bryant led a
construction-themed story
time with local children. In
honor of Bookmarks new
home, Bryant added two
1
new verses and illustra
tions to her book “Dump
Truck Duck.” Bookmarks
operations director Jamie
Rogers Southern said she
was proud to see how the
nonprofit has grown over
the years.
“We’ve grown from a
one-woman team to host
ing one of the largest book
festivals in the Carolinas.
I’m incredibly proud to be
a part of the team that
makes up Bookmarks.”
Bookmark, she said is
a literary arts nonprofit
organization that fosters a
love of reading and writing
in the community.
Bookmarks reaches more
than 7,000 students annual
ly‘ . .
For mote information visit
www.bookmarksnc.Mg. t
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