This story first appeared on the Local Moms Network.
As moms, we always want what’s best for our kids—in our homes, in our communities and in our country. This makes election season feel extra consequential—but at times, it can feel too time-consuming to get involved or overwhelming trying to learn about candidates. That’s where Chamber of Mothers comes in. This non-partisan non-profit was founded by mom of three Erin Erenberg, who has built a team of moms focused on bringing attention to maternal health, affordable childcare and paid family leave—issues so many moms care about.
In preparation for this presidential election cycle, they’re keeping updated notes on the candidates’ stances on these issues, sharing information about voter registration, and more.
For this week’s Meet a Mom interview, we asked Erin to tell us more about Chamber of Moms and how to get involved.
Can you please tell us a bit about yourself and your family?
I’m a lawyer and mom of three kids George (12), Arabella (9) and Beau (6), who relocated to South Carolina in 2018 after spending the previous decade in Los Angeles working at the intersection of entertainment, tech, and social good.
When I had our first child in 2012, I knew I would eventually do something to help women have a more supported transition into and through motherhood. That work began when I founded Totum Women in 2017, but it blossomed when I co-founded Chamber of Mothers in November of 2021.
How would you describe Chamber of Mothers to anyone who is not familiar?
Chamber of Mothers is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization that unites mothers as advocates to create a better America. Led by American moms advocating in Washington, D.C. and in their hometowns nationwide, Chamber of Mothers’ three core pillars are paid family and medical leave, accessible, affordable childcare, and improved maternal health outcomes. Chamber of Mothers is modeled after some of the largest coalitions in the U.S., including the Chamber of Commerce and AARP.
We came together when moms across the country were furious to see paid family and medical leave fail in the Senate in November 2021. All of us who founded Chamber of Mothers run motherhood communities online in addition to being mothers and working as doctors, lawyers, journalists, and HR professionals.
There was a collective sense that moms were “fed up and fired up” after being the social safety net of this country during the pandemic, then being dismissed by lawmakers in the fight for federal paid leave. We entered the advocacy space to lead those mothers to advocate together for change.
Your core areas of focus are maternal health, affordable childcare, and paid daily leave. Why are these targets for you?
We know that over 74% of Americans agree that we should have these basic supports. And there is an intersectional relationship between them. We want American mothers to feel healthy, whole, and supported. They won’t have that experience without paid family and medical leave and accessible, affordable childcare. Moms’ mental and physical health is paying the price. As my cofounder Raena Boston says, “moms have individualized and internalized system failures.” Moms aren’t bad moms because they’re anxious. They’re anxious because they’re expected to do and hold more responsibility than is humane. We know that when lawmakers prioritize maternal health, it will mean prioritizing subsidies for the care gap that mothers have been stemming for decades.
Some people would argue, if it’s so expensive to work, it makes sense for women to stay home. What is your response to that?
There’s bias inherent in this thinking, which we moms internalize. One bias is this: women are the default caregivers. Another bias: care is free. The cost of caring for a child is something that should be spread across all who might otherwise earn income in a family. And in every other wealthy nation, that cost is spread across the population, who agree that caring for children is a government spending priority.
How many local chapters do you have now, and what can moms expect if they join?
We have 26 chapters across the country plus an interstate virtual military chapter. Moms can expect to find a path to advocacy that feels natural to them, and to maintain their advocacy in community and with the support of our organization. Our chapter leaders and members are so energized by being a critical part of creating the change they see necessary to build an America they feel good about living in and bestowing upon future generations.
What are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of our team. When I see our team and chapter leaders at our biweekly meetings, my heart could burst. These brilliant, spirited mothers across the country are finding hope and purpose in advocating for law, policy, and culture that they will feel proud to pass on. I’m also proud to say that we’ve had 55 meetings with Members of Congress over the last year and a half, and that we have built bipartisan and agency relationships to bridge false divides and create unity. Our mission statement is “uniting mothers as advocates to create a better America” and we are living out that pledge at the federal, state, and local levels.
How can people join a local chapter or start a new one?
Contact [email protected]. She runs our national chapter expansion and is a gift of a human being.
