Where in the World is Women Employed?
Some months, it’s a site visit. Some months, it’s a summit. And some months, it’s a policy briefing. But one thing’s for certain, two thing’s for sure, no matter the call, Women Employed is always ready to answer it. Because we don’t just talk about economic equity, we build it. One meeting, one presentation, and one trip to our nation’s capital at a time. And our progress is proof that the work is happening to build a more equitable economy for working women.
Here’s a look back at where we have been, what we have accomplished, and the impact we are building together.
Moms First film screening: No Country for Mothers
On Monday, June 29th, members of the WE team attended one of the hottest events in grassroots organizing. WE’s President & CEO, Cherita Ellens, Executive Vice President, Sharmili Majmudar, Chief of Staff, Mary Kay Devine, and Director of Advocacy & Policy, Sarah Labadie joined Moms, supporters, partners, and allies from across Chicago for the Moms First documentary, No Country for Mothers, film screening.
The film explores the culture wars surrounding American motherhood and why both the “girl boss” and “trad wife” labels ultimately distract us from the real issue: the lack of support for American families. We heard from Moms First CEO & Founder, Reshma Saujani, who was joined by the First Lady of Illinois, MK Pritzker, Filmmaker, Raeshem Nijhon, and other members of the movement working together to fight for an American motherhood that actually works, with childcare, paid leave, and real support moms have been promised and denied for decades.
The WE team provided guests with the opportunity to learn more about our local work and support efforts to pass Illinois Paid Family & Medical Leave by signing our petition. Join us today to support a comprehensive, universal, inclusive paid family and medical leave program for Illinois that ensures workers can take leave to welcome a new child or care for themselves or a family member when they are seriously ill.
Regional Stakeholder Engagement Meeting
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WE’s Vice President of Policy and Programs, Christina Warden attended the Regional Stakeholder Engagement Meeting of the Illinois Attainment Working Group on Tuesday, July 7th. There, WE provided input on the state’s attainment goal for 2040 in line with the Lumina Foundation’s Goal 2040.
To learn more about the meetings, visit: https://www.ibhe.org/AttainmentWG.html
And click here for more information on the Illinois Attainment Working Group.
College Changes Everything 2026
College Changes Everything held their 2026 conference on Friday, July 17th. WE’s Vice President of Policy and Programs, Christina Warden and ASPIRE Senior Program Manager, Christina Green co-presented with Meghan McShan from Chicago State University on Establishing Illinois MSI Policy. Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) have had federal resources stripped away for programs that support Black, Latinx, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander students. Their presentation proposed that Illinois needed to establish its own MSI definitions and recognition processes as a first step to securing state resources for future programming, and invited guests to share their input on shaping those definitions and developing advocacy plans to put them in place.
Family Values at Work and the Center for Law and Social Policy Convening
WE’s Director of Advocacy and Policy, Sarah Labadie joined Family Values at Work and the Center for Law and Social Policy for a two-day convening in Washington, D.C. July 20–22 titled Paid Family & Medical Leave Collaborators: A Convening for States Leading the Way. It was an opportunity to hear about the work on the ground in states with paid family and medical leave programs and in those still working to get theirs across the finish line.
