Avengers of the Week | Joan Blades and Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Co-founders of MomsRising

Joan Blades. Photo credit: TED Conference [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0], via Flickr

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner. Photo credit: Women's eNews [CC BY 2.0], via Flickr

Established in 2006, MomsRising is “an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to achieve economic security for all moms, women, and families in the United States,” and leading the charge are co-founders Joan Blades and Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner.

Blades and Rowe-Finkbeiner found their way to the spotlight in 2006 with their co-authored editorial, The Motherhood Manifesto, which addressed the need for equal pay for women and an updated family support structure, two things we are still talking about and fighting for thirteen years later. Along with the other one million members of the MomsRising community, Blades and Rowe-Finkbeiner have been able to help ensure paid sick days for everyone working in New York City, win protections for pregnant workers in Maryland, and pass several early learning and child care bills in Washington state, among other achievements.

In addition to MomsRising, Blades is a co-founder of MoveOn.org and Living Room Conversations, a community of Americans dedicated to connecting across divides.

Rowe-Finkbeiner has been involved in public policy and grassroots engagement for more than two decades and has received numerous accolades for her work.

This #MothersDay, we salute @momsrising co-founders @JoanBlades and @rowefinkbeiner for inspiring over 1 million people to rise up for women. #AvengerOfTheWeek #GenderAvenger https://www.genderavenger.com/blog/joan-blades-kristin-rowe-finkbeiner-momsrising