Future Forum Partners with MAPP, NPWF for Paid Leave Roundtable
Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, September 16th, Future Forum members joined MAPP Impact and the National Partnership for Women and Families to host a roundtable on the importance of paid leave. Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Rep. Sarah McBride (DE-AL), and Seth Magaziner (RI-02) joined a panel of chefs and business owners to discuss the importance of access to paid leave for their employees.
Participants of the Paid Leave Roundtable
The objective of this roundtable was to understand what kinds of policy solutions will help people in the restaurant industry succeed. The discussion focused on paid leave, childcare, immigration, caregiving, and medical leave. Future Forum members were joined by Jocelyn Frye, President of National Partnership for Women and Families and Joanna James, Founder of MAPP. The panel of chefs included Hollis Wells Silverman of Eastern Points Collective, JJ Johnson of FIELDTRIP, Johanna Hellrigi of Ama, Paola Velez of Providencia, and Radelle Reese of Virginia State University.
“As a mom of two, I know how hard it can be to juggle your career and raise kids – especially when so many of our workplaces, including Congress, weren’t built with families in mind,” said Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-07). “We need 21st-century policies that reflect the needs of families, starting with paid leave for all. This is just one step – we need young leaders at the forefront, fighting for accessible childcare, fair immigration policies, and workforce benefits that actually keep up with the needs of working people today. I’m so grateful for the chefs and small business owners who have built their careers in male-dominated fields and continue paving the way for our next generation.”
“Paid family and medical leave is about making the American Dream a reality for everyone — guaranteeing dignity and peace of mind for workers and families as they face life’s inevitable challenges, from the demanding joys of welcoming a child to the terror of a serious illness,” said Rep. Sarah McBride (DE-AL). “In the wealthiest nation on earth, time to care shouldn’t be a matter of luck — it should be the law of the land. I’m grateful to Congresswoman Pettersen for her continued advocacy and to all of the incredible advocates who joined us today.”
“Working parents in the United States, including those in the food service and hospitality industry, work hard and deserve a much-needed break to be there for their kids,” said Rep. Magaziner (RI-02). “That is why I introduced the PTO Act to guarantee every full-time worker at least two weeks of paid leave each year, and I was glad to join this Future Forum roundtable to hear directly from women in the restaurant industry about why this matters. At the end of the day, this is about basic fairness and dignity for working people.”
“At a time when so many women are struggling to navigate their work and family responsibilities and the Trump Administration’s policies are exacerbating longstanding workplace inequities, our leaders must stand up for the basic rights of the families they swore to represent and protect,” said Jocelyn Frye, president of National Partnership for Women & Families. “It is disgraceful that the United States remains one of the handful of nations on earth that lacks a national paid leave policy, and we will continue to fight until every American has access to paid family and medical leave.”
“We want our to students to know their worth and know their power – it says a lot. The stability of our industry is crumbling and that’s why the education piece of our food and agricultural system is so important,” said Radelle Reese of Virginia State University. “Greater happens here - greater grows here, they are there to cultivate that. You have to know your purpose and passion to know where you’re going.”
“We want access to these support systems and resource not because our employees deserve it but because you are human,” said chef Paola Velez. “I want the America I thought I grew up in to be the America I live in.”
About Future Forum Congressional Caucus: Established in 2015, Future Forum is a generational caucus comprised of 51 members from a diverse cross-section of the Democratic Caucus who are 50 years and younger. Future Forum represents the next generation of leaders in Congress and includes members of all ideological and identity caucuses in the House, members of the Democratic leadership, and the first Gen Z Member of Congress.
To learn more about Future Forum: https://futureforumcaucus-mcgarvey.house.gov/