I am Natalie Leon, an agent of change cultivating positive change within my community. Through my journey of overcoming childhood family trauma, an award-winning and purpose-driven career, and evolving through motherhood, I am empowered to leave this world better than I found it for my daughter and future generations.

Why this petition?

Moms are the creators of life, and families are at the core of our communities. The COVID-19 pandemic forced me and many other working moms out of the traditional workforce, but it also empowered us to create positive change in the world. Despite all the challenges my daughter's father and I faced as new parents while navigating the pandemic and life-changing times in a country that I now believe doesn’t support mothers, children, and working families, we are navigating parenthood with resilience and grace.

I'm grateful for my resilience and the support of my daughter's father. Though I've had to rely on government assistance programs to rise above the challenges, I encourage others not to fear judgment when ensuring the best for their family, and I especially want to remind you not to give up. Our children are the future of our world, and they need us. After being forced to resign from my stable job with a four-month-old during the pandemic, I reinvented my career as a working mom and an agent of change. I'm now part of the Miami-Dade County family, serving in a marketing communications role and driving positive change in my community.

I advocate for myself, families, and children because I understand the difficulties of balancing work and family. I empathize deeply with single parents who face even greater challenges. Raising a child in America shouldn't be this hard, and I strongly believe that working families and children deserve more support from society. How can this country expect families to thrive if they don't support the individuals that make up a family? But we have enough money to fund wars that murder innocent people, families, and children.

To genuinely support families, it is imperative that we ensure equitable access to essential resources and services such as health care, healthy food, child care, education, affordable housing, and fair pay. Access to these fundamental components is critical for individuals to lead healthy, fulfilling, and successful lives. By ensuring that everyone has access to them regardless of their background or income level, we can create a healthy and happy society that supports families and children to thrive in life.

As an agent of change, I am committed to pushing for legislative and policy changes that prioritize the needs of moms, parents, caregivers, families, and children. Join me in creating a more just and equitable society for all American families by signing this petition that addresses the following policies:

1. Access to high-quality maternity care and postnatal care for moms and their babies.
2. Paid parental and sick leave to ensure parents can care for their children without sacrificing their income or job security.
3. Support for early learning child care through federal funding and encouraging businesses to provide some assistance to working parents.
4. Achieve pay equality for all, specifically working mothers who are usually underpaid.
5. Provision of permanent child tax credits to assist with child-related expenses.
6. Establishment of universal healthcare to ensure lifelong health success for all.
7. Access to affordable higher education and support for trade schools.

Natalie Leon, Agent of Change

Please let me know if I missed anything on this assist. You can connect with me by email at iamnatalieleon@gmail.com or visit my website at www.iamnatalieleon.com.