Where do you live and work?

I live in Romeoville, Illinois and I work with Early Intervention in Developmental Therapy and I’m in the process of becoming an Essential Screener in Will County. I’m also a mom and an advocate in Will County, even beyond EI I also advocate on family rights and environmental issues.

Can you tell us a bit about your family?

I have three kids, two sons, 5 years old & 4 years old and my daughter is 18 months.

How did you first become involved in the early childhood space?

Well, I used to work in the kitchen industry and I was very unhappy going into work, and I figured if I have to work I don’t want it to be a drag on my energy. I started in an afterschool art program and I found working with kids so amazing, they’re so great and such a joy to be around. After that shift I pivoted to being a TA working at a child care center. I went to school and got my Gen Eds done, received my CDA and eventually had my own classroom before I went back to school to receive a BA in ECE and leadership. I transitioned into being a center director and I loved it,  but I didn’t love the business aspect. So I decided to shift gears to EI, got the training to be a therapist and here I am today, supporting families on a more personable level.

What are some of the biggest challenges you see in your early childhood work?

Lack of funding, lack of support, lack of understanding. More of us need to come together to let people know why this is important, why it’s critical to support the work. We have to spread the word to stop taking money away from these programs because we’re already cut so thin. I don’t want our money going to war, I want it investing in our future generations.

If you could snap your fingers and instantly change something about our early childhood systems, what would it be?

Just basically having the money and resources for teachers & therapists to have support and training readily available so they can better support the families they serve. If we want families to know about infant mental health, WIC, LIHEAP, EI, the services that are readily available, then all providers working with children need to be trained on this. Not to mention paid to attend these trainings, we take time and money out of our schedule and receive no compensation when we already do so much behind the scenes, off the clock.

What keeps you passionate and motivated?

I don’t want to live like this, and I don't want others to have to live like this. The cost of everything, food, even housing is unaffordable for us parents. I'm angry so I’m going to take my frustrations and direct them to my passions, and bring people together so we can stand up for what we need as humans to raise other little humans. Enough is enough.

What gives you hope?

My kids, and kids in general. They deserve better. As a millennial I feel like we’ve been climbing uphill since before becoming adults. It’s been such a battle and I don’t want anyone’s kids to have to deal with this, I want us to invest our time & energy into making things better for all of our kids, and the generations to come.

What other interests and activities do you pursue outside of your work?

I love hanging out with my kids, especially my sons who are at the age where imaginations are running wild so pretend play is amazing. I love to grow things in my greenhouse, our fruit trees and shrubs are blooming this year, and I’m trying to invest more in planting things that can feed my family and community. We spend our free time cooking, baking, and collecting trash around our neighborhood. I also like playing guitar and doing art on a more individual level to fill my own cup and recharge.

What's something about yourself most people don’t know?

I come from a true Punk Rock background, like I had a mohawk and everything, I was in an all-female band called Liquid Courage and my favorite song we made was Jaded. If I wasn't at a basement show you could find me in the front lines of protests, that’s the foundation I bring to my advocacy now.

What advice would you give to someone interested in doing the work you do?

Don’t be afraid to say something! My journey all started with answering one email about an interview and now I’ll talk to anyone at this point. I’ve lived through so much and heard so many family stories, I would say to folks just don’t be afraid to reach out. Ask your question, share your story. It's okay to not know where to start, there’s a whole community ready to support you along the way that you don't see until you voice yourself!

And lastly, what are your hopes & dreams for the children of Illinois?

For families and children to finally be heard. These little guys can’t advocate for themselves, parents aren't supported enough; so I hope that we speak in numbers for them because without that we aren’t going to get the change we need. It's only going to get worse if we don't do something about it now! Strong families build strong communities.