The COVID-19 pandemic upended life for countless families and brought heightened attention to the plight of working parents. Recent IWPR studies find that during the pandemic, young mothers—especially those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged—experienced a sharp decline in employment and prolonged economic hardship for their families.

This webinar will bring together policy experts and advocates to delve into the challenges facing young mothers and discuss how federal and state policies can be leveraged to help young parents recover from the pandemic. Paying special attention to policies that would particularly benefit young mothers who are historically disadvantaged, we will explore what an equitable recovery looks like and how to build an economy that works for all.

Panelists:

• Nicole Lynn Lewis, Founder & CEO, Generation Hope
• Michelle McGrain, Director of Congressional Relations for Economic Justice, National Partnership for Women & Families
• Jessica Milli, Founder & Principle, Research 2 Impact
• Aisha Wells, EPST/Paid Leave Organizer, Mothering Justice

Moderators: Shengwei Sun and Jeff Hayes, Institute for Women’s Policy Research