FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 14, 2025
CONTACTS:
Vote Mama – Marcus Coppola, press@votemamafoundation.org;
New American Leaders – Jessica Delos Reyes, jess@newamericanleaders.org
Nearly 42% of New American Women Serving in State Legislatures are “New American Mamas”
New American Leaders and Vote Mama Foundation research finds that 41.49% of New American women serving in state legislatures are mothers of minor children.
NEW YORK — Vote Mama Foundation, the nation’s leading source of research and analysis about the political participation of moms, and New American Leaders, the only nationwide, nonpartisan nonprofit that empowers first- and second-generation Americans to run, win, and lead in public office through training, governance support, and research are proud to release collaborative research about the growing presence of “New American Mamas” in state legislatures.
Breaking into politics can be especially challenging for mothers or individuals from immigrant backgrounds. These challenges are even more pronounced at the state legislative level, where mothers of minor children make up just 7.9% of all state legislators, and only 4.89% are New Americans. Within this group, “New American Mamas”—mothers of minor children who are immigrants or first-generation Americans— bring diverse, lived experiences that are critical for shaping inclusive policies, yet they face compounded barriers as both caregivers and representatives of immigrant communities.
This fact sheet explores the opportunity to combine the groundbreaking data of Vote Mama Foundation and New American Leaders to better understand and support the intersectional identities of mothers and New Americans serving in government. Through research, both organizations aim to advance inclusive political representation and reduce barriers to political participation and civic engagement.
Vote Mama Foundation identified 582 state legislators who are Mamas. New American Leaders identified 188 New American women represented across state legislatures. Of these New American women, 78 (41.49%) are New American Mamas, demonstrating a substantial presence of leaders who bring unique perspectives and also face additional barriers, as both Mamas and New Americans.
Key Findings
- New American Mamas are present in 30 states, with a majority (61.54%) serving in state houses. Among the 78 New American Mamas serving in state legislatures:
- 33.33% (26) are first-generation New Americans born outside the United States
- 66.67% (52) are second-generation New Americans, with at least one parent born outside the United States
- Race/ethnicity: AAPI and Latina New American Mamas are the most represented
- Mama Information: 21 New American Mamas have children under the age of 6, with five of these being pregnant or having given birth in the past year
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“New American Mamas bring invaluable perspectives to our state legislatures, but their voices remain underrepresented. These leaders navigate unique challenges as mothers and first- or second-generation- Americans, yet they are vital to creating policies that truly reflect the needs of diverse families and backgrounds,” said Liuba Grechen Shirley, founder and CEO of Vote Mama Foundation. “By breaking down barriers, we can make running for and serving in office accessible for all mothers. Vote Mama Foundation and New American Leaders are committed to empowering trailblazers because when New American Mamas lead, our communities thrive.”
“New Americans – especially New American women – bring such diverse, lived experiences to their leadership journey,” said Ghida Dagher, CEO and president of New American Leaders. “Add motherhood on top of that, and that’s an unstoppable combination. Mothers exemplify the strength and courage, as well as the compassion and love needed for good leadership, and we’re so proud to work with Vote Mama Foundation as we support and follow these New American Mamas taking up the mantle of civic leadership.”
Learn more in the Vote Mama Foundation Politics of Parenthood report and the New American Leaders’ State of Representation report.
About Vote Mama
Vote Mama Foundation is the leading source of research and analysis on the political participation of mothers in the United States. It works toward gender equity by normalizing mothers of minor children running for and serving in office, naming and dismantling the barriers that keep moms out of office and out of power, and enabling legislators to pass truly family-friendly policies. Vote Mama Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more about Vote Mama Foundation and Politics of Parenthood, please visit votemamafoundation.org.
About New American Leaders
New American Leaders (NAL) is the only national, nonpartisan organization dedicated to building a more inclusive democracy by empowering New Americans for public service and expanding civic engagement nationwide. For more information, please visit www.newamericanleaders.org.
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