Voices in Action
Stories and Reflections From Our Work
Welcome! This page features stories, updates, and highlights from our work alongside families, communities, and partners, as we work hand in hand to strengthen systems and create real impact.
Latest Updates
NPLI has joined forces with the National Healthy Start Association to help shape maternal and child health policy through the MCH Policy Innovation Program. At a recent retreat, teams from across the country gathered to connect, collaborate, and lay the groundwork for lasting change. See how this work is taking shape and what’s next.
At the 25th New England Fathering Conference, NPLI co-led a powerful workshop on economic mobility for fathers alongside parent leader Joshua Vaughn. From storytelling to strategy, the gathering highlighted the impact of lived experience in shaping stronger, more equitable support systems. Read more from our time in Mystic.
NPLI has partnered with Share Our Strength to launch the SNAP Parent and Caregiver Advisory Council, bringing together parents with lived experience to improve food assistance programs. After a powerful in-person retreat in Washington, DC, the work continues with monthly meetings focused on systems change. See how parent voices are helping shape the future of food access.
At NPLI, we believe every child deserves a quality education, regardless of their background. Recent executive actions threaten essential federal programs, including student aid and services for low-income and special needs students. These changes could disrupt vital resources, leaving families to navigate an inequitable system.
COPLTI graduates brought their voices to the Ohio State Capitol, attending committee hearings, meeting with legislators, and sharing their lived experiences. This advocacy day was a hands-on lesson in democracy, and for many, a turning point in their civic leadership. See what they accomplished and how this momentum will carry forward.
We’re growing! NPLI is excited to welcome Viviane Rinaldi as our new Operations and Communications Coordinator. With experience in community leadership, multilingual communications, and a passion for equity, Viviane is already making an impact. Get to know her and the work she’s doing behind the scenes.
NPLI has partnered with the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families to launch a statewide vision for parent leadership through the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI). At a recent Civic Design Team training in Minneapolis, partners came together to connect, plan, and begin shaping a stronger future for families across the state. See how this work is taking shape and what’s next.
Zulema Gomez, our Director of Implementation, recently ran a powerful grassroots campaign for her local school board in California. Her campaign was rooted in integrity, inclusion, and the voices of parents. Now that the race is over, we're proud to share our admiration for her leadership and her ongoing impact as a parent leader committed to respectful, community-driven change.
As we reflect on this election, NPLI reaffirms its steadfast hope and commitment to justice and dignity for every family and community. We remain unwavering in our belief that hope is not a passive state but rather that it’s a call to action. Election outcomes may shift the landscape, and while our work may be made harder, our mission endures: to uplift parent voices, advocate for children, and ensure that communities across our nation have the civic tools and knowledge to lead for a better tomorrow.