Hello, everyone.
Hi, Melvette.
How are you?
Hello, Zulema.
I'm ready.
I'm doing great.
I'm so happy to see you and in like your bright pink.
Melvette, if you can't see her, I'm a bright pink blazer.
Melvette, I'm just so happy to be here and to have like another conversation.
On everything that is happening.
For those who don't know me, my name is Zulema Gomez and I'm the Director of Implementation at the National Parent Leadership Institute.
I'm also a mom here in Southern California.
Melvette, who are you?
Who am I?
I'm a parent also, and I am the policy and I would say capacity building consultant at NPLI.
I also work in the state of Connecticut at the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity.
Very long name, but really it's about equity and access for all.
So glad to be here and chopping it up with you in this conversation.
Yeah, I feel like it's been a while.
And before we go on, just a big thank you to Carlos Maldonado also, who is our podcast producer.
So thank you, Carlos.
Thanks to you for making this happen.
There is a lot that has happened since we last spoken, both in like the national arena and personally in life and our professional personal lives.
I think the biggest thing that I want to get to is to hear you announce like a really big change in your career or in your title.
And so are you ready? Are you ready?
I'm ready.
So back in May, I accepted a new role at the Commission.
And so I went from being the associate director of parent leadership and family engagement to now leading the Commission as the executive director.
So I'm excited and actually humbled and on some days a little nervous and scared, but it's great.
So I, I'm excited about it.
It's a team of eight policy analysts that work on policy related to women, children, seniors.
Also, we have analysts who work on African American policy, as well as Latino and Puerto Rican affairs, and also Asian American Pacific Islander issues.
So and all the intersectionality that occurs across all those groups.
And so I'm excited about the opportunity to really lead in that way.
And then, of course, we have an open position, the position that I vacated, which is a position that works across all policy areas.
It really focuses on family policy and family economic mobility and of course, parent leadership and family engagement.
So it's quite a robust team, quite a unique responsibility.
Sometimes I really feel the weight of it, but I'm excited about it.
Yeah, and for those who don't know the Commission is really the birthplace of the Parent Leadership Training Institute work and curriculum and as NPLI, we are partners and we are stewards of the curriculum and really expanding the work nationwide.
And I know you sort of like kind of like brush it off, but you know, right, this is a really big deal, right?
I've known you for many, many years and I know a little bit of your personal journey as a parent leader, also that worked in corporate America and are now in this position in state government.
And I am just awed and inspired by you and the work that you do and the work that you'll get to do, sort of like the potential of the impact is exciting and in your hands.
And I just wonder if you could share with those who are listening a little bit about like how you got here.
It is so interesting, quite bizarre, I would say, when we think about how I am now sitting in this seat. So I took PLTI about 20 years ago, actually 20 years and I've said that a few times, maybe even on this podcast.
I walked into my PLTI retreat January 2004.
And that's because of that. That's why I am where I am now.
I graduated PLTI in June of 2024. My project was called SHARE. It was supporting health, advocacy and resource exchange for parents who had children with special needs.
I was doing a lot of work for myself and my own family around advocating for children with special needs and who needed different supports in schools.
And that was the launch pad for the next 20 years, where I continue to stay involved. I would have to give a big old shout out to Patti Keckeisen who was my site coordinator and facilitator and who became my friend over many years.
We are still friends.
And it was Patty who kept me connected to our PLTI family in Danbury, Connecticut, and to opportunities. And so when NPLI was forming as a nonprofit, she approached me and was like, do you want to come and do some work with us?
And there's also a job over there at the commission. We need someone to run PLTI. And I interviewed for that. And I never thought I would work in parent leadership or in state government or any of the things.
I had a marketing background. And so that was back in 2016.
And fast forward, I was at the commission doing this work, leading PLTI, also working with our states to generational initiative, which is a strategy to help families move towards self sufficiency.
So to move from surviving to thriving and really look at how we support families economic mobility. And that has been the journey over the course of the years and really just growing a love for policy.
And using my problem solving skills, like we say in session 13, public policies intention is to solve public problems. And so I take that up with me every single day.
And that's the trajectory. So moving from a parent leader who came in and didn't know the potential for what was to come.
And really, I think, accepting the call to serve, because it's a decision that we all get to make. And you never know when you sign up and you raise your hand and say, I'll do this thing, what the end might be and what the future holds.
And so never would I imagine that I would be here as the executive director of the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity. And I continue to be able to carry that torch forward that Elaine lit, Elaine Zimmerman lit back in 1992.
And hold PLTI dear in my heart. So that's how I got here.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Yeah, I think when I hear your story, I think of so many other PLTI parent leaders across the country who either haven't entered a career space where they're happy or they're, you know, they are in a specific career area.
But this work, the training through PLTI, the networking that you build, it creates all of these different pathways.
And here you are like five, 10 years later, right, just in a different place. You know, I come from early childhood education, like solidly ECE doing that work.
And it was for the love of the little ones and sort of like the violence we were seeing in our community that led me to PLTI. And to say that I get to do like civic and democracy work, like never, ever imagined, right.
And it's definitely joy work. I'm just so happy. Happy for you. Congratulations.
We'll be seeing you again, Connecticut through you. Thank you.
Yeah, so lots happening in our work, you know, both you and I have been doing, you know, a couple of different events across the country, which really allows us to interface in different ways and partner with parent leaders and civic leaders.
And in May, Carlos was also with us, several of us from the MPLI team, we got to be at the UPLAN's national convening.
And I wanted to share a little bit about that experience because it's really impacted my leadership since I returned.
And so for those who don't know UPLAN is United Parent Leadership Action Network. And it's a larger network, national network that really brings together parent leadership organizations.
And so there's member organizations and together as a collective we strategize on a couple of policy goals and every two years, go to the nation's capital to meet with legislators there.
And, and sometimes with the administration, you know, on different like policy issues, both in education, domestic policy.
And we make our ask, right. And so this time we were asking for a couple of additional provisions and changes in the area of immigration, education, and really authentically asking for parent leadership or parent partnership.
And so we were able to work with parents, both locally and at the federal level, when they're writing policy, when they're considering changing laws or appropriations bills, things like that.
And it was a great experience. We were about 200 folks in DC, and we got to go with, you know, parent leaders that had graduated PLTI.
And I was there with the dad from Memphis and a mom from Jacksonville and some folks from our Kansas City PLTI community. So it was just wonderful to be in community with them.
But one of the experiences that really stood with me is, you know, I was there with a dad from Memphis where all of the legislators that we got to meet from his community were very conservative in their policy stance.
And so we are asking for like additional provisions in like in DACA, right. So for dreamers to have extended benefits and things like that.
And this parent leader really went into this experience like knowing or having an idea of how they might react to some of these asks. And you know I'm from a state that's that's fairly liberal or progressive some might say around some of the issues
that we were advocating around and very rarely do I get to hear as a parent leader. No, I don't stand for those things. It's usually more like, well, the budget or this time, but it's never like a no, we don't agree right it's very rare if and I just haven't had that
at all with anyone that says that. And so I was curious to see like how this would go. Would we find common ground? Would it be confrontational? I didn't really know. And I will say that it was like a lovely experience.
And so, you know, we had three different meetings and as we're asking for some of these things our parent leader right away knew sort of like common ground right he's a business owner, and then the dad stuff and then you know some of the policy asks.
And what I learned is that you know, especially legislative staff would say, well the senator won't support that but this is what we're doing right and that happened a couple of times where it was well, it was a no for sure, but this is what we're doing in
education or this is what we're doing and so what I learned with with this conversation is that like our kids and education specifically is the common ground to build on. Right. And so it did allow us to make the ask of, okay, well, as you're writing some of those bills.
Have you asked parents, what they think about the language or the provisions, and you know one instance we heard well we're meeting with constituents, but did you meet with parents right now, and you know and so then what we offered was, well we could be that collective
right so you have our information, and so, you know what what I was able to say is all we're asking is that when you're in these rooms, writing the language for these bills is that someone in the room asks like has anyone shown this to parents, what are the
things that you found this. And, and again, we didn't get very far in some of the other things, but it wasn't ugly, it wasn't disrespectful. And, you know, we survived the nose right we we heard nose on a couple of things right, and it was just right and we were able to
get around and for me as a civic leader as a parent leader specifically. It was great to know that the nose don't end the conversation, you just sort of like, keep working through it right.
And, and you survive and you still walk with your head held high, because you've done the work of advocating for those who aren't in the room with you. And I really left sort of like craving more of that like space with opposition or difference of opinion.
And since then have been able to speak to conservative leaders in my own community to find that commonplace right and and just to like getting conversation and it was a really great like growth experience for me.
It was interesting, and definitely, I think encouraging when we think about it, we're not always warring we're not always, you know, in combat with opposition right there are conversations that could be had at the table you said it was quite lovely.
And there were some yes buts or maybe even some yes and.
But they also got to hear from this group of constituents, what they're thinking. And certainly they take that back.
Even, you know, in some of our work in Connecticut, where, you know, some things feel very partisan.
And there's been some issues around family and family support and public benefits. But when you come together with both sides and like what, what is it that we all want, we all want people to have jobs, we want people to have opportunities,
to have food and shelter and all those things right sometimes it's even starting at the very basics for you. Your, your, your place to start with education right, everybody can get around children and education and so I think even for our parents
and community. It's, and we talked about this in PLT I especially in that session around coalitions and coalition building. What is the thing that you're looking unite around together with that small thing, and then start from there.
And then coming back to retreat. Right, when we, when we get in the space and we're like, hey, what do we have in common, where, you know, did you come from a large community or small community.
And so sometimes things that are outside of the issue or the things that can bring us together as well.
Like, who in the room likes corn, go, how do you like your corn I like my corn, you know cream that like my grill. So sometimes it's even starting with something simple outside of the issue that you're going to be approaching starts to build a
relationship and consensus and then you can go to the harder things. I love it.
I'm glad you all have that experience.
Yeah, and I really thought a lot of you because I think in many of the years that I've known you you sort of been like the Jiminy cricket on my shoulder that is like, you work across the aisle right and and it's sort of like the nonpartisan view of certain policy
issues, or bipartisan view and that has been a little bit harder for me to embrace, and you know that. Yeah, so I think it was really good. And so I appreciate you like always bringing that up and, and like, okay, now I'm, I get you know that
I get it, like, it works. I saw it happen. That's awesome. So you were. So you did you plan with parents you said about 200 of you all in this thing that's right you see.
I was at the Children's Defense Fund Freedom School national training last week. And it was amazing. I walked into a room of about 1500 people. And I was like, these are my people. These are the energy was through the roof, and there were people there who
were a lot like me, that always makes me feel great, even though I do like being in spaces where people are different. But I was like these are my people they were talking my talk, and they, they also embody very similar values that we do in PLT and also at NPLI.
And I appreciated how they were very intentional about the history of the freedom school movement, and that was a thread that was continued to, you know, be pulled throughout.
And I think the importance of partnering with families and community to continue the movement right to continue the movement of education for those who are disenfranchised and for our black and brown children, as they refer to many many times as our babies.
There was, I think the energy was in abundance. I would say 50% because of the work itself, but also because of the people in the room a lot of them were young college students, right into this generation.
Gen Z Gen Y folks, bring a different level of energy and enthusiasm and sense of purpose as they look toward the future. So it was amazing. It was amazing and so, so much gratitude for them inviting us to be in that space.
And to present a workshop. Actually we had two workshops our q amp a wound up actually being two times because there were so many people who are interested in parent leadership and how to engage parents.
So that was amazing. And it was at the beautiful Alex Haley farm in Clinton, Tennessee.
And it was also, I think this is a good bridge but it was also really interesting because while we were there and this happens to me a lot when I'm traveling when I'm traveling, like, there are things that are happening in the world like decisions are being made.
Well I was there right, it was the, the news of, you know, what news are you referring to what they're like a big, big news story.
And, and this is important, based on where I was right and go back to that conversations I was in Tennessee and Knoxville Smoky Mountains.
And the news came across that former President Donald Trump was convicted.
He was found guilty of 34 counts right felony felony charges. And so, you know, Tennessee's mostly red state at least in that part.
And so there was concern there was, you know, warning from the front of the room at CDF to be careful out there, and to know that while people might have their own feelings and opinions about this conviction to be mindful of where you were so there were
people from all across the country, you know, the Northeast, definitely some California folks. Hello, South Sacramento they were representing and, and some people had some very partisan opinions and so there was a warning to be aware and to be careful,
right, and know where you are. We were definitely in Tennessee and not everyone felt the same about that decision.
And so for many different reasons, I suppose, what are you hearing. And I know we don't, I don't want to spend a lot of time on this because we haven't even gotten to the point of sentencing, but are we hearing things from parent leaders about how they're feeling
about the decision or maybe questions that are coming up. What are you hearing.
The big thing is where a lot of folks are you know this is a historical first, right, this is one of those like you will remember where you were on this day right. And so there's a lot that we don't yet know about what comes next and so like, some of the questions
that I've been hearing are, you know, can former President Trump still run for, you know, another term and and the answer is, yes, there's legally nothing that says we cannot have a person with a felony conviction that can run for president right and and win.
And so that's all we know is, yes, whether the convention will choose him as the as the nominee for the party is something we don't know how involved he will be in his campaign strategy will depend greatly on the sentencing in July.
And so I think there's still a lot of unknowns. Just with anything that is a historical first. We don't really know what's to come right. And, and so I think for folks who are curious or sort of like wondering how that this informs this campaign season, you know consume whatever news
source, you are already consuming that is trustworthy. But you're going to hear a lot of like we don't know right so I've been hearing a lot of experts who are all saying the same thing there's just no way to predict.
There's some some inclinations.
But I think that's all we can do as parent leaders sort of like pay attention what's the conversation.
I've been really looking a lot at all sides calm and I also follow their Facebook to make sure that I'm not hearing, you know stories that are are extreme on either the left or the right, I really like all sides to just say like, this is what happened.
Right.
This is what the jurors decided this is this is the language, and it's, it's fairly objective and I think that's the best thing we can do as parent leaders.
Of course I like my commentary like podcasts, but it's it's also good to sort of hear sort of like the center line commentary and stay informed that way.
Yeah, and I know once I mean another thing that I'm hearing, not necessarily from some of the parents but you know out there on social media and stuff or people are not impressed that you know there are these 34 counts that he was found guilty on for felony charges I
think people will have a better sense of how to feel about our justice system when it comes to the sentencing right so the work happen at trial, a jury of peers, or as they've been saying on some of the media, you know, his neighbors convicted him.
And, but what will the sentencing look like we know that there are many black and brown people who are in jail for decades, a decade two decades on one felony charge.
So, what will this look like for, you know, Donald Trump during sentencing, and I think we will, we will start to hear more, whether it's displeasure or pleasure from people as it relates to the sentencing, because many folks have family members in prison on
their own for felony charges, will the President Trump, former President Trump be jailed, will he be put in prison or will he be at home. So I think there's more to come on that.
And also it encourages us right in this, this political system. I, you know, a while ago we talked about it before another podcast that, you know, civics is not just about voting it is about voting too but it's also about serving on juries,
and if you get that jury duty notice, this is what that is for right to be a part of the process right to be a part of the justice system. And so, it's important that we answer that call for jury duty for those of us who are privileged to get that
jury notice right and years past ago oh my goodness they want me to be on jury do you I don't want to do that. But we need to serve. Right. This is what that is we need to serve on juries and it also opens us up to, you know, our younger generation
and those folks who are right at that age of, I'm going to register to vote. Right, please get your parents please get your teenagers who can can vote, get them out there get them registered.
Even for adults if you're not registered please go register to vote, I'm not telling you who to vote for. But we have to be a part of the process where we can because not everyone has the privilege to be a part of the process in that way where we can cast
the vote and we can sit on a jury and so these are privileges that we have that people died and fought for that we should not go to waste. But of course it is your right to let it just go to waste but if you want to have a better country a better city better
environment, these are the things that we need to pay attention to. Right. Right. Right. Yeah, as parent leaders I think modeling how we view these duties and privileges right when that jury notice comes in.
Right. What is our attitude towards this because our children see that. And, and so, you know, it's more like, okay, well we got to do our civic duty or gay, I get to do something different.
Especially for parents to be on juries or I think we have a different perspective around a lot of issues for women and people of color to be on juries I think there's, there are many juries who look a certain way, and, and I think in the outcome is not always
fair and so whatever we can do to further diversify the perspectives and experiences in these spaces. That is a part of leadership if we have this privilege and right.
And so and I remember you wrote an article on this, a couple of years ago during one of your own experiences. I think we should definitely share that out because I think it really calls out some of these pieces.
So yeah, so thank you for putting that into this space. Absolutely. And you were talking also about like young people.
And like voter registration and this is like a really good season we were at a pride event on Saturday talking to a lot of young people recently graduated about to graduate, and like really encouraging them to vote this season to register to vote.
And pay attention to school board races or a lot of things are happening, especially for this community the LGBTQ plus community.
But definitely getting our young people to vote encouraging them to celebrate. And this sort of like privileges is an important thing to do.
Right, as we get ready to wrap things up what else what else is hot news out there. Yeah, I think the biggest thing is really as we're wrapping up this school season so for us our last year of school is
tomorrow, so I'm so ready for this, but a different summer routine right I'm really excited about that.
But I think, again, another reminder that those schools are out your school boards and district business continues. And so as a parent leader if you have a little bit of space, continue to engage, attend those meetings, see what's happening, budgets are being approved in
June, in many of our school districts across the country. And so, if you haven't attended any or watched any of these meetings this is one to really be a part of, and to have a voice and sort of what's happening next year.
And so I think that's my, my fellow parent leader call out for those of you enjoy the summer, and know that there's still work happening.
And if we're not paying attention, it's happening to us right. And we're going to enter the fall season like what happened what were all these changes.
And that happens a lot. I see a lot of those parent forums and people are like what in the world. And so, just take the time, a little bit of time to sort of stay informed even in the summer months.
I would, I would close with saying for folks to really be listening out for what's happening with the Supreme Court in our parent leadership work and the parent leadership training Institute.
We really focus a lot on the legislative branch and the executive branch not a whole bunch of executive branch but definitely the legislative branch but we should not forget or neglect our attention as it relates to our judicial branch that's
our Supreme Court that's what it's happening in your particular city states, as it relates to attorney generals, all of those things, judges, we should be watching, we should be paying attention, definitely I think we can talk more next time about what's
happening with the Supreme Court, and some cases around gerrymandering. Also, some of these residual things that are happening, but please please please your homework is to pay attention what's happening your school board and education and also the Supreme
Court judicial branches important to.
Yeah, that's a great call out. Thank you.
Yeah. Well, I think that's it for today. I think I know we can keep talking there's a lot going on. And so we'll we'll connect again in another month. And I know that you and I will be in DC once again in another week, presenting on language justice,
so we'll give a good update on what that work was like and specifically what we're encouraging organic organizations to do in that space.
So, but thanks again Melvette for the conversation as always thank you so much great, always great being in the space with you.
All right, take care to next time everyone.
Bye bye.