This Father’s Day we work to uplift the voices of DC dads and families fighting for Paid Family Leave. Join us! Click “Take Action” at the top of this page and follow @dcpaidleave for updates. Read on for new stories from DC dads....
"Having a child has proven to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, but also the most challenging, especially the first few months. I am privileged enough to work for an organization that gave me two months of paid leave when my son was born, and I cannot imagine how other new parents get by without that time. Being there for my son and my partner in those trying early days of parenthood was invaluable and helped us getting our footing as parents."
-Mike Salamon
(Fair Budget Coalition Director Ericka Taylor, fourth from the right, with her father, second from left and their family)
“Since my brother, the youngest of five, was delivered by Caesarean (requiring six weeks of bedrest for my mother) my father shifted from being a caregiving partner to being solely responsible for all the cooking, cleaning, homework help, and transportation to extracurriculars, while also helping care for a newborn. That had to take a huge physical and financial toll, and it should shame us all that things are not much better now, nearly 30 years later. It’s time to make gender-equal parental and family leave a reality.”
-Ericka Taylor
“When our son was born, I benefitted from a full month of paid parental leave. Moreover, my job gave me the option of postponing that leave until my partner Joelle went back to work. This flexibility was critical to our postponing the start of full-time daycare much longer than we originally thought possible. It also allowed both of his parents to share more equally in the work (and joy!) of caring for him in his first weeks of life.”
-Ethan Merlin