5 Years of PL+US: Impact, Innovation and Awesomeness
By Katie Bethell
February 25, 2021
To my fellow advocates and friends,
In September of 2015, PL+US was a one-pager - just an idea. By the following February, with the help of an incredible crew of passionate fighters for social justice, we launched PL+US and PL+US Action, and I assumed the role of Executive Director of this ambitious project to win high quality paid family and medical leave for everyone in the United States. We started with a kernel of an idea, recognition of a need in the movement and an opportunity to shape a new future for families in this country. Now, five years later with nearly 25 team members, two incredible boards, a supporter base of over half a million, and having expanded paid leave for 8.5 million people nationwide, I’m so proud of everything we’ve built and accomplished so far.
Now the time has come for this ambitious organization to grow and evolve with a new leader at the helm. On March 26th, I will step down from the E.D. role and transition to an advisor and board member while we seek new leadership. The role of interim Executive Director will be held by our current COO, Molly Day, an incomparable leader, strategist, and values-driven decision maker I feel so privileged to work alongside every day. With Molly at the helm, I am confident PL+US will continue to be a powerful partner and leader in the paid leave and care economy movement, driving our mission forward as our boards, led by our wonderful chairs Parker Blackman and Sara El-Amine, work to find our next leader.
People say that these decisions are among the hardest they’ve ever had to make because it’s true. It is abundantly clear that in the fight for paid family leave, this is a moment of unsurpassed opportunity. COVID-19 has shown us that without an investment in the care economy, affordable child care, paid leave, and support for caregivers, our economy suffers and our families struggle. With this crisis comes the urgency to solve it, and the team at PL+US is a powerful, thriving, nimble force of nature: they are ready for this moment.
For me, this success marks a natural time to hand the reins of this organization over to a new leader who can carry on this work, open up new possibilities, and deliver not just this win, but wins for many years to come. My hope is that my successor is an inspiring, authentic and courageous leader who brings the power of their own lived experience to this work and a deep and clear-eyed vision for how our work can contribute to the dismantling of systemic oppression. This new leader will have tremendous support built on our track record of high impact, family-centered campaigns -- the result of an incredible team, boards, network, donors, and the families and domestic workers that support and sustain us all. And I am grateful to know that by bringing PL+US into the world, I helped create a space that could result in such powerful collaborations and impact.
In the last five years, we’ve done some pretty awesome things that are deeply and personally meaningful to me, including our work to:
Support the inspirational moms, Ali and Amber, in their bipartisan call for paid family leave in honor of their sons, Shepard and Karl.
Partner with the powerful organizers at United for Respect in their winning fight for paid leave at Walmart, and then a wonderful day with the incomparable Gigi carrying that message to Congress:
Bring dads to the halls of Congress in partnership with Alexis Ohanian, Dove Men+Care, and the Future Forum Caucus:
Host a Conversation on Care with our nation’s second-gentleman, Doug Emhoff and fellow movement leaders:
I am filled with gratitude, joy, and no small amount of nostalgia for the people, places, and partnerships (you know who you are!) that have been such a huge part of my work and life over these last 5 years. Last weekend I sat down and made a list of everyone I could think of who in some large or small way had personally helped me in my journey founding and leading PL+US. It was hundreds of people. If this were the Academy Awards, I would definitely be played off the stage naming them all.
Most importantly, I want to convey my deep gratitude for every single person who has had the vulnerability to share your personal experiences publicly as a part of our fight for paid leave: your bravery is the backbone of this movement.
This is just the beginning of what’s possible for PL+US. And you can play a role in writing our next chapter. I’d love your help finding our next Executive Director. Reach out to our executive search team Grossman Strategies at britt@grossmansolutions.com to learn more, or drop me a line.
My passion will always be for building a country where families thrive, and I haven’t yet decided what my next step will be. I’m asking myself questions like “How do we re-balance the scales of political power in favor of families and our most vulnerable community members? How can we reimagine the programs laid out by the New Deal in light of the rapidly changing nature of work? How have the political tides shifted to create opportunities for new alliances with the power to win transformative policy?” None of these questions are new, but the need for answers grows in urgency with every increase in the racial and gender wage and wealth gaps, every hour a person works for the criminally low minimum wage, every moment a person loses their job because they took care of a loved one.
With a little time, space, and rest, and the knowledge that PL+US is in good hands, I’m looking forward to seeking out some answers and, recharged, to getting back to work.
Let’s Win This!
With appreciation and thanks,
Katie