30 historias para 30 años
Leading up to our 30th Anniversary Celebration on June 4, 2026, we’ll share 30 powerful stories of how COFI and El modelo de COFI model have impacted individuals, families, local communities, and policies and systems in Illinois and beyond.
Impact on the Individual
These stories highlight the impact of COFI trainings on individual parents as well as individuals who have taken trainings at The COFI Center for Action and Learning.
Nelly
“Ser madre no viene con un manual de instrucciones, pero COFI es como un manual, y te ayudan a crecer y a liderar.”
Cómo Nelly asumió su liderazgo en COFI
Gloria
“No paramos hasta que lo resolvemos.”
Gloria dice que no sería la líder que es ahora sin COFI.
Doña Mari
“Triunfaremos y lograremos lo que pedimos cuando nos organicemos juntos.”
Cómo una madre abrió su propio camino con COFI
Talibah
“I didn’t want to stop.”
After completing the three phases of COFI training, Talibah kept asking: What’s next?
Leah
“This is how things work when parent voices are at the table.”
Meet Leah, a longtime partner and supporter of COFI
Building Parent Power Beyond Illinois
With the COFI Center for Action and Learning and with partners across the country, including those in UPLAN, COFI is catalyzing a national parent-led movement for economic and racial justice. These stories highlight how organizations outside of Illinois are using El modelo de COFI to build parent power.
Fredericka, Urban Core Collective
“What I love about The COFI Way model is that it’s people-centered… it’s about the parents digging into themselves and finding transformative pieces.”
Building Parent Power in Kent County (Michigan)
Arthur, Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP)
“This model is an opportunity for organizations to live into the values that so many nonprofits and community groups talk about, wanting to listen and partner with communities.”
Construyendo una red nacional donde los padres realmente tomen la iniciativa.
Larry and Carmen, The Children’s Agenda
“You can’t have policy changes on the issues without having the people directly experiencing those issues leading the change, and that’s what COFI understands.”
Fortalecer el poder de los padres en Nueva York
Camarrah, Max & Marjorie Fisher Foundation
“If you really want to do this work, listen to parents and honor what it takes for them to show up in the room.”
Fortalecer el poder de los padres en Detroit
Ms. Rose
“El éxito de nuestros 30 años se debe a la voz de los padres, que son los verdaderos expertos en afrontar los retos de la vida y merecen respeto.”
Building Parent Power “Worldwide”
Strengthening My Family
Through our trainings, parents become stronger leaders in their families. Parents support one another in gaining skills and confidence as family leaders, and also learn to set goals with their family members. These stories highlight how COFI has impacted parents and their children.
Jennifer, A Champion for COFI Families
“COFI incorporates families and family goals within the model. And that’s really important, because people are complex, and families are part of organizing.”
Isaías
“COFI has helped me reach my dream of being a better parent. And now, my dream is to be a better provider for my family and help inform my community.”
Marisol
“My main focus when I came to COFI was to have my family more united.”
Katrina
“Siempre estamos aquí defendiendo nuestros derechos. No se trata solo de defender a una familia, sino a todas.”
Delia
“Mis hijos recuerdan que les dije cuando empezaron el colegio que siempre lucharía por ellos, pasara lo que pasara.”
Organización local
COFI-trained parents work together to create change. To make their community more family friendly, parent leaders meet with neighbors, find common ground, develop new programs, organize community-wide campaigns, and realize the power of a collective voices. These stories spotlight parent power in each branch of POWER-PAC IL.
Sherita
“There’s a leader in all of us. Sometimes it takes unity to remind us how powerful we truly are.”
A Spotlight on Parent Power on the Westside of Chicago
Letty
“When I see someone struggling, it’s my instinct to help them and do better.”
A Spotlight on Parent Power on the Northwest Side of Chicago
Cye Cye
“Sé que cada mes puedo asistir a las reuniones de la filial de Southside, hacer oír mi voz y trabajar junto con otros padres y cuidadores para alcanzar nuestros objetivos colectivos.”
A Spotlight on Parent Power on the Southside of Chicago
Esmeralda
“La sucursal del suroeste tenía grandes líderes con mucho conocimiento y estamos luchando por grandes políticas.”
A Spotlight on Parent Power on the Southwest Side of Chicago
Liliana
“Una vez que pruebas la victoria, siempre te preguntas qué sigue. Así es la sucursal de Aurora. Somos muy activos y siempre estamos en movimiento.”
A Spotlight on Parent Power in Aurora
Lettie
“Cuando se formó Padres Unidos por el Cambio, nos propusimos conseguir un mejor servicio de transporte en el distrito, y lo logramos. Somos la prueba de que los padres pueden convertir sus sueños en realidad.”
A Spotlight on Parent Power in East St. Louis
Silvia
“En Elgin, ayudamos a los padres a desarrollar su liderazgo. Al igual que COFI, los acompañamos y seguimos ayudándolos a crecer.”
A Spotlight on Parent Power in Elgin
Arisbeth
“At COFI, we focus on specific issues so that the action steps are achievable and concrete.”
A Spotlight on Parent Power in Evanston
Changing Policy & Systems in Illinois
COFI-trained parents create a cross-community policy agenda that starts with common concerns raised by parents, such as childcare, safety, or school quality. Together, parent leaders organize to communicate their ideas and concerns to public decision-makers. These stories will highlight POWER-PAC IL’s collective dreams and wins.
Yolanda
“Early Intervention and other early childhood programs are key to a child’s development. It helped my daughter and it should be accessible to all without any financial barriers.”
A Spotlight on The Early Learning Campaign
Lynn
“Los padres que participamos en esta campaña sabíamos que la disciplina severa y los castigos punitivos en las escuelas no eran correctos. No nos rendimos ni siquiera cuando otros lo hicieron.”
A Spotlight on The Elementary Justice Campaign
Susana
“Health is something that affects all of us – especially now as we see cuts to Medicaid and people are losing access to critical care.”
A Spotlight on The Mental Health Justice and Equity Committee
Rosalva
“Esta campaña está cumpliendo su propósito: ayudar a las madres y a las familias a salir de la pobreza. Es un sueño hecho realidad.”
A Spotlight on The Stepping Out of Poverty Campaign
Michelle
“Our voices need to be heard because you can’t tell my story like I can. I bring lived experiences. That’s why we go to Springfield and speak directly to the policymakers so the actual voices of our communities can be heard.”
A Spotlight on Moms on a Mission and Statewide Advocacy
Dreaming Forward
Reflections and visions for the next 30 years of parent power!
Chanelle
“Los líderes de padres de COFI han estado trabajando a diario para impulsar políticas que reflejen nuestra visión compartida de un mundo mejor y más equitativo para nuestros hijos y familias. No dejaremos de organizarnos y abogar por ello hasta que se haga realidad.”
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