“I always say parents are needed for more than just the picture. 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.”

Michelle will tell you she was always the quiet one that sat in the back of the room. Her mother and sister, Lynn, who were also COFI-trained and in POWER-PAC IL, never seemed afraid to speak up. But, that didn’t mean Michelle didn’t have anything to say. Instead, she would whisper suggestions to Lynn or to other parent leaders.

That all started to change with the birth of her daughter, Deiondra. When her daughter was speaking more, Michelle noticed a lisp. Armed with everything she knew from COFI, she went to the school and spoke up about her daughter’s IEP minutes and what she knew her daughter was entitled to.

“I knew through Self, Family and Team + Team Building, that parents have to fight to get what they need,” she said. “Without my mom and sister being beside me, I had to become an advocate for my child and move to the front of the room.”  

Michelle has said she always wanted to speak up and advocate for her neighbors and for more parents to be at the table. She says if you’re doing something you’re scared of, that’s when you know you’re doing what needs to be done. 

That’s why she and hundreds of COFI-trained parents in POWER-PAC IL often travel to Springfield, Illinois, to the Capitol Building to talk to legislators. It’s become an annual tradition for COFI and POWER-PAC IL, called “Moms on a Mission,” or MOMs for short, and takes place the weekend before Mother’s Day.

For many parents and their children, it’s the first time they’ve traveled to Springfield and spoken with their lawmakers. For others, like Michelle, they’ve been doing it for several years and have fond memories of it.

Michelle says Deiondra was one of the first “COFI babies” – someone’s child growing up around parent leaders and going to event after event with their parents. Michelle said her daughter loves attending Moms on a Mission and has held a sign at rallies since she was small. She even texted COFI staff members and her mother about her school lunches when they were working on a campaign for healthier school lunches as well as used what she’s learned about the changes POWER PAC fought for in the student code of conduct to advocate for herself as well as other students. 

“Springfield and Moms on a Mission has led to several victories, like the Illinois State Child Tax Credit, winning recess for all, funding for early intervention, and more,” she said. 

Michelle said that’s why it’s so important for parents and families to tell their stories. They have a unique perspective and oftentimes have the solutions to the challenges their children and communities face. 

Now, as Michelle looks to COFI’s future, she said her dream is for more “quiet” parents like herself to move from the back of the room to the front of the room and know they have a voice and the importance of using  it for their communities and their child’s education.

“I also want to see COFI go worldwide,” she said.