Family Action Network Spotlight: Shelley Hill

Behind every movement for change are parents who turn their love for their children into action. In this week’s Family Action Network Spotlight, we hear from Shelley Hill, a mom of three young girls from Madison County, whose journey from parent to advocate reminds us that we’re all each other’s village. She shares how her experiences as a working parent inspired her to speak up for all families—and why storytelling is the heart of advocacy for Ohio’s youngest children.

Q. Tell us a little about yourself and your family. Where are you from, and what does family life look like for you?

A. I am a Michigan native whose family was transplanted to Ohio two and a half years ago. My husband and I are fulltime working parents with three children and two dogs. Our children – all girls – are 6 years old and twin three-year-olds. We are in the absolute sweetest season, soaking up as much as we can with our kids at the ages they are while trying to hold tenderly the changes of growth that inevitably come with time.

We love being outdoors together. We took our kids tent camping this past summer – it was a blast!

Q. What inspired you to get involved in advocacy for young children and families? What’s your “why”?

A. As an advocate at heart, I am compelled to speak up against injustice. After becoming a mother, that conviction was amplified as a desire to protect and pursue prosperity for, not only my own kids, but everyone’s kids. I’m a firm believer that there is no such thing as someone else’s children, and we are all each other’s village. And the hope for a better future for all is a reality that I believe can be achieved through collective effort.

Q. What are some of the biggest issues you care about as a parent or caregiver?

A. Better support for parents (maternity/paternity leave, affordable child care, comprehensive healthcare for pregnancy, labor/delivery, and postpartum); safer schools and communities through better gun regulation to reduce gun violence and gun-inflicted injury and death in children; reducing infant and maternal mortality, especially for women of color.

Q. What advice would you give to another parent or caregiver who wants to get involved but doesn’t know where to start?

A. Start with you and your story. Start with where you are and how you got here. When you reflect on the challenges and obstacles you overcame, you can see where you could have had more support, and that is where your advocacy can begin so that hopefully other families do not have to go through what you went through.

 Q. What’s one thing you’ve learned about advocacy since you started?

A. I have learned that my story matters and I have a lot to share. My experience is not like anyone else’s, but it’s equally as important. We all have something important to share and advocate for because of our experiences as parents and caregivers.

Q. What keeps you motivated to speak up, even when the work is hard?

A. I want my children to be able to look back and see that their mom advocated and fought on their behalf to give them the best chance at a safe, fruitful, and purposeful life. Our children will grow up and see how much the generations before them valued and care for them based on the actions we take today. That is a constant motivation for me every day.