Never underestimate a group of moms.

It felt surreal standing in front of the 250 attendees at the @thepolicyproject gala last night because I can still remember the very beginning of all this, not in a grand office or at the Capitol, but around a well-loved kitchen table.

A few of us, moms restless in our motherhood, sat wanting more out of life and more for families in Utah who did not have our privilege. Out of that little conversation came the seed of what grew into the Utah Period Project and so many other state wide initiatives.

A huge shout-out to the founder and visionary behind it all, @emilybellmccormick. Emily’s courage, tenacity, and willingness to start small but dream big lit the path we’ve all been walking ever since.

If you had told me back then that a handful of women not armed with power or politics, but with determination, relentlessness, and love for community could chip away at bold and systemic policies in our state, I might not have believed it. And yet, here we are.

I’ve had a front row seat from the very beginning, watching this small circle grow into a movement that’s shifting legislation and changing the conversation in Utah.

What I’ve learned is simple but powerful: a small group of committed people can absolutely change the world. And it all started at a kitchen table.