Monifa Bandele, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at MomsRising, joined The Lurie Daniel Favors Show to discuss Black Breastfeeding Week.
MomsRising is a grassroots organization that advocates for policies supporting mothers, families, and children. The group focuses on issues such as paid family leave, affordable childcare, maternal health, and economic security for all families. Through both online campaigns and on-the-ground activism, MomsRising works to amplify the voices of women, particularly mothers, to bring about positive change in their communities and at the policy level.
About Monifa Bandele
Monifa Bandele, a left-leaning activist and nonprofit executive, became the interim executive director of the Time’s Up Foundation and its lobbying arm, Time’s Up Now, in early 2022. Time’s Up, a women’s advocacy and anti-sexual-harassment organization, was formed in 2018 as part of the #MeToo movement. Bandele, who previously served as the organization’s chief operating officer, stepped into the interim role in September 2021 after her predecessor, Tina Tchen, resigned amid allegations that she had helped suppress sexual harassment claims against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Bandele had also served as a senior advisor at MomsRising, an advocacy group focusing on issues affecting mothers and families.
Bandele, alongside Makani Themba, was announced as an interim co-executive director of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, a funding organization for the Black Lives Matter movement. However, reports in early 2022 revealed that neither Themba nor Bandele had officially begun working in the role, leaving questions about the organization’s leadership. The foundation has faced ongoing scrutiny regarding its financial transparency and filings in various states.
