A Day in the Life: Grace Romero, Parent Organiser for Parent Action
A Day in the Life: Grace Romero, Parent Organiser for Parent Action
As a parent of two daughters, I am aware of the difficulties and obstacles that parents face in their daily lives. I've been working at Parent Action since 2016, where I've dedicated my time to running a parent-led support group called Espacio Mama for Spanish-speaking families in Camberwell, where I also live. I became Parent Organiser two years ago with a vision of developing leaders and building confidence in parents so that they can express their potential and connect with the local area. I feel very lucky to be part of this community.
My day begins at the Mumspace group in Camberwell Salvation Army, where I will meet my Parent Action Core team parents to explain and invite them to the London Citizens Mayoral Assembly in April. Parent leaders understand the significance of attending this event because they have been campaigning on the issues raised by Parent Action's parents last year in our listening sessions.
They have been engaging in workshop solutions, met with decision makers, and attended actions not only locally, but also in London and nationally. For example, one of our parent leaders shared her story with the Director of Resident Services at Southwark Council in order to improve her treatment by housing officers, and as a result, they agreed to provide housing frontline staff training. I want to make sure that parents understand how important social change is in providing a better life for their families.
In the afternoon, I go to the Espacio Mama group to lead community organising sessions for Spanish speakers so they can participate in campaigns. As a Latin American, I want to ensure that my community is involved because I believe they deserve to be recognised in Southwark and raise their voices for better integration.
My role entails creating empowered generations of parents who are knowledgeable and confident about their community. The majority of the Latin American community frequently struggles to access these vital services or don't believe they have a voice, so my mission is to be a bridge between the Latin American community and social justice.
My job has given me a valuable lesson on perseverance, space for improvement and the opportunity to build on my skills.
Parent action is a community of parents and a Citizens UK project, working to build communities and take action on the issues that matter. Creating a space where parents belong.