Robyn A. Porter

CT Transit is hiring full-time bus operators in New Haven! There will be a job fair tomorrow, May 9th, at 2061 State Street in Hamden, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Please see the flyer below for more details.

May is Maternal Mental Health Month, and every first Wednesday in May is Maternal Mental Health Day. This is a day we shine a spotlight on critical mental health issues mothers and families experience, particularly in those cultures where these issues have been stigmatized and not addressed in the way they should be, leading to even more issues that remain in silence.

Today, I would like to take this time to recognize the beginning of Maternal Mental Health week, observed from April 29th to May 5th. This week, we turn our collective attention to the critical issue of maternal mental health, a crucial aspect of healthcare that often goes overlooked and under-addressed.

As we move toward the end of the 2024 session, I want to update you on bills that have passed in the House aimed at making the lives of our residents a little easier as well as happenings I've been a part of and what's coming up.

At a press conference and Lobby Day last week, I was proud to stand with colleagues and the AFL-CIO in support of HB5164, An Act Concerning Unemployment Benefits. Workers go through a lot when they go on strike to protest injustices in the workplace. Coinciding with Lobby Day, before we brought up the bill, many members showed up early and received instructions on how to "lobby us" or persuade lawmakers that this bill was worth fighting for and passing - and it is.

I was happy to join fellow State Representatives Trenee McGee and Anthony Nolan at the Connecticut Pregnancy Care Coalition Forum at the Capitol last week. I would like to thank the representatives from CT Pregnancy Care Coalition for informing us about the services they provide to women and families in our state.

I was proud to stand with fellow State Representatives Kai Belton and Trenee McGee at a press conference on Wednesday in support of Black Maternal Health Week! This year's theme, 'Our Bodies STILL Belong To Us: Reproductive Justice Now!' was our focus. We wanted to bring more awareness to this issue because we truly need to address the racial disparities that exist in maternal healthcare.

State lawmakers were happy to sit with the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. for a legislative breakfast in Hartford last week!