NBC’s Meet the Press Sits Down with Moms First Founder Reshma Saujani
From founding Girls Who Code to advocating for America’s moms, Saujani shares the personal journey behind her most important fight yet: a new documentary on the culture wars shaping American motherhood
May 24, 2026 (New York, NY) — On Sunday, May 25, NBC’s Meet the Press featured Moms First Founder & CEO Reshma Saujani in a wide-ranging interview on the state of American motherhood — and the movement she’s built to change it. In a conversation with host Kristen Welker, Saujani spoke candidly about the forces that shaped her: growing up as the daughter of Indian immigrants, her decade building Girls Who Code, and the moment she realized that advocating for moms was key to finishing the fight for gender equality.
In her own words: “I realized when I had my second baby that there was no gender equality if we didn’t fix American motherhood.” Saujani continued: “American motherhood is broken by design. It’s a feature not a bug. What do I mean by that? Why does work end at 6pm but school pick-up is at 3:30? Why do I pay more for childcare than my mortgage? Why do 1 in 4 women go back to work two weeks after having a baby. These are structural problems, not personal ones. We’re made to feel like we’re broken, when the system is broken.”
The segment traces Saujani’s evolution from a congressional candidate who lost her first race to one of the most prominent voices in the fight for paid leave and affordable child care. Saujani highlights the culture wars that have halted progress in the past.
“When American women start making progress, we’re thrown a culture war to distract and divide us,” said Saujani. “Today that war is tradwife versus girl boss. It used to be stay-at-home mom versus working mom. It’s basically the same recycled divide since the 1950s. When I traveled the country for my documentary No Country for Mothers, I never met a woman who wants to milk a cow or hustle so hard she can’t see her kids. Most American women can’t afford to be a tradwife or a girl boss. But these archetypes are effective because they distract us.”
Saujani founded Moms First in 2021 after the pandemic sent millions of mothers out of the workforce. Since then, the organization has grown into a leading advocacy force, putting child care at the top of the affordability agenda in Congress, in states like New Mexico and New York, for businesses around the country, and in culture.
“I think on child care we’re really close,” said Saujani. “I’m optimistic because I’ve seen what happened in Vermont, in New Mexico. I saw what we did with Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani in New York. This is gonna happen because childcare is the linchpin of affordability.”
The Meet the Press interview elevates Saujani’s story to a national audience as her organization gets ready to premiere a historic documentary. The feature film, titled No Country for Mothers, has broken the world record for the most producers credited on a film. Directed by Raeshem Nijhon and produced by Emmy-nominated Culture House Media, Tan France’s French Tuck Media, formula company Bobbie, and national non-profit organization Moms First, the film will premiere on June 15, 2026. The trailer is available now at NoCountryForMothers.com.
Watch the full segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBcMfXKBHnY
About Moms First
Moms First is fighting for America’s moms. Our mission is to win paid leave and child care as economic imperatives that allow families to thrive. Our vision is a country that values motherhood and supports moms and families. Learn more at momsfirst.us.
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