Editor’s note. This story appears on page one of the May online edition of National Right to Life News. This story, and all the stories in the 39-page edition, can be found at www.nrlc.org/uploads/NRLNews/NRLNewsMay2015.pdf
The NRLC Convention always provides us with a huge line-up of excellent speakers who motivate, educate and train the grassroots — that goes without saying.
But this year I’m even more excited than usual. Why, you ask? Well, one guest speaker, in particular, is someone I’ve dreamed of having with us at the convention for years. She has much to offer the rank and file of the right-to-life movement: brilliant insights, passionate advocacy, a fiery ability to motivate, and a lengthy resume that would impress anyone.
Rachel Campos-Duffy is many things. She is the wife of a man who has his own impressive right-to-life career as a stalwart defender of unborn children and their mothers in the United States Congress. She is the mother of seven absolutely incredible children ranging in age from 1 to 15. She is the author of the book “Stay Home, Stay Happy: 10 Secrets to Loving At-Home Motherhood,” as well as numerous articles published all over the place (you can read a few of them here and here). She is the national spokesperson for the LIBRE Initiative, which educates and advocates for Hispanics through limited government, entrepreneurship and self-reliance; and from time to time you may even turn on your television and find her guest-hosting on The Today Show or Outnumbered on FOX.
Yep. She’s pretty impressive on every level. But you could have figured all of that out just by Googling her name. I am here to assure you that the reality of Rachel is even more fabulous than the impressive biographical profile indicates.
First of all, rarely have I seen a husband/wife team that works together more effectively than Sean and Rachel do. Together they accomplish great things while managing family and career, and while it is a juggling act at times, it is one that they perform with great love. Of course I follow my congressman on social media, and my favorite posts are the ones he puts on Facebook any time Rachel is on television.
I am also a firm believer that you can tell a lot about a person by meeting his or her children. (A fact that has me on pins and needles every time I leave the house with my own small human tornado in tow.) I’ve had the joy of meeting all of the Duffy children and interacting with them over the years, but I work most closely with Evita, who, as the oldest, is the front-runner among the Duffy offspring. We are very blessed to have her on our Wisconsin Teens for Life leadership team, and she has been gracious enough to help us with National Teens for Life events, as well.
As I’ve spent long car rides, weeks during the summer, and retreats as well as conventions working alongside this young woman, I have constantly marveled that anyone can be that articulate, that poised, that competent and that well-adjusted at such a tender age. The reason is obvious to me as a mom who is striving for all of those qualities in her own children — this young lady has been parented exceptionally well. Beyond that, it is very clear to me that she is being encouraged to make a difference in the world by a mom and dad who understand that children should and do have opinions and can absolutely impact society by sharing them.
In addition to her primary jobs as wife and mother, Rachel is also a passionate advocate. Her belief that every life is precious is obvious as she speaks eloquently on behalf of unborn children, already born children, women and minorities. She doesn’t just pay lip service to these values. She lives them.
I have watched her on television along with the rest of the world, but I have also seen her in what she calls her “mom uniform” (yoga pants and a hoodie) with a flurry of little Dufflings circulating about her feet. She is as at home on television discussing political issues as she is in her own kitchen effortlessly juggling a newborn while making smoothies for the rest of her brood. And she has a LOT to say about how we, as a movement, can make a difference for the cause of life.
In short, I can personally attest that Rachel Campos-Duffy is someone that you want to meet, and from whom you can learn great things. Probably the best place to do that is at the Thursday afternoon general session (aptly titled “The so-Called War on Women: Identifying the REAL Victims of the Abortion War”) at the upcoming NRLC Convention in New Orleans. (Yep. Totally shameless plug. You NEED to be there!)
And I strongly suspect that after listening to her for a few minutes, you will probably feel as I do – that we desperately need more like her in our world and on the front lines of the cause of life.
As an added bonus, Mary Matalin will be the Mistress of Ceremonies.
Rachel is a shining example of what is right in the world among my peers, and by all accounts the next generation will also be in capable hands as her children grow and take their place in the world. I am so privileged to know her, so proud to live in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District where she and Sean serve, and I cannot WAIT to watch her take the stage at my favorite event of the year – the National Right to Life Convention!
(Insert me doing an excited happy dance here and every time I think about it!)
Seriously. Check her out on Facebook. Follow her on Twitter. (https://twitter.com/rcamposduffy ) Read her book. Peruse a few of the articles she has written. And then join us on July 9th in beautiful New Orleans, Louisiana to hear the message she has specifically for all of us who make up the right-to life movement. It might just change your life.
It will absolutely give you the encouragement you need to keep advocating for the lives of the vulnerable.
Daniel Miller is responsible for nearly all of National Right to Life News' political writing.
With the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, Daniel Miller developed a deep obsession with U.S. politics that has never let go of the political scientist. Whether it's the election of Joe Biden, the midterm elections in Congress, the abortion rights debate in the Supreme Court or the mudslinging in the primaries - Daniel Miller is happy to stay up late for you.
Daniel was born and raised in New York. After living in China, working for a news agency and another stint at a major news network, he now lives in Arizona with his two daughters.
