Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittney Pagone.
Hi Brittney, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started my social media platform (@PAmoms4change) about three years ago. My son was home sick and I was scrolling while he napped. I noticed these other moms had created pages in other states and were advocating for gun violence prevention. This was just a few months after the Uvalde, Texas school tragedy and so I was still very upset about this issue. I wanted to see change in our laws to make this place better for our kids. I was kind of looking for a new hobby and so I decided to start my page for PA and the rest is history.
Since then, I have evolved quite a bit – I now talk about a lot of different policy areas on my page, not just gun safety. I got really involved with volunteering during the 2024 presidential campaign and have continued to network and get to helping PA Dems in our commonwealth who want to make life better for everyone.
As for my professional life, I am a master’s-prepared RN with a background in clinical informatics, and I spent my bedside years as a neonatal ICU and mother-baby nurse. I am currently taking a break from working in healthcare, but that clinical work really taught me how much policy decisions shape the lives of families long before they ever reach the hospital.
What began as sharing information with other moms in Pennsylvania has grown into a community of over 50,000 people across Instagram and Threads.
I focus on making voter education and civic engagement clear, approachable, and actionable, especially for people who feel overwhelmed by politics. Today I create content around Pennsylvania races and issues, and keep pushing to get more neighbors informed and to the polls.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s definitely been a bumpy road, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy, especially in policy and advocacy work. One of my biggest struggles early on was networking. Building relationships with organizations, campaigns, and other advocates didn’t come naturally at first, and it took time to find my footing. Social media can seem really daunting to some groups and candidates, but it’s definitely growing on people. I feel like I have a much better handle on it now.
Beyond that, I’ve had to navigate constant algorithm changes on social media apps that affect how many people see important voter information, along with the online negativity and pushback that comes with talking politics in a public way. I’m also balancing all of this with family life (I have three kids, a dog and a husband) and so it takes a lot of real juggling to do this. Every challenge has taught me something, and I’m still learning and growing as I go!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work is focused mostly on Pennsylvania state politics. The national politics gets so much of the attention, but I think it is so important to highlight that what affects families’ daily lives is decided in Harrisburg and in local level races – from school funding to healthcare to who sits on the ballot in your own district. I create content that breaks down state-level races, legislation, and voting information in a way that’s clear, approachable, and actionable.
What I’m most proud of is helping everyday people, especially other people who feel overwhelmed by politics, feel informed and confident enough to show up and vote.
What sets me apart is my background. As an experienced nurse, I bring a healthcare lens to policy that shows how these decisions can play out in real families’ lives. I also bring an educator piece to the space as a nurse. I like to break down policy issues and make them easy to understand, so people can call their reps or go into the voting booth feeling prepared.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My best advice is to just be persistent. You will get connected with people in this work that might not always understand your mission or want to help you. Keep going. Eventually you will find your people and get into a groove.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/pamoms4change?psln=MXg1bG95MnY3YnV5MQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Other: https://www.threads.com/@pamoms4change?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
