Hispanic Heritage Month 2024: Yamily Byas of Mamás Unidas
“Diaper need is a struggle in our communities, and we need things readily available for families when they need them. . . [N]ot having diapers, kids are not able to go to school or go to daycare, families are not able to work, or go out and find jobs. I want things to be more equal for everyone.”
Yamily Byas is a devoted mom, community leader, and hard worker who advocates for Hispanic mothers through her organization, Mamás Unidas. In her role, she provides essential resources, such as diapers, to support families in need. When she's not making a difference in her community, Yamily loves to travel and create lasting memories with her family. She enjoys winding down with some quality entertainment, often watching Netflix. Her passion for helping others, combined with her love for adventure and family time, reflects her vibrant personality and commitment to a balanced life.
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September 2024 | Interviewed and edited by Jessie Colbert, Executive Director, Mass. PPD Fund
For Hispanic Heritage Month ’24, the Mass. PPD Fund is proud to share the work and reflections of Yamily Byas, Founder and Executive Director of Mamás Unidas on the North Shore. Yamily founded the group while she was on maternity leave with her son, and struggled to find new mom groups with other moms who spoke Spanish, looked like her, or shared her cultural background. So, she took matters into her own hands and created those resources!
Mamás Unidas pivoted in response to diaper need during the pandemic, and continues to be local families’ go-to organization for diapers and other essential needs. Here, we talk about what it’s like to struggle when you don’t have emotional and practical support as a new mom, why diaper need is so critical, and Yamily’s experiences and vision for the future of Mamás Unidas.
I’d love to start by learning more about your career and background. What led you to start Mamás Unidas?
I currently work for the Salem Public Schools as a Student Support Specialist, and I've just recently marked my third year there. I also recently got a job offer, so I'll be transitioning to a new position over at HAWC as their Manager of Community and Advocacy Services, which I'm really excited about, and aligns more with the work that I do with Mamás Unidas in the community.
With Mamás Unidas, I started that in 2019 after I had my son. I only had one other friend that had a baby. While I was on maternity leave, I used to go to mom support groups around the city [Salem], and I would always find myself the only person of Color there, or someone that spoke a different language, or someone that looks like me. I visited at least four support groups before I was like, You know, this is strange! This is such a great resource, why aren’t there other moms doing this, at least moms that speak Spanish like I do, or that look like me? I talked to my friend, and she shared the same [feeling]: Yeah, I go to them, but I feel so left out.
We’re also working moms. You know, the library has all these different activities for kids and moms in the morning, like at 11 o’clock, or at one o’clock, and we work during the day. So I just decided to start my own kind of support group, and it was really to support specifically the Latina moms in the community.
So, with my mentor, Ana Nuncio – she’s also a great community leader – she spoke to Father Nathan at a church, and she told him about what I was trying to do, and he opened the space for me. Not affiliated with the church, just a space for me to come in with the moms and talk about motherhood and what it looks like, what it feels like.
I was always trying to find different resources and things that I could bring into this group. And we would do play groups, go to museums, and just have that support of moms that speak a different language, that look like me, that might share cultural things that I can feel comfortable talking to them about, and they can feel comfortable talking to me about.
What an amazing support and resource! Can you share more about what Mamás Unidas is doing now and the resources you offer?
It started as a support group, and we used to meet every other month. And then COVID started, and I got a lot of families requesting diapers and things like that. Obviously, everything was closed and we couldn't meet, so I transitioned into being a resource for diapers. We do diaper drives quarterly, we receive clothing. And then we just share information about organizations doing other things that we're not able to do, or are not doing at the moment – whether it’s play groups, just anything that's going on in the community – share that with our families, either through text, our website, or social media. But the big thing right now is just distributing diapers.
It's wonderful that you’re able to fill that need for so many families. Can you tell me more about how your diaper collection and distribution works?
We do diaper drives quarterly, like I said. Families have to register, and we cap it depending on the donations we receive – we might have 50 families or 100 families. When we're not doing a diaper drive, we get donations very sporadically. I go in and see what we have, and just post it, or I go through the list of families that we haven't served and [reach out]. Whenever we receive requests, we try our best to serve them. And if we're not able to serve them because I don't have the diapers at the moment, we make sure that we find them the resources through other organizations nearby.
Thank you for sharing. It’s so valuable that you are the go-to organization for diapers and other resources, since sometimes families don’t know where to go. You are a one-stop shop!
Thank you, it’s something that really touches my heart, that I’m really proud of. The community health centers around here are constantly sending us moms for diapers. I have a great relationship with the city [of Salem], with the Salem Children's Alliance director. I'm constantly reaching out to her, like, Hey, do you have this size? I don't have it right now. She's like, Yup, I have them, come in tomorrow. So we’re able to serve families one way or another.
Besides diapers, what are the other major needs you see in the families you serve?
Really diapers, because I feel like that’s what we’re known for. But also clothing, formula’s a big one too, just baby supplies, even postpartum supplies. And also, they might not know the resources if they’re struggling with food insecurity, like a food bank. I've also had families that are immigrating to here, and they're like, Where can I go to get my ID, or to get my license, or for jobs? English classes is a big one. I was an ESL instructor for seven years, and I'm able to reach out and find out when the next class is starting.
You are meeting so many critical practical needs for families. Can you also speak to the importance of emotional and mental health support? How does that come up in your work?
I feel like I'm very fortunate and privileged that I have a support system. I have a family, a job I can rely on, and things like that, where a lot of families might not have that. I can relate, I understand it. I understand what it is to have postpartum depression, and struggle, and feel tired. It's a challenge being a mom and trying to scramble [to take care of your family and do] all these things all at once.
I've had a few moms that, when they come to get diapers, they kind of pull me aside and are like, Hey, I'm struggling, do you know of a therapist? Or even if they want to get out of a [domestic violence] situation and are looking for a shelter or housing. I have gotten those a few times, and again, it's something where I might not have the answer right there for them, but [I can] contact the housing authority or Salem City Hall, or someone that I know in the community that can help this family.
Do you have any long-term goals for Mamás Unidas? What is your hope for the future?
I would love to open a space, like a play space for kids, and it's diapers on demand when families come. I have all these different ideas in my head and written down! I would love for Mamás Unidas to grow – we’re storing things in a church, in the back of my car, in my home. I would love to have a space so families feel comfortable to come in and have all the resources available in one space.
That would be amazing! Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Diaper need is a struggle in our communities, and it's something I know that the state is working on, and all these different organizations are working on. Families are struggling, and we need things readily available for them when they need them. Especially diapers, because not having diapers, kids are not able to go to school or go to daycare, families are not able to work, or go out and find jobs. All these things just because they don't have clean diapers to keep their families safe and healthy.
Organizations [should] also focus on making sure that they are sharing information in different languages. Some families don't speak English, and there might be resources and families that don’t receive because they don’t understand or know what’s happening. I want things to be more equal for everyone. I get really sad when I know a family is struggling and they're just not able to get the services and resources they need. I wish that's something that I could change.
Click here to make a cash, diaper, or other donation to Mamás Unidas and the families they serve.