About New legacy institute
Advocates for our community
OUR PURPOSE
Social Justice Advocacy for people without children
NLI’s purpose is to influence and educate cultural and institutional leaders and policymakers to recognize people without children as whole beings with diverse, intersectional lives, who warrant inclusion, equity, accessibility, belonging and representation in all domains.
OUR MISSION
ACTION FOR meaningful CHANGE
NLI’s mission is to generate constructive change in cultural, organizational, and institutional policies that exhibit biases against people without children.
OUR VISION
Inclusion & Equity for our growing, global community
NLI envisions a world in which people without children are socially valued, treated equitably in workplaces and public institutions, supported by public policy, and accurately reflected in media and cultural narratives.
WHAT WE DO
NLI honors all experiences, circumstances and choices around not having children. We know that data drives decision making and social change. Insight from our diverse experiences can impact policy education and implementation, which benefits us all.
Our research initiatives, development of best practices, educational programs and assessments are inclusive of all gender expressions, as relevant to each program and initiative we undertake.
NLI assesses resources which are aligned with and specifically serve non-parent, childless and child-free communities. The Institute also advocates for access to equitable, appropriate spaces and treatment within the human resources, medical, therapeutic, and legal fields, retails spaces, and educational institutions, among others.
We are committed to taking action on the pressing issues facing our communities in visible and impactful ways. We honor community participation and input, and welcome your feedback, insight and questions!
NLI Founder
Christine Erickson (she/her/hers) is the founder of New Legacy Institute. She does not have children due to circumstances, and touched on her experiences in her book, The Mother Within: A Guide to Accepting Your Childless Journey. She is currently writing a revised version of this book, to be published in 2022.
Christine has lived in many different countries and cultures, and worked as an international executive and entrepreneur most of her career. She has also worked on international women’s law and development, and gender equity initiatives.
Her creation of New Legacy Institute is intended to address the social and policy inequities faced by those who do not have children, and to put the onus of change on the leadership and institutions, which propagate pronatalist biases and policies that negatively impact the every day lives of those who do not have children, whether by chance, circumstance or choice.
Christine is dedicated to advancing the diverse narratives and experiences of those without children, and is a staunch advocate of our equitable inclusion and acceptance in the spaces we live and work.
Her work and teaching within the Institute go beyond the visible and socially acceptable issues around and reasons for not having a child, to reveal the unseen impact on our lives.