JV's Baby Registry

Dear Family and Friends,

We are extremely excited to welcome baby in February 2026 and so grateful to be surrounded by your love and support during this big change. For those who have been asking and feel so inclined, we've put together a registry of some of the things we think we'll need, as well as some things that we think might be nice to have.

Several new babies arrived in our circle of family and friends during the past year and we are lucky to receive some lovely hand-me-downs from them, so there are some things we shouldn't need much of (bigger items as well as things like baby bottles, pacifiers, those oh-so-adorable clothes, swaddles, etc.). In an effort to be more environmentally and economically friendly, we are aiming to buy what we can secondhand, and we welcome pre-loved items like toys, books, and things similar to those for which we've registered.

Finally, since everything in life is political... As most of you know, this year has been extraordinarily challenging for our family, with the U.S. foreign aid sector decimated by federal executive actions and overreach, putting Victoria out of work overnight and unexpectedly forcing our family from a two-income household to a single-income household with no warning or time to prepare. With that said, we are extremely fortunate to have a support network who has helped ensure we have been able to meet our needs this year while Victoria continues to pivot her career and look for a new job amid this uncertain economy and poor job market.

This context and the overall threats to democracy and human rights that we are all experiencing in different ways at this moment in time has shrouded this otherwise most joyful moment in our lives with clouds of uncertainty, fear, and heartbreak. It is scary right now to bring a baby into this world and country where we are daily witnessing violence, conflict, inequity and injustice, and harms to marginalized members of our communities locally and around the world. We aren't able to say with confidence that we believe our son will grow up with the same rights and safety that we grew up with, as civil liberties and democratic freedoms in the U.S. are increasingly under attack.

What gives us solace throughout all of this is seeing communities come together to support one another where the government fails to do so, and seeing the hard work of nonprofit organizations and activists standing up to defend American and global democracy, the human rights and dignity of the most marginalized members of our communities, and the futures of our children. With that said, we would absolutely welcome and appreciate -- as a gift to us and our new baby -- a donation to one of the organizations we've included on our registry who are doing work that gives us hope and strength for a better future and a more loving world for our little one.

With love and appreciation for your support,