DC’s annual May rumble gets head start with ‘Strolling Thunder’

Each year around Memorial Day, D.C. readies itself for the rumble and roar of motorcycles, as hundreds of thousands take to the streets for the annual Rolling Thunder rally. This year, that roar came a few weeks early 鈥� only leather jackets were swapped for onesies and double strollers replaced Harley-Davidsons. (蜜桃视频app/Rachel Nania)

The inaugural Strolling Thunder event took place Tuesday, May 2 on Capitol Hill. Hundreds of families from all 50 states and the District of Columbia met in Upper Senate Park to rally and march for legislation that supports babies, toddlers and their parents. (蜜桃视频app/Rachel Nania)

Erica Yamauchi and her 17-month-old daughter took two different planes and flew for 12 hours to attend Strolling Thunder. The Honolulu, Hawaii, resident wanted to make sure her representatives and others on the Hill knew the hardships Hawaiians face when it comes to raising a family. (蜜桃视频app/Rachel Nania)

Hundreds of families from all 50 states and the District of Columbia met in Upper Senate Park to rally and march for legislation that supports babies, toddlers and their parents. (蜜桃视频app/Rachel Nania)

鈥淭he science has become clearer and clearer every year,鈥� said Matthew Melmed, executive director of the nonprofit Zero to Three, which organized the event. 鈥淲e know what is happening in terms of development of a baby鈥檚 brain, but also in terms of who they become as adults. And now we want to make sure that Congress understands the science of early childhood development.鈥� (蜜桃视频app/Rachel Nania)

Research shows that between the ages of 0 and 3, a 700 new neural connections every second, and social and emotional relationships established early in life lay the foundation for future years. (蜜桃视频app/Rachel Nania)

At Tuesday鈥檚 event, strollers were decked out in signs that read, 鈥淢y brain is growing faster than yours鈥� and 鈥淭he future begins with babies.鈥� (蜜桃视频app/Rachel Nania)

Strolling Thunder flags were taped to stroller handlebars to imitate the flags motorcyclists fly during the Rolling Thunder rally. (蜜桃视频app/Rachel Nania)

Experts say everything from access to affordable child care to more paid parental leave can help ensure young ones are set up to succeed during the most critical years. (蜜桃视频app/Rachel Nania)

Many families in attendance met with their representatives before the rally, and Zero to Three鈥檚 Melmed is hopeful their stories will stick. 鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping either the wheels make enough sound or the babies make enough sound that they can be heard inside that Capitol dome,鈥� he said. (蜜桃视频app/Rachel Nania)

鈥淏abies are not Democrats or Republicans, and we are beginning to see within Capitol Hill a growing awareness of the early years of life 鈥� I think the opening is there and there鈥檚 interest on both sides of the aisle to learn more,”聽Melmed said. (蜜桃视频app/Rachel Nania)

Strolling Thunder was organized by Zero to Three and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (蜜桃视频app/Rachel Nania)

(1/14)

Share This Gallery:

change volume

April 19, 2026 | A rally on Capitol Hill where the focus was on babies (蜜桃视频app's Rachel Nania)

WASHINGTON 鈥� Each year around Memorial Day, D.C. readies itself for the rumble and roar of motorcycles, as hundreds of thousands take to the streets for the annual Rolling Thunder rally.

This year, that roar came a few weeks early 鈥� only leather jackets were swapped for onesies and double strollers replaced Harley-Davidsons.

The inaugural Strolling Thunder event took place Tuesday, May 2 on Capitol Hill. Hundreds of families from all 50 states and the District of Columbia met in Upper Senate Park to rally and march for legislation that supports babies, toddlers and their parents.

鈥淭he science has become clearer and clearer every year,鈥� said Matthew Melmed, executive director of the nonprofit Zero to Three, which organized the event.

鈥淲e know what is happening in terms of development of a baby鈥檚 brain, but also in terms of who they become as adults. And now we want to make sure that Congress understands the science of early childhood development.鈥�

Research shows that between the ages of 0 and 3, a 700 new neural connections every second, and social and emotional relationships established early in life lay the foundation for future years.

Experts say everything from access to affordable child care to more paid parental leave can help ensure young ones are set up to succeed during the most critical years.

Erica Yamauchi and her 17-month-old daughter took two different planes and flew for 12 hours to attend Strolling Thunder. The Honolulu, Hawaii, resident wanted to make sure her representatives and others on the Hill knew the hardships Hawaiians face when it comes to raising a family.

Yamauchi said her state lacks universal preschool and the cost of child care, in addition to the cost of living, is astronomical. She wants to see more options for affordable care and wants more paid time off for parents to bond with their children in their first few years of life.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really easy to forget what it鈥檚 like to have babies and toddlers and how hard it can be on families,鈥� she said.

Elizabeth Wahl flew in from Janesville, Wisconsin, for a similar reason. Wahl says her family has been fortunate enough to find quality care for her 11-month-old son, but knows that is not the case for other families back in her region.

鈥淭he trick is finding high-quality child care that鈥檚 also affordable. No family should have to sacrifice quality for affordability when it comes to the most important people in their lives,鈥� Wahl said.

At Tuesday鈥檚 event, strollers were decked out in signs that read, 鈥淢y brain is growing faster than yours鈥� and 鈥淭he future begins with babies.鈥� Strolling Thunder flags were taped to stroller handlebars to imitate the flags motorcyclists fly during the Rolling Thunder rally.

Many families in attendance met with their representatives before the rally, and Zero to Three鈥檚 Melmed is hopeful their stories will stick.

鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping either the wheels make enough sound or the babies make enough sound that they can be heard inside that Capitol dome,鈥� he said.

鈥淏abies are not Democrats or Republicans, and we are beginning to see within Capitol Hill a growing awareness of the early years of life 鈥� I think the opening is there and there鈥檚 interest on both sides of the aisle to learn more.鈥�

蜜桃视频app