Washington, D.C. – Today, Community Change joined the Care Can’t Wait Action coalition, President Biden, and a crowd of early childhood educators, care workers, and caregivers to celebrate the care champions who keep our economy running – and to amplify the call for federal investments for our care industry.
Several advocates and organizers spoke at the rally about what care has done for them, why they provide care, and why our economy is weaker when care is not accessible, affordable, and fair to its workers. In the midst of our country’s ongoing childcare crisis, the need for national attention on this issue is more pressing than ever – and those most impacted by it are organizing for solutions.
“The work you do every day to build a powerful movement of early childhood educators, parents and providers working together demanding what we deserve – that’s what’s making these early wins by the Biden-Harris administration possible,” Lorella Praeli, Co-President of Community Change, said to the crowd. “Your organizing means elected officials can no longer ignore the glaring disparities and challenges within our childcare system – the underpaid caregivers, the lack of affordable options for parents. This is just the beginning because we are building a future where every child has access to quality care and where families aren’t breaking the bank in order to get that care.”
Community Change works with a nationwide network of childcare providers, families and grassroots organizations to organize at every level for thriving wages for providers, affordable care for families, and a childcare system built on racial and gender justice. Since hitting the childcare cliff back in September, many providers have had to close their doors or reduce their staff, leaving families with less options or in some cases, eliminating their care entirely. Providers like Mariah Burnley, owner and director of Ohio Valley Child Learning Center and a Community Change Childcare Changemaker, spoke at the rally about how lack of care impacts everybody, not just families and workers.
“Investing in child care is a prerequisite for a successful economy. We need support for families and for the child care programs that are responsible for educating and caring for our most vulnerable population: young children,” said Mariah, who opened her childcare center in West Virginia in the midst of the pandemic after struggling to find childcare for her own kids.
On the heels of last year’s proclamation of April as Care Worker Recognition Month and the White House Executive Order on Care, the President spoke at the rally about the current state of care in our country:
“Care workers represent the best of who we are as Americans. You’re the heroes to so many individuals. Care workers and caregivers are critical to our families and to the entire economy,” he said. “That’s why as president I was determined to turn things around. We made progress, but there’s still so much more that we have to do. If we want the best economy in the world, we have to have the best caregiving economy in the world. But the cost of care is too high and pay for care workers is too low.”
Care Can’t Wait Action will host over a dozen events throughout April to spotlight the essential work caregivers do. On May 13, Community Change/Action will host its third annual Day Without Child Care, where hundreds of childcare providers, with the support of the families they serve, will shut their doors or host actions to draw attention to our national childcare crisis and solutions.
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