Campaign to Save Child Care - Statewide Legislative District Visits

On August 20, 2010, Community Voices joined Child Care Providers UNITED (joint local of SEIU and AFSCME) on a statewide legislative districts visit campaign on behalf of Campaign to Save Child Care Coalition.On this day, a coalition of parents, child care providers and child care advocates conducted statewide visits to their local Assemblymembers and Senators asking them to hold the line and protect child care from additional reductions and for revenue solutions to be part of the final budget.Here in Los Angeles, the Community Voices chapter at MAOF spearhead by Claudia Aguilar visited Senator Gloria Romero’s office. Leticia Garcia, who is the Senator’s Education Specialist, listened to our members and advising that the Senator’s support our cause and as her term comes to an end, to also outreach to Ed Hernandez, who will be taking her place.

The Community Voices chapter at Center for Community and Family Services spearheaded by Patricia Walker, also visited Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal, although not present during the visit, Bianca Villanueva, Field Representative, listened to community voices parents’ testimony. Finally, the Community Voices chapter at Pathways, spearheaded by Briseida Gonzalez, visited Assemblymember Kevin De Leon’s office, who’s District Director, Steve Veres, warmly indicated the Assemblymember’s support.

All in all, the visits were successful in carrying out the message to hold the line against any further cuts, to support a budget that protects child care funding, keeps parents and child care providers working and keeps our children learning. One thing that was common among these visits though, was the overall feeling that no one really knew when the budget was going to be signed, which is more of a reason to keep pressuring our elected officials and to keep getting involved and engaged.

Fred Munoz

Community Voices Project Coordinator