Northridge, California – Filipino Americans gathered on Monday to rally in support of working moms and their need for quality child care. The event, part of the A Day Without Child Care campaign, took place at Dignity Health – Northridge Hospital Medical Center, the day after Mother’s Day.
The rally focused on the challenges faced by working moms in securing affordable child care. Participants demanded higher wages for childcare providers, affordable care for families, a system rooted in racial and gender justice, and an expanded, inclusive tax credit.
Filipino American child care providers and advocates, including Lourdes Duarte from Mar Vista, California, played a significant role in the rally. Duarte stated, “Childcare providers allow parents to work with peace of mind, knowing their children are safe. Despite our importance to the economy, we earn low wages and struggle financially. We urge Governor Gavin Newsom to recognize our work with a livable wage.”
Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman attended the rally alongside other childcare providers, working parents, and advocates. Raman remarked, “It is shameful that one of the richest countries in the world expects families to bear this burden alone.”
Rally participants called on Governor Newsom to address the critical issues of inadequate child care, lengthy waiting lists, low provider wages, and high costs. The governor’s revised budget proposal, which includes cuts to childcare services, has further highlighted these challenges.
In Los Angeles, only 4% of the city’s infant and toddler population have access to licensed child care, leaving many families in “deserts” without proper care. The rally aimed to bring attention to these pressing issues and demand immediate action.
