“What is a Good Job Now?" in Child Care

Moderated by Rebecca Gale, Staff Writer, Better Life Lab at New America

Child care work is physically demanding, often unstable, low-paying—and vitally important, which is why labor shortages and high turnover have become a nationwide problem. In California, child care workers earn $18 per hour on average (less than the minimum wage for fast food workers) and most can't afford quality care for their own children. Women of color make up nearly two-thirds of the state's early childhood workforce, yet they make less money and are less likely to be in leadership roles than their white counterparts with the same level of education. And families are going broke to secure care for their children, with child care costs outpacing housing as the top expense for households around the state. 

What would it take to make child care work a true, valued profession—in a way that benefits caregivers and families alike? How is anti-immigrant policy and sentiment affecting the work and the job market? What are viable solutions—from corporate-provided or state-sponsored care to unionization—for California and the nation? 

Child Care Law Center executive director Maisha Cole , child care worker and administrator Juanita Gutierrez , National Domestic Workers Alliance president Ai-jen Poo , and Child Development Consortium of Los Angeles executive director Lisa Wilkin visit Zócalo to discuss what a good job looks like in the field right now, and their vision for a more sustainable and nurturing future. 

Before the conversation, we will screen clips from Make a Circle, a documentary film that follows educators at three child care centers in California over several years and culminates as thousands march on the State Capitol for fairer pay.

Zócalo invites our in-person audience to continue the conversation during a reception with free bites and beverages.

We are seeking to provide child care for children age 2 and older during the conversation. Please indicate if you would be interested during event registration, and if so, for how many children and their ages.