On August 19, 2024, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul delivered a spirited speech in support of the presidential hopeful Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. Quite surprisingly, Governor Hochul raised the specter of runaway child care costs as a common issue facing middle class Americans, which, in turn, raised questions about what the governor of New York will do to lower these costs here in the Empire State.

When I started studying New York State child care policy in spring 2023, I met Ms. Rhodes, co-founder of Western New York Child Care Action Team, while supervising a qualitative study of Erie County child care providers. Ms. Rhodes introduced me to local providers and coached me through the ins and outs of a complicated industry seeking concrete reforms at the State level. Now, I am embedded in the Child Care Community of Erie County and remain inspired to effect political change, beginning with workforce compensation reforms which will improve wages for child care workers. My passion for this work is largely influenced by Ms. Rhodes’s mentorship, helping me understand the nuances of early childhood education and care, as well as connecting me to other researchers, advocates, providers, and parents who are impassioned about child care policy reform. I had an opportunity to interview Ms. Rhodes, and to publish the interview here with the support of Weave News.

No one seems to be talking about how criminally underpaid child care professionals are in New York State. A coalition of child care providers, advocates, and parents, the Empire State Campaign for Child Care, has announced that child care workforce compensation and development are the top policy priority for the industry. There is consensus about this priority among providers, advocates, and parents outside of the statewide coalition as well. Child care professionals rank among the lowest paid professions in New York State. As the workforce behind the workforce, child care professionals facilitate the working lives of millions. If they remain underpaid and abandon the industry, which they have been over the last few years, the collapse of the child care industry would create unimaginable social ruptures. The child care community wants better pay and government support to achieve it. Will Governor Hochul say anything about child care? Will she invest in workforce compensation for child care professionals?