Today’s soaring cost of living and staggering wealth inequality cast a spotlight on the longstanding need for universal child care. Too many families find themselves in an impossible bind: They can’t afford to lose the wages they need to make ends meet, but they also can’t afford to pay for the child care that allows them to go to work.

On this episode, we speak with Emmy Liss, Mayor Mamdani’s head of the Office of Child Care. She is at the forefront of the city’s efforts to make the dream of universal child care a reality. We also talk to two NYCLU experts who explain why universal child care is both a gender and racial justice issue. And they also break down another issue – paid medical leave – which is intimately tied to who can and can’t afford to raise a family in New York.

Editor’s note: We recorded this podcast before this year’s New York State legislative session ended. The State Assembly failed to pass paid medical leave reform, but you should still contact your state legislators and urge them to pass it next year.

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In this episode, you'll hear:

(00:43) Intro

(02:04) Emmy’s Background

(05:23) What is universal childcare?

(05:55) Mamdani’s milestones on universal childcare

(10:00) Challenges for universal childcare

(11:11) Racial and gender justice in universal childcare

(13:51) Childcare is a market failure

(18:24) NYC’s investments in childcare

(19:31) Next steps for childcare

(21:46) What does universal childcare mean and why is it important?

(24:55) What is paid medical leave?

(27:57) Why is paid medical leave important?

(30:50) Why universal childcare is a gender and racial justice issue

(36:33) The punitive family regulation system

(38:24) What paid medical leave looks like

(41:51) What universal childcare looks like

Resources:

Our universal child care and paid medical leave blog: https://www.nyclu.org/commentary/why-universal-child-care-is-a-gender-and-racial-justice-issue

To find licensed child care providers in New York City: nyc.gov/childcare

To apply for a child care seat: Myschools.nyc

NY State universal child care coalition: https://empirestatechildcare.org/new-york-state-child-care-for-all/

For more on everything we discuss in this episode, visit www.nyclu.org/

For transcripts and additional information on the episodes, visit www.nyclu.org/podcasts

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