Lauren Melodia

Universal child care may be coming to NYC, but 16,000 kids are stuck waiting for aid Families say they’re cutting down their work hours or scraping money together to afford child care without the subsidies.

Another great piece from Karen Yi @gothamist.com about the funding challenges preventing parents from accessing virtually free child care in NYC today: gothamist.com/news/univers...

Universal Child Care Is on Course. But Is Fair Pay for Child Care Workers? — Center for New York City Affairs The existing child care system rests on a rickety financial foundation that penalizes its workers. That needs to change, right away.

Child care is a unique industry, so it requires a package of 3 policy reforms to guarantee living wages for all child care workers and a stable, high quality child care system for families. I outline them (and current, bleak wages in the sector) in this new post: www.centernyc.org/urban-matter...

Over 10,000 NYC children are on waitlists for subsidies to help them afford childcare. Expert @lmelodia.bsky.social joined @cbsnewyork.bsky.social to discuss the Child Care Assistance Program and the need for one comprehensive system "that is equitable, high quality, and stable."

Join me at this event this Wednesday evening (1/21) at Bohemian Hall in Astoria for a community conversation about Mayor Mamdani’s child care policies. Come out to get informed, be inspired, and have a drink with your neighbors.

Use the code melodia50 to get tickets for just $5 at the link below.

Dignified Pay for Quality Care: What New York’s Family Child Care Providers Need to Thrive — Center for New York City Affairs As the recent, historic mayoral election campaign demonstrated, the soaring costs and insufficient availability of quality child care continue to be matters of paramount importance to New Yorkers. The...

My new report today compiles 2 years of research with family child care providers in NYC. It reveals shockingly low pay of this immigrant women and women of color workforce and shares their recommendations for how to build a path towards universal, high-quality child care. tinyurl.com/m8dxpwyv

First, he was fired for leaking his company’s secrets. Now, he’s part of Musk’s DOGE team and has access to YOUR data, including sensitive information about Social Security, Medicare, and other critical programs. What could possibly go wrong?

What Would Reducing the Federal Workforce Look Like for America? This summary examines what would happen to local unemployment rates throughout the US if the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) were to cut 75 percent of the federal workforce.

Having worked in rural NY for years, I'm not surprised by findings here - that the Trump-Musk agenda to reduce the federal workforce will impact local labor markets across the U.S. and hit small cities the hardest. Check it (+ cool maps) out @urbaninstitute.bsky.social www.urban.org/urban-wire/i...

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