STATEMENT: JUMPSTART FOR YOUNG CHILDREN EMPHASIZES IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING EARLY EDUCATORS IN HONOR OF JUNETEENTH
BOSTON — In honor of Juneteenth, Naila Bolus, CEO of Jumpstart for Young Children, released the following statement:
“Juneteenth is a time to celebrate, but also serves as a stark reminder of our country’s dark past and the racial inequities and systemic injustices that persist today. In order for our country to move forward, we must acknowledge and rectify how the legacy of slavery contributes to patterns of undervaluing Black women’s work, particularly in early childhood education and child care.
“One in five child care providers is a Black woman, and the vast majority of early educators and child care workers do not earn a living wage. The early education workforce is one of the most underpaid sectors in the country, despite serving a crucial function in our society: educating and empowering our children. At Jumpstart, we’re working with legislators to advance policy that will support early educators and child care workers to ensure they – and Black women in particular – receive wages that reflect the vital nature of their work.
“Today, as we commemorate the end of legalized slavery in the United States, we must right our country’s wrongs and fight for equitable wages for Black women. We call on our communities and supporters to contact their U.S. Senators and encourage them to support funding in the final reconciliation bill for universal pre-K and increased pay for early educators, help families afford care, and increase access for 1 million more young learners. Together, we can honor Juneteenth by eradicating the remnants of slavery that have permeated our society for far too long and ensure a better future for our children and the people who care for them.”
ABOUT JUMPSTART FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
Jumpstart for Young Children is a national organization based in Boston advancing equitable early learning outcomes for young children in underserved communities through direct service programming and policy advocacy. Jumpstart’s proven evidence-based curriculum serves thousands of children across 15 states and Washington, D.C., and has trained over 60,000 college students and community volunteers to deliver high-quality early childhood education programming. Learn more at jstart.org and follow us on Twitter at @Jumpstartkids.
