By LaVonna Varnado-Brown
How do single parents finagle their schedules for work, other siblings, and transportation with eight hours’ notice of need for childcare? We are all familiar with these situations. Bad weather reports ensue, and you get a call from the school: canceled. Even if you do not have children, this concerns you.
Imagine the stress a single mother who already has what has been normalized as the regular daily burdens of life on her shoulders. Working a second shift at home, attempting to nurture children, and heaven forbid she prioritize her own needs for a moment. I also keep in mind the fathers who are nurturing children alone. Not every individual has a community of loved ones or elders to look to for support. The stress any parent feels to place their child in a space that they will be safe, respected, and looked after properly is exponential in an unplanned situation. What is the solution? If working people got the $180 million dollars a year in tax dollars currently stolen by unelected tourism commissions, there could be a plethora of options. There could be fully funded, 24-hour, clean, safe, healthy childcare for working parents. These spaces could also provide early childcare, special needs services, and artistic enrichment to nurture whole children. There could be spaces for young people to feel whole and develop a voice.
We must prioritize our children. Another suggestion is creating a budget that allows every worker paid sick leave, maternity leave, and vacation time. In this scenario the stress can be significantly alleviated with a simple phone call to the boss. These options are not utopian; the money is there for working-class people to take back. We must organize ourselves and demand that the money be returned immediately and that it’s that way for every yearly budget. If you are interested in organizing, check out nohwa.org or peoplesassemblyneworleans.org