This article originally appeared in the March-April 2007 issue of the Children's Advocate, published by Action Alliance for Children.

Use the Children's Advocate in your work! Feel free to reprint this article, as a handout or in your own publication -- just credit us (see above) and be sure to send us a copy.

The California Child Development CORPS

Early childhood teachers and providers organizing and advocating for better pay, benefits, job conditions, and professional respect.

By Amanda Montague

Taking advocacy “to the next level”

A lot of people don’t really know how to get involved in advocacy,” says Melody Angles, a Corps participant and preschool teacher at the Hacienda Child Development Center in Pleasanton. “We need to make more people aware of issues affecting our field. The more people we get involved, the stronger our voice will become.”

The Alameda County Corps group is planning a presentation at the CAEYC conference (see Mar 9-10: Corps booth at CAEYC conference) on advocacy and leadership. “We would like participants to have a greater awareness of how to become actively involved within their communities, voice concerns, and unite with peers,” says Margie Costello-Chávez, a Corps participant and teacher in the Infant and Toddler Program at the Chabot Children’s Center in Oakland. “Many providers are ready to take it to the next level but they just don’t know how.”

Help from the Corps

“The Corps has helped me become a better speaker and leader, and a voice for quality care,” says Angles. “I’ve become more knowledgeable about the politics behind the ECE field. A couple of years ago, we went to advocate for CARES in front of the First 5 Commission and Rob Reiner. That was the first time I had to get up and speak in front of a panel of people. That was the hardest thing for me, but I overcame it because I’m speaking on issues that come from the heart and that I’m really passionate about.”

“I have actively participated in many activities with the Corps,“ says Costello-Chávez. “I have been able to really look at initiatives affecting children and figure out how we as advocates can be more involved. It has been great to be involved in the Corps because I feel that working with children is a very important job and this career should be recognized as a profession.”

Sneak preview

In their workshop, Angles and Costello-Chávez plan “to have group interactions and teach people how legislation works,” says Angles. “For example, how does a bill get passed? How does the budget work? We want to teach other providers, just like we were taught by the Corps. Maybe we’ll work with providers to identify which issues in their county need to be addressed and how to go about addressing those issues, like getting more money for quality care or for your site.”

Return to top

Mar 9-10: Corps booth at CAEYC conference

Check out the California Child Development Corps at the CAEYC conference! Their booth will be in the Center for Social Change on both Friday and Saturday.

Return to top

For more information, contact:

• Alameda: Marva Lyons, 510-521-3997, HappyMarva43734@cs.com and Margaret Costello-Chevis, 510-226-9414, mohavecomm@aol.com

• Butte: Paulette Fox, 530-876-8907, pjfx@strangecode.com

• Contra Costa: Stephanie Ratto, 925-689-5151 x204, lsratto@earthlink.net

• Humboldt: Polly Ramos, 707-825-0834, supercluck75@hotmail.com

• Los Angeles: Karen Spinosa, 310-514-2659

• Nevada: Barbara Price-Tison, 530-265-0778, pricetison@hughes.net

• Placer: Gayle Kelley, 530-823-6218, gakids@inreach.com

• San Francisco: Valentina Feldman, 415-861-5361, val_fel@msn.com

• San Mateo: Silvia Espinoza, 650-359-4675, grandmascch@aol.com

• Santa Clara: Elaine Sabo, 408-263-8113, elainesabo@sbcglobal.net

• Solano: June Regis, 707-439-0876, aljuregis@aol.com

If your county is not listed above, contact Sara Hicks-Kilday or Susan Jeong at cares@caccwrc.org, 415-808-7327.

Return to top

Action Alliance
for Children
e-mail aac@4children.org
1201 Martin Luther
King Jr. Way
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 444-7136