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

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Parent Voices

“Feeling the strength”

By Amanda Montague

Parent Voices’ Stand for Children Day brought more than 600 parents from around the state to rally for affordable quality child care. Corean Todd and Kristene Estrada emceed the event, introducing legislators and keeping the program moving.

“I wasn’t sure I was up to it”

“I was so excited” about emceeing the rally, says Todd, an Oakland mom of three-year-old Kristopher, “but I wasn’t sure I was up it. All the other parent leaders made me feel the strength and told me I could do it.” Todd got involved with Parent Voices when she was put on the waiting list for subsidized child care.

“I was emceeing in Spanish, so I was nervous about translating,” says Estrada, a San Jose mother to Angelique, 17, twins Martin and Marcello, 15, Veke, 8, and Savannah 5. “I got together with Corean and we decided to stick to the main message.” Estrada has been part of Parent Voices for over two years and organized parents in her local chapter.

“I felt really empowered”

“The energy level was at 100%,” says Estrada. “My favorite part of the rally was being able to speak with one of the key leaders in the Department of Education (about) Parent Voices.”

“My favorite part was everybody having one voice at the same time. I felt really empowered looking out into the crowds.” says Todd.

“We always have to fight”

“We had to take time off work, lose pay, bring our kids or find someone to watch them—so we could fight for something we should already have!” says Todd. “We always have to fight for our children. If we provide (child care) in the beginning, maybe we won’t have to build so many jails.”

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Child care in the budget

At press time, the governor’s budget

• Froze the state median income (which determines who is eligible for subsidized child care) at last year’s rate—but the Legislature voted to update income eligibility guidelines, with $6.8 million to cover newly eligible families.

• Set aside $5 million for “wraparound child care” in state preschools

• Added $50 million for state preschool

• Increased funding for Community Care Licensing (so child care programs can be inspected once every three years, instead of every five years).

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Parent Voices contacts:

Statewide: Mary Ignatius, 415-882-0234. mignatius@rrnetwork.org

Alameda (Hayward): Jennifer Greppi, 510-584-3111, jenniferf@4c-alameda.org

Alameda (Oakland): Sue Retherford, 510-658-7101, sue@bananasinc.org

Amador: Brenda Bullington, 209-223-1624, ext. 109, Brenda@hrcccr.org

Butte: Jane Haberman, 530-895-1677, jhaberman@valleyoakchildren.org

Calaveras: Cheryl Berg, 209-754-1075, ext. 115, cberg@hrcccr.org

Contra Costa: Candy Duperroir, 925-778-4739, candy@cocokids.org

El-Dorado: Heather Della Ripa, 530-541-5848, hscfcslt@pacbell.net

Fresno: Lourdes Hernandez, 559-456-1100, louh@cvcsn.org

Los Ángeles: Christine Giron, 323-421-2602, cgiron@crystalstairs.org

Marin: Leah Benz, 415-491-5776, leah@mc3.org

Sacramento: Rachel Minnick, 916-369-3387, Rachel.Minnick@childaction.org

San Francisco: Maria Luz Torre, 415-343-3383, parentvoices@childrenscouncil.org

San Mateo: Nelly Puhachevsky, 650-655-6770, ext. 283, nelly@sanmateo4cs.org

Santa Barbara: Rafaela Frausto, 805-963-6631, rfrausto@sbfcc.org

Santa Clara: Mario Del Castillo, 408-487-0747, mariod@4c.org

Solano: Kathy Lago, 707-864-4620,
klago@solanosfcs.org

Sonoma: Lorie Siebler, 707-522-1413, lsiebler@sonoma4cs.org

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