03/09/2026
This day was an incredible day standing in solidarity with Pre-School and Early Education providers from across New York City. ✊🏽📚
I had the opportunity to share my story — not just as a provider, but as a parent, a community member, and someone who has dedicated over a decade to building something our neighborhood needed.
The response and feedback on the speech meant a lot. It reminded me that this fight is bigger than one program or one voice. It’s about the thousands of educators, small business owners, and families who make early childhood education possible every single day.
Our programs are the backbone of our communities. We hire locally, support families beyond the classroom, and nurture the next generation — often on the smallest margins. Yet too often, our voices go unheard.
Today we stood together to say clearly: Reform before expansion.
Please listen and hear the voices of the providers who have been doing this work for years.
and all legislators — we are asking you to work with us, not around us.
Invest in the programs that already exist. Support the educators doing the work. Strengthen the system before expanding it.
Thank you to every provider, parent, and advocate who stood together today. The solidarity was powerful. The message was clear.
Early education matters. Our voices matter. Our communities matter.
