Jasmine Graham: For DC working families, help is finally on the way
It is very hard to raise a family in the District — as a single mom of a beautiful 1-year-old boy, trust me, I know the struggle. Yet I have gained so much hope these last few days with actions taken by President Joe Biden and members of the DC Council.
First, the federal child tax credit payment is arriving to my bank account at any moment now. The expansion of the Child Tax Credit — which increases the amounts families receive, eliminates the work requirement and makes it fully refundable — is expected to cut poverty by one-third and child poverty nearly in half. Families with children who are struggling to get by may see up to $3,600 more per child this year, in addition to their one-time $1,400 stimulus checks. This is a huge deal for families like mine. The reality is that as an essential worker in the restaurant industry, I don’t make enough money to cover basic needs, including food, housing and child care. As soon as I get those funds, I will buy milk, juice, food, winter clothing and more educational toys for my son. These are basic necessities that have been out of my reach.
The struggle of working families is real and I am so glad that help is finally on the way.
On the local front, we have great news, too. The DC Council recently made history by strengthening and expanding the DC Paid Family Leave program and also voted to increase taxes on individuals who take home more than $250,000 per year, which would raise revenue for vital issues like homelessness and access to child care. These are remarkable victories that will directly impact my life. Knowing that I could get paid leave to care for myself or my son if one of us gets sick — without fear of losing my job — is a huge relief. This is what the American dream should be about: working hard to reach your dreams in a society that truly values you as a human being.
As a working mom, I see child care as an essential part of America’s economy: Parents need safe child care so they can go to work. This pandemic has also shown that child care remains a gender and racial justice issue that disproportionately affects women, especially women of color. That’s why women — caregivers and mothers like me — have been on the front lines organizing and fighting for policies that ensure every family has access to basic needs like housing, child care, and paid family and medical leave.
My own personal struggles connected me to this movement for social and economic justice. It has been very hard to find a safe, affordable home in DC as well as affordable, high-quality child care for my son so he can start obtaining early childhood education while I work. These victories at the federal and local level happened because we organized — and they are reflective of the power of our movement led by women of color like me. We have been urging our elected officials to take transformative steps to shape an economic agenda that supports all families. They are delivering, and we must keep working so it remains that way.
Americans are ready for a change that embraces our values. According to a June poll of voters and likely voters by Community Change Action, 66% of respondents support increasing child care availability, including free, universal pre-K and child care assistance to middle-class families. We need a strong child care sector, and we need legislative solutions that drive our economy and support every family in America, including higher wages for early childhood educators so they earn a wage comparable to K-12 teachers, based on education and experience.
This is why I feel so grateful to the DC Council for addressing some of the long-standing health, economic and racial disparities that have only been exacerbated by the pandemic. The increased tax on the District’s highest income earners to support vital infrastructure like child care and housing, and expanding paid family and medical leave are great examples of how local governments can and should ensure that all workers have the support they need to care for themselves and their loved ones.
These victories represent our American values of working together to uplift the most vulnerable. So yes, I am feeling hopeful and proud of my government for seeing me and my son, and acting to make a difference in our lives. I know better days are on the way.
Jasmine Graham is a DC resident, mother and member of SPACEs in Action, a grassroots membership organization that works in DC with families who are determined to impact systemic change.
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