This blog is about everything. I will address various topics hopefully on a day by day basis. Topics will range from my personal experiences to information that I learned from watching various television shows. Who says television isn't educational.
Yesterday we were in Albany for Invest in Our New York Advocacy Day, demanding that Governor Hochul and the legislature act now to ensure that millionaires, billionaires, and highly profitable corporations pay their fair share.
For weeks, New Yorkers have waited for leadership to act as schools brace for cuts and families face impossible choices. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is charging full speed ahead with policies threatening billions in federal funding that our communities rely on. As Sarah Besson, a mother from NYC and one of AQE's Ed Warriors pointed out at yesterday's rally, "the working person contributes 33% of their income to taxes… [while] the wealthy pay only a fraction of that rate." The burden for funding our education and child care systems falls squarely on middle- and lower-income New Yorkers who continue to support a system that too often fails to meet their needs.
Sarah Besson (left) speaks up as families and advocates rally for fully funded and equitable public education and child care funding in this year's NYS budget.
One urgent crisis facing New York's working families is the child care shortage. New York has surpassed its pre-pandemic capacity for the first time, yet many families still struggle to find care. Why? Because child care workers are being pushed out by poverty wages (earning less than 96 per cent of people in all occupations statewide) with many family-based providers making below minimum wage. Without fair wages, educators are leaving for better-paying jobs, leaving families to pay the price.
New York must invest in its child care workforce. A $1.2 billion permanent child care workforce compensation fund would allow providers to offer competitive wages, keep programs open, and ensure families can access care. Instead of balancing the state budget on the backs of working families and underpaid child care educators, our leaders must close loopholes for the ultra-wealthy and fully fund public education, child care, and the services that keep our communities strong.
Take action today!
1. Call Governor Hochul at (518) 474-8390
"Hello, my name is [your name] and I'm a resident of [your home district]. I'm calling to urge Governor Hochul to pass the Invest in Our New York package of bill. Our schools, child care system, and vital public programs are on the line, and we cannot afford more cuts. It's time to make sure that millionaires, billionaires, and highly profitable corporations pay their fair share."
3. Speak up on Bluesky! Use or adapt these sample messages to uplift your voice:
@govkathyhochul.bsky.social it's time to make sure our state's millionaires, billionaires, and highly profitable corporations pay their fair share. Fully fund our schools and make #NYSUniversalChildCare a reality. @investinourny.bsky.social!
New York's future depends on strong public services. Tax the rich, invest in our schools, and move our state towards #NYSUniversalChildCare @govkathyhochul.bsky.social. #InvestInOurNewYork to build a future that works for all of us.
Corporate profits are soaring while our communities face what amount to cuts. @govkathyhochul.bsky.social, prioritize working New Yorkers over billionaires and truly @investinourny.bsky.social by funding #NYSUniversalChildCare and our public schools.
Whether or not you were able to join us in Albany yesterday, your actions today will send a clear message: New Yorkers will continue fighting for a fairer tax system that invests in the well-being of us all.
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For the past six weeks, New Yorkers have been in dire need of a voice in leadership who would let us know they are fighting for us, instead of letting us live in fear because of their deafening silence. Children have missed school, families are avoiding hospitals, businesses have closed their doors - all because of the Trump administration's ruthless and dehumanizing policies, and rhetoric.
We are fortunate to have a leader in our state who is doing the work to save our democracy and is willing to speak the truth, not just with words, but with action.
New York Attorney General Letitia James and her team are standing up for democracy and using the power of her office to safeguard our rights and protect New Yorkers.
From fighting unjust executive orders to defending the rights of immigrants, women, and so many others, they are proving that leadership means identifying your powers and taking action. They remind us that no executive order can erase the rule of law - and that we still have three branches of government holding the line.
Marina Marcou-O'Malley and Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari Co-Executive Directors, Alliance for Quality Education
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Equity in public education in America has never been freely given - it's something communities have fought for, defended, and strengthened for generations. That fight continues today as public schools and early childhood education programs face relentless attacks at every level of government, from the federal government down to local city budgets.
Public education is being systematically underfunded, undermined, and privatized, hurting the very students and families who rely on it most. These aren't isolated policies. They're part of a coordinated effort to shift resources away from public schools and into the hands of corporate and political interests. Some say too much is spent with little to show, ignoring decades of underfunding based on what the state has been willing to give, not what students have actually needed. Meanwhile, the same people resisting investment in Black, brown, and lower-income children have had no problem funneling more resources towards the ultra-wealthy. We can't let them justify more disinvestment in our children's futures.
Public Education Is Under Attack At Every Level
Federally: Billions meant for public schools are being funneled into privatization schemes, while essential programs like Title I and special education face deep cuts. Meanwhile, military and corporate interests continue to take priority over investments in schools, child care, housing, and healthcare.
Statewide: Thanks to the advocacy of New Yorkers like you, New York's Foundation Aid formula has helped address racial and economic inequities in school funding by directing more resources to Black, brown, and lower-income students and schools. However, under Governor Hochul's Executive Budget Proposal, while smaller districts are slated to see sizable increases, some districts won't receive the increases in Foundation Aid funding they had expected. This shortfall could impact the sustainability of programs these cities had planned for based on previous projections. As budget negotiations continue, we must make sure legislators prioritize adequate and equitable funding for every community.
Locally: Counties, cities, and towns across the state are facing challenges that may jeopardize much needed social safety nets like childcare and housing. Most of them need support from the state and the federal government to provide these services. Now this might be in danger.
A Closer Look At NYC
One clear example of this is New York City, where Mayor Adams' cuts to education and child care mirror the federal push for disinvestment in public education. Earlier this week, as part of The People's Plan, we joined parents, students, advocacy groups, labor unions, and elected officials to demand an end to these cuts and push for a budget that puts people first.
Meanwhile, as calls for Adams' resignation grow louder following his cooperation with Trump-era immigration policies - putting New Yorkers at further risk - leaders like Attorney General Letitia James are standing up for our communities. James has taken legal action to protect public funding from harmful federal cuts, showing what it means to fight for the people while Adams continues to focus on his own self-preservation.
The fight for education justice extends far beyond the five boroughs. It's happening in communities across the state and country.
How You Can Take Action In The Week Ahead
FEDERAL
Join the national call team! Our friends at the Working Families Party are organizing a rapid response team to demand an end to education cuts and many other attacks on our communities.
STATE
Follow Invest in Our New York (IONY) and the Empire State Campaign for Child Care (ESCCC). IONY is pushing back against tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy that threaten vital public programs, while ESCCC is advocating for high-quality, universal child care that values its workforce with thriving wages.
CITY
Stay in the loop about The People's Plan! If you're in NYC, you can send a letter to your elected officials, calling on them to prioritize public education, universal child care, mental health services, housing-first policies, and immigration protections, by using this easy-to-use email template.
Public schools are a pillar of New York's communities. We can't afford to let them be undermined at any level of government. New Yorkers deserve better. Our children deserve better. And together, we'll make sure they get it.
In solidarity,
Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari and Marina Marcou-O'Malley Co-Executive Directors, Alliance for Quality Education
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Offer ends 2/15/25 at 11.59 PM PT. To receive the 30% discount, choose flavors included on this page only. Discount automatically applied at checkout. Cannot be combined with other promotions. Excludes subscriptions, bundles, and sparkling. Includes free shipping on 3 or more cases. Shipping is only available to the Contiguous United States. Shipping to Alaska and Hawaii is unavailable and excluded from this offer. No refunds, returns or exchanges. Other terms and conditions may apply.
Offer ends 2/15/25 at 11.59 PM PT. To receive the 30% discount, choose flavors included on this page only. Discount automatically applied at checkout. Cannot be combined with other promotions. Excludes subscriptions, bundles, and sparkling. Includes free shipping on 3 or more cases. Shipping is only available to the Contiguous United States. Shipping to Alaska and Hawaii is unavailable and excluded from this offer. No refunds, returns or exchanges. Other terms and conditions may apply.
Today, Linda McMahon begins her confirmation hearings for Secretary of Education. Her nomination is a direct threat to our public schools, particularly those serving our Black, brown, and low-income students.
Tell Congress to send Linda McMahon home, not to the Department of Education! Send your representatives an email now urging them to reject McMahon's confirmation as Education Secretary. Protecting our children should be something we all agree on - across party lines. Congress must come together on this issue, Democrats and Republicans, to prevent harm to our children.
McMahon, a member of the billionaire class and cofounder of World Wrestling Entertainment, is grossly unqualified to lead any government agency, especially one that impacts millions of children, families, and educators. But the stakes are higher than her incompetence. We already know that this new administration is working to dismantle government agencies, with the Department of Education directly in their crosshairs. If confirmed, McMahon would be part of their larger effort to shrink or even completely eliminate the Department of Education, and to defund our public schools.
The federal Department of Education oversees policies and programs that shape our schools nationwide - including funding for K-12 schools, students with disabilities and IEPs, early education, children living in poverty, and addressing the needs of educators. It is central to enforcing civil rights protections and ensuring that vulnerable students - especially those in underfunded schools - have access to a quality education and all the resources they might need. This includes protecting students from discrimination, ensuring affordable higher education, and safeguarding the rights of students' families.
Our children need leadership at the federal level that will fight for their future, not someone looking to undermine it. We know this administration is attempting to wear us down with its constant attacks on our values and institutions, but right now, it's our children who are at risk. We need the Senate to reject McMahon's nomination. Send your representatives in Congress an email now urging them to send McMahon home, and reject her confirmation as Education Secretary.
Marina + Zakiyah
Alliance for Quality Education
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