New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently visited and conversed with home-based providers, including Mercedes Mulholland, the owner of Xiomara’s Group Family Daycare and a QUALITYstarsNY participant.
Mercedes was aware of Mayor Mamdani’s conversation pertaining to universal child care and that he was visiting centers, schools, and libraries, but she wanted more family child care programs to be visible in these conversations. She emailed his office and invited him to visit her program and listen to the insight she had to offer. He accepted the invitation and spent about an hour with her in her home. They discussed the importance of home-based care and the need for change when it comes to viewing providers as early childhood leaders who also need financial assistance. She explained that as a family child care provider, the children in her care are considered family, and she provides a familial experience for everyone.
“My profession is underpaid and underappreciated, but I am proud to be a child care provider for over 23 years. Providers Organized for Power came together because we cannot live on six dollars an hour. I’m grateful to Mayor Mamdani for coming to my place of work, for understanding family based educators like me deserve respect and recognition. For the sake of the workforce and the families we serve, we look forward to working together to get providers the pay we need to keep our doors open.”
Mercedes in a news article from the Office of the Mayor covering the visit.
