[Music] somewhere I read a freedom of assembly
somewhere I read a freedom of assembly
somewhere I read a freedom of assembly somewhere I read a freedom of speech
somewhere I read a freedom of speech
somewhere I read a freedom of speech somewhere I read that the greatness of
somewhere I read that the greatness of
somewhere I read that the greatness of America is in the right to protest for
America is in the right to protest for
America is in the right to protest for right that was the message of the last
right that was the message of the last
right that was the message of the last speech that dr. Martin Luther King gave
speech that dr. Martin Luther King gave
speech that dr. Martin Luther King gave and it’s a message that’s meaningful for
and it’s a message that’s meaningful for
and it’s a message that’s meaningful for us and we should hold on to now for many
us and we should hold on to now for many
us and we should hold on to now for many of us who care about building a better
of us who care about building a better
of us who care about building a better world as we all do this is a challenging
world as we all do this is a challenging
world as we all do this is a challenging time many people have lost confidence in
time many people have lost confidence in
time many people have lost confidence in the major institutions of society or
the major institutions of society or
the major institutions of society or even frightened about them government
even frightened about them government
even frightened about them government politicians employers religious
politicians employers religious
politicians employers religious organizations the press and perhaps the
organizations the press and perhaps the
organizations the press and perhaps the worst legacy is that we’ve lost
worst legacy is that we’ve lost
worst legacy is that we’ve lost confidence in ourselves and a belief
confidence in ourselves and a belief
confidence in ourselves and a belief that we can actually change the world
that we can actually change the world
that we can actually change the world and make it better
and make it better
and make it better many people are frightened and confused
many people are frightened and confused
many people are frightened and confused and not sure what to do and there’s a
and not sure what to do and there’s a
and not sure what to do and there’s a diminished hope by many that we’ll have
diminished hope by many that we’ll have
diminished hope by many that we’ll have a better world for our children but we
a better world for our children but we
a better world for our children but we can change this world for the better if
can change this world for the better if
can change this world for the better if we organize I learned this lesson over
we organize I learned this lesson over
we organize I learned this lesson over four decades ago in 1971 I was a
four decades ago in 1971 I was a
four decades ago in 1971 I was a housewife in Chicago with two little
housewife in Chicago with two little
housewife in Chicago with two little kids under three I love those kids still
kids under three I love those kids still
kids under three I love those kids still and like many women of my generation I
and like many women of my generation I
and like many women of my generation I wanted to return to the workforce both I
wanted to return to the workforce both I
wanted to return to the workforce both I needed to to support our family and I
needed to to support our family and I
needed to to support our family and I wanted to also give back to society and
wanted to also give back to society and
wanted to also give back to society and become a teacher but in order to do that
become a teacher but in order to do that
become a teacher but in order to do that I need a child care and there was no
I need a child care and there was no
I need a child care and there was no City fund funded child care in Chicago
City fund funded child care in Chicago
City fund funded child care in Chicago so with a number of other parents that I
so with a number of other parents that I
so with a number of other parents that I met in kids play groups we decided to
met in kids play groups we decided to
met in kids play groups we decided to build our own childcare center across
build our own childcare center across
build our own childcare center across the street in a church and went to City
the street in a church and went to City
the street in a church and went to City Hall to try and get the appropriate
Hall to try and get the appropriate
Hall to try and get the appropriate licensing but the codes were so
licensing but the codes were so
licensing but the codes were so restrictive and Byzantine that we
restrictive and Byzantine that we
restrictive and Byzantine that we couldn’t proceed we were sent to 32
couldn’t proceed we were sent to 32
couldn’t proceed we were sent to 32 different offices and then back to the
different offices and then back to the
different offices and then back to the first one
first one
first one never having made progress and we
never having made progress and we
never having made progress and we realized we needed to get organized so
realized we needed to get organized so
realized we needed to get organized so we created an organization called the
we created an organization called the
we created an organization called the action committee for decent childcare
action committee for decent childcare
action committee for decent childcare and we reached out to parents around the
and we reached out to parents around the
and we reached out to parents around the city we went through some traditional
city we went through some traditional
city we went through some traditional organizations like the YWCA or churches
organizations like the YWCA or churches
organizations like the YWCA or churches and synagogues and we also reached out
and synagogues and we also reached out
and synagogues and we also reached out through emerging groups like the Chicago
through emerging groups like the Chicago
through emerging groups like the Chicago women’s liberation union and other
women’s liberation union and other
women’s liberation union and other community organizations and we gathered
community organizations and we gathered
community organizations and we gathered people together we also reached out to
people together we also reached out to
people together we also reached out to child care providers who shared our
child care providers who shared our
child care providers who shared our interest in revising the licensing codes
interest in revising the licensing codes
interest in revising the licensing codes as well as getting additional funding
as well as getting additional funding
as well as getting additional funding for childcare and we held different
for childcare and we held different
for childcare and we held different community events and visibility events
community events and visibility events
community events and visibility events and here’s a picture from one
and here’s a picture from one
and here’s a picture from one demonstration ran with one of our kids
demonstration ran with one of our kids
demonstration ran with one of our kids and people flocked to us because they
and people flocked to us because they
and people flocked to us because they had been dealing with a problem that
had been dealing with a problem that
had been dealing with a problem that they felt was theirs alone and just a
they felt was theirs alone and just a
they felt was theirs alone and just a personal problem when in fact it was a
personal problem when in fact it was a
personal problem when in fact it was a social problem and needed a social
social problem and needed a social
social problem and needed a social solution and so the visibility events
solution and so the visibility events
solution and so the visibility events also helped us gather speed and build
also helped us gather speed and build
also helped us gather speed and build the organization we then decided to hold
the organization we then decided to hold
the organization we then decided to hold community forums we were holding one
community forums we were holding one
community forums we were holding one forum on the southwest side of Chicago
forum on the southwest side of Chicago
forum on the southwest side of Chicago in a church when the opposition came
in a church when the opposition came
in a church when the opposition came there was an alderman and a group of
there was an alderman and a group of
there was an alderman and a group of aldermen who didn’t want to spend any
aldermen who didn’t want to spend any
aldermen who didn’t want to spend any money on child care so they came to the
money on child care so they came to the
money on child care so they came to the meeting and very hostile he said to us
meeting and very hostile he said to us
meeting and very hostile he said to us aren’t any of you good mothers don’t you
aren’t any of you good mothers don’t you
aren’t any of you good mothers don’t you know how to take care of your kids I was
know how to take care of your kids I was
know how to take care of your kids I was chairing the meeting and I was really
chairing the meeting and I was really
chairing the meeting and I was really frightened and I didn’t know what we
frightened and I didn’t know what we
frightened and I didn’t know what we would do and one woman stood up and said
would do and one woman stood up and said
would do and one woman stood up and said you know I’m a good mother but my
you know I’m a good mother but my
you know I’m a good mother but my husband was killed in Vietnam and I have
husband was killed in Vietnam and I have
husband was killed in Vietnam and I have to work I love those kids and in order
to work I love those kids and in order
to work I love those kids and in order to work I need childcare and the
to work I need childcare and the
to work I need childcare and the floodgates opened one parent after
floodgates opened one parent after
floodgates opened one parent after another gain confidence found their
another gain confidence found their
another gain confidence found their voice spoke about their love for their
voice spoke about their love for their
voice spoke about their love for their kids what they needed the childcare they
kids what they needed the childcare they
kids what they needed the childcare they needed their vision of the few
needed their vision of the few
needed their vision of the few and how we stood together and we
and how we stood together and we
and how we stood together and we realized that speaking from the heart
realized that speaking from the heart
realized that speaking from the heart telling our story we had more power than
telling our story we had more power than
telling our story we had more power than this one opposition Alderman and in fact
this one opposition Alderman and in fact
this one opposition Alderman and in fact we could have the political power when
we could have the political power when
we could have the political power when we organized we then took the message
we organized we then took the message
we organized we then took the message around the city and more and more people
around the city and more and more people
around the city and more and more people came to us and as we were gaining
came to us and as we were gaining
came to us and as we were gaining strength he realized it made sense for
strength he realized it made sense for
strength he realized it made sense for us also to seek a small victory while we
us also to seek a small victory while we
us also to seek a small victory while we were looking for the long-term victory
were looking for the long-term victory
were looking for the long-term victory and so we asked a department head would
and so we asked a department head would
and so we asked a department head would they do a study on child care what
they do a study on child care what
they do a study on child care what existed in the city and what we needed
existed in the city and what we needed
existed in the city and what we needed and one Department had said we couldn’t
and one Department had said we couldn’t
and one Department had said we couldn’t do the study but she agreed to meet with
do the study but she agreed to meet with
do the study but she agreed to meet with us so we go down with about 30 parents
us so we go down with about 30 parents
us so we go down with about 30 parents and our kids because after all we didn’t
and our kids because after all we didn’t
and our kids because after all we didn’t have childcare and we go down to City
have childcare and we go down to City
have childcare and we go down to City Hall and it was also intimidating for
Hall and it was also intimidating for
Hall and it was also intimidating for people who hadn’t done something like
people who hadn’t done something like
people who hadn’t done something like this they were marble walls and long
this they were marble walls and long
this they were marble walls and long halls and everything echoed and
halls and everything echoed and
halls and everything echoed and reverberated and we got down to the
reverberated and we got down to the
reverberated and we got down to the department head office and she wasn’t
department head office and she wasn’t
department head office and she wasn’t there we thought of leaving but we
there we thought of leaving but we
there we thought of leaving but we decided to stay the kids got a little
decided to stay the kids got a little
decided to stay the kids got a little fidgety they started triggering some
fidgety they started triggering some
fidgety they started triggering some files and one of them found the very
files and one of them found the very
files and one of them found the very study that we had been asking for we
study that we had been asking for we
study that we had been asking for we called up the press the press comes down
called up the press the press comes down
called up the press the press comes down immediately miraculously the department
immediately miraculously the department
immediately miraculously the department head comes in and says I didn’t know you
head comes in and says I didn’t know you
head comes in and says I didn’t know you were waiting oh you wanted a study we
were waiting oh you wanted a study we
were waiting oh you wanted a study we can’t do a study oh you found the study
can’t do a study oh you found the study
can’t do a study oh you found the study and at that point she agreed to have
and at that point she agreed to have
and at that point she agreed to have city sponsored forums around the city on
city sponsored forums around the city on
city sponsored forums around the city on child care that of course built our
child care that of course built our
child care that of course built our support let us hear more stories more
support let us hear more stories more
support let us hear more stories more people joined the organization and we
people joined the organization and we
people joined the organization and we built the base of power so our issue
built the base of power so our issue
built the base of power so our issue concerns also became political power
concerns also became political power
concerns also became political power around the aldermen in the various
around the aldermen in the various
around the aldermen in the various districts and six months after we began
districts and six months after we began
districts and six months after we began organizing we won and one of the most
organizing we won and one of the most
organizing we won and one of the most powerful mayor’s in the entire country
powerful mayor’s in the entire country
powerful mayor’s in the entire country agreed to one-stop licensing center for
agreed to one-stop licensing center for
agreed to one-stop licensing center for child care a licensing review board made
child care a licensing review board made
child care a licensing review board made up of parents and child care providers
up of parents and child care providers
up of parents and child care providers and a million dollars for child care
and a million dollars for child care
and a million dollars for child care when a million dollars was real money
when a million dollars was real money
when a million dollars was real money this is a picture of just some of the
this is a picture of just some of the
this is a picture of just some of the press that we’ve gotten in this front
press that we’ve gotten in this front
press that we’ve gotten in this front article actually says about how we won
article actually says about how we won
article actually says about how we won now we still have a long way to go on
now we still have a long way to go on
now we still have a long way to go on childcare for childcare
childcare for childcare
childcare for childcare right now the cost could be equal to
right now the cost could be equal to
right now the cost could be equal to that of a college education or the rent
that of a college education or the rent
that of a college education or the rent in some cities and childcare workers are
in some cities and childcare workers are
in some cities and childcare workers are often not paid enough to even take care
often not paid enough to even take care
often not paid enough to even take care of their own kids while they’re caring
of their own kids while they’re caring
of their own kids while they’re caring for ours we have a long way to go but we
for ours we have a long way to go but we
for ours we have a long way to go but we make progress when we organize now these
make progress when we organize now these
make progress when we organize now these lessons apply to all the issues that you
lessons apply to all the issues that you
lessons apply to all the issues that you care about all the changes that you want
care about all the changes that you want
care about all the changes that you want to see over the next 10 years its child
to see over the next 10 years its child
to see over the next 10 years its child care and well beyond that and knowing
care and well beyond that and knowing
care and well beyond that and knowing that I decided to pass on those lessons
that I decided to pass on those lessons
that I decided to pass on those lessons and I created a training center called
and I created a training center called
and I created a training center called Midwest Academy and thousands of people
Midwest Academy and thousands of people
Midwest Academy and thousands of people have been trained by Midwest Academy
have been trained by Midwest Academy
have been trained by Midwest Academy there are three principles of organizing
there are three principles of organizing
there are three principles of organizing our trainings based on the first is that
our trainings based on the first is that
our trainings based on the first is that based on the values we want to win real
based on the values we want to win real
based on the values we want to win real improvements in people’s lives not just
improvements in people’s lives not just
improvements in people’s lives not just have abstractions as important as
have abstractions as important as
have abstractions as important as freedom justice and democracy is and our
freedom justice and democracy is and our
freedom justice and democracy is and our values are at the core but we want to
values are at the core but we want to
values are at the core but we want to actually improve people’s lives on child
actually improve people’s lives on child
actually improve people’s lives on child care it meant our value is that we loved
care it meant our value is that we loved
care it meant our value is that we loved our kids and we need a child care and
our kids and we need a child care and
our kids and we need a child care and the concrete improvement was we needed
the concrete improvement was we needed
the concrete improvement was we needed to change licensing as well as increase
to change licensing as well as increase
to change licensing as well as increase the funding the second principle is that
the funding the second principle is that
the funding the second principle is that we wanted to give people a sense of
we wanted to give people a sense of
we wanted to give people a sense of their own power to let them know that if
their own power to let them know that if
their own power to let them know that if they have the confidence they could
they have the confidence they could
they have the confidence they could stand up and make democracy work on
stand up and make democracy work on
stand up and make democracy work on child care it meant we went from
child care it meant we went from
child care it meant we went from community to community with parents and
community to community with parents and
community to community with parents and child care providers joined together
child care providers joined together
child care providers joined together built a base of power and then convinced
built a base of power and then convinced
built a base of power and then convinced the alderman the department head and
the alderman the department head and
the alderman the department head and finally the mayor and one and the third
finally the mayor and one and the third
finally the mayor and one and the third principle we want systemic and
principle we want systemic and
principle we want systemic and structural change beyond the important
structural change beyond the important
structural change beyond the important individual changes we also wanted to
individual changes we also wanted to
individual changes we also wanted to change the relations of power and hold
change the relations of power and hold
change the relations of power and hold those in power more accountable and so
those in power more accountable and so
those in power more accountable and so on child care the licensing board of
on child care the licensing board of
on child care the licensing board of parents and child care providers meant
parents and child care providers meant
parents and child care providers meant we could make decisions about the future
we could make decisions about the future
we could make decisions about the future and also we built our organization so
and also we built our organization so
and also we built our organization so addition to the movement we built we
addition to the movement we built we
addition to the movement we built we also built organization that could go
also built organization that could go
also built organization that could go victory to victory
victory to victory
victory to victory now these lessons apply not just to
now these lessons apply not just to
now these lessons apply not just to child care but to all the issues that
child care but to all the issues that
child care but to all the issues that you care about and have cared about in
you care about and have cared about in
you care about and have cared about in the past on civil rights because people
the past on civil rights because people
the past on civil rights because people stood up
stood up
stood up we won voting rights and civil rights
we won voting rights and civil rights
we won voting rights and civil rights even against what seemed like
even against what seemed like
even against what seemed like insurmountable odds and violent
insurmountable odds and violent
insurmountable odds and violent opposition and hostile political
opposition and hostile political
opposition and hostile political direction now we know that we have much
direction now we know that we have much
direction now we know that we have much further to go and right now there’s an
further to go and right now there’s an
further to go and right now there’s an erosion of voting rights and civil
erosion of voting rights and civil
erosion of voting rights and civil rights but we can make progress when we
rights but we can make progress when we
rights but we can make progress when we organize on rights on the workplace
organize on rights on the workplace
organize on rights on the workplace last year in 19 states 4.3 million
last year in 19 states 4.3 million
last year in 19 states 4.3 million people had their wages increased because
people had their wages increased because
people had their wages increased because there was a struggle around a living
there was a struggle around a living
there was a struggle around a living wage and $15 an hour now we have much
wage and $15 an hour now we have much
wage and $15 an hour now we have much further to go but we’ll make progress
further to go but we’ll make progress
further to go but we’ll make progress when we organize on immigration reform
when we organize on immigration reform
when we organize on immigration reform then our 11 million people tragically
then our 11 million people tragically
then our 11 million people tragically living in the shadows and in fear not
living in the shadows and in fear not
living in the shadows and in fear not sure of what happens with the rest of
sure of what happens with the rest of
sure of what happens with the rest of their life but because we’ve organized a
their life but because we’ve organized a
their life but because we’ve organized a majority of this country believes in a
majority of this country believes in a
majority of this country believes in a pathway to citizenship and a good
pathway to citizenship and a good
pathway to citizenship and a good majority of this country believes that
majority of this country believes that
majority of this country believes that all people should be treated with
all people should be treated with
all people should be treated with dignity and respect including refugees
dignity and respect including refugees
dignity and respect including refugees it’s not a question of if but only a
it’s not a question of if but only a
it’s not a question of if but only a question of when if we organize this was
question of when if we organize this was
question of when if we organize this was a picture of a immigration demonstration
a picture of a immigration demonstration
a picture of a immigration demonstration that I was in a couple of years ago and
that I was in a couple of years ago and
that I was in a couple of years ago and one of the signs that reflected our
one of the signs that reflected our
one of the signs that reflected our values in the demonstration was a sign
values in the demonstration was a sign
values in the demonstration was a sign that said I dream in American a sign in
that said I dream in American a sign in
that said I dream in American a sign in another demonstration was if they don’t
another demonstration was if they don’t
another demonstration was if they don’t let us dream we won’t let them sleep
let us dream we won’t let them sleep
let us dream we won’t let them sleep this is active organizing the
this is active organizing the
this is active organizing the demonstrations matter the click to vist
demonstrations matter the click to vist
demonstrations matter the click to vist s’matter the online the on the ground it
s’matter the online the on the ground it
s’matter the online the on the ground it all matters but it matters to be part of
all matters but it matters to be part of
all matters but it matters to be part of organizing for change
organizing for change
organizing for change and if we organize on all the issues you
and if we organize on all the issues you
and if we organize on all the issues you care about over the next 10 years and
care about over the next 10 years and
care about over the next 10 years and more we will change this world for the
more we will change this world for the
more we will change this world for the better I look forward to celebrating our
better I look forward to celebrating our
better I look forward to celebrating our joint victories together when we
joint victories together when we
joint victories together when we organize
organize
organize [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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