In the United States, discussions surrounding pro-children and pro-family sentiments have significantly influenced our societal and political conversations. However, it’s evident that these narratives have often favored traditional, white, heteronormative family structures. The reality is that every individual, spanning from newborns and parents to adolescents, adults, and seniors, deserves comprehensive and high-quality care throughout their life stages. Beneath the veneer of rhetoric lies an Oppression Economy, particularly burdening families of color, where securing affordable, quality family care remains an ongoing struggle. This care encompasses childcare, assistance for dependents, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly.

To address these challenges within our family care systems, we must invest in a novel care infrastructure that empowers families of color to access superior, affordable care for their loved ones at every life juncture. Though the ultimate aspiration is universal paid family and medical leave, it’s imperative to enhance our existing early childcare, educational, and long-term service systems, guaranteeing comprehensive support for families, children, dependents, individuals with disabilities, and elderly adults. This journey necessitates investments in the childcare and home healthcare workforce, where individuals of color hold pivotal roles. This entails providing livable wages, dignified job opportunities, and substantial fringe benefits like paid leave and healthcare. The practice of unpaid or partially paid leave while caring for loved ones must cease, as it perpetuates disparities, particularly affecting Black women who lose billions in wages annually.