Council of People’s Organization (COPO), a local Pakistani community organization based out of West Midwood, gathered to support Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams’ push for more accessible childcare as part of his campaign trail for Mayor on Thursday, February 4.
Adams, who was joined by Councilmember Farah Louis (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Marine Park, Flatlands, Kensington), worked in the neighborhood during the onset of the COVID-19 crisis last year to secure food and resources with COPO for the surrounding residents.
Adams said the average costs for infant and toddler childcare is still “sky high” in the city.
Adams said that women between 25 and 44-years-old who are unemployed cited caring for children as the main reason for not working. He said what’s more unacceptable is that Black and Latino mothers reported that they would look for a higher paying job if they had better childcare access.
He said in his 100+ Steps Forward for New York plan, he’s looking to provide childcare to lower-income and middle-income parents by converting retail spaces and buildings for families. The plan outlines tax breaks and credits to residential building developers, office building owners, and other private building owners to create free space for providers.
“Growing up in South Jamaica, Queens, my single mother struggled to balance work and taking care of her kids–often having to rely on friends or neighbors to watch us just so that she could earn money to put food on the table,” said Adams. “Today, hundreds-of-thousands of New Yorkers — and women of color in particular — are unable to break into the middle class simply because they cannot find a safe, accessible, affordable daycare provider to place their child with for the day–and children often do not get the tools they need to have the best chance at success.”
Louis praised Adams’ work on behalf of working people and plans for universal child care access, pay equity and delivery of city services. She is also endorsing Adams for Mayor.
“It is impossible that we live in New York City and there is not enough space available for children to receive the care that they need and for their parents to get back to work. COVID has definitely increased that demand. There has been no relief in sight for parents,” said Louis. “It is our Black and Brown families that are harmed the most with this issue.”
The conference was held in front of COPO’s community center, which spans six rented buildings on Coney Island Avenue between Avenue H and Glenwood Road. The buildings include among other things a kitchen, daycare center, and afterschool program space. COPO’s mission is to assist low-income immigrant families, particularly South Asians and Muslims.
“As a working mother who cares for children during the day, I myself need help to afford childcare for my four children in order to keep working,” said Saima Javed, a pre-Kindergarten teacher’s assistant.
“The demand for childcare in Brooklyn is huge–but there are simply not enough slots for young children,” said Mohammad Razvi, Executive Director of COPO. “Providers need help to open up more space so that parents can take advantage of existing subsidies–and Eric Adams’ excellent plan for universal city childcare would lead to cheaper or free rents for us to expand and meet the demand.”
