Tag Archive: childcare
Seven Ways to Revolutionize Childcare and Build All-Ages Movements
Prison Books Collective February 23, 2015
Childcare at the 2009 City from Below conference in Baltimore.
From Waging Nonviolence/ By Victoria Law
Last week I was part of Queering Abolition, a panel discussion on queer and trans prison advocacy and abolition. One of my co-panelists was Susan Rosenberg, a former political prisoner who spent 16 years in prison before her sentence was commuted by outgoing President Bill Clinton. The panel was in the auditorium of the City University of New York Graduate Center. Being on the panel was exciting — not just because I was part of a dialogue around prison advocacy and abolition that centered on trans people, but also because it reminded me of how far I'd come and how much community and movement support have enabled me.
I first saw Susan Rosenberg in that same auditorium about 12 years ago. She had been released from prison the year before and was part of a day-long conference on incarceration. My daughter was not quite two years old and, like many political events — both then and now — there was no child care. The organizers told me that I was welcome to bring my child and so I did.
She had a fantastic time. My daughter, after nursing for a bit and sitting in my lap for an even shorter bit, wriggled out of my arms and explored the back rows of the auditorium. The seats were like those in the movie theater, springing up when no weight was applied. She was entranced with these seats, pulling them down and letting them flip back up with a clatter. She did this again and again, much to the amusement of the handful of 20-somethings around us. I kept one eye on her and one eye on the stage where, far below, Susan Rosenberg, Laura Whitehorn and two other important people in the prison movement talked about women and incarceration.
When the audience erupted into applause, my daughter stopped and applauded along. "Yaaaay!" she cheered, as she clapped her tiny hands together over and over.
childcare, multigenerational movements, prison abolition, Vikki Law
An owie to one is an owie to all: A six-step plan for helping your parent-friends remain activists
From Libcom
A member of Seattle Solidarity Network shares some steps she thinks organizations could take to encourage involvement from their members with children.
Eight days after my daughter was born, I sent this message to the organizing committee members of the Seattle Solidarity Network:
"I wanted to let you all know that I need to take a few week hiatus from coming to SeaSol meetings…. Baby is doing well, we just need to clear the decks while I recover and while we figure out this whole nursing thing. Thanks for understanding, and we'll see you in a few weeks! (I'd estimate three.)"
Four months later, I had still not returned to SeaSol meetings more than a handful of times. I was an I.W.W. member and had been organizing with SeaSol since our first fight in 2008. I was the only female-identified person to consistently attend SeaSol meetings for our entire first year and for several more years for the IWW branch in Seattle. Both groups planned to pay for childcare, and I was committed to continuing my activism after giving birth, but somehow I was not managing to make it happen. What was the problem?
What follows are some reflections on becoming a mom while trying to continue work as a class warrior. (more…)
childcare, feminism, multigenerational movements, zines