Joanne M. - Parent

Joanne is a proud mother of three, and while her children were raised in a two-parent household, affordable and culturally relevant childcare was still a persistent challenge.

Originally from Alabama and married to a Haitian partner, Joanne deeply valued raising their children in a way that preserved their cultural heritage. Finding a caregiver who spoke Creole was a top priority, but incredibly difficult. “It was important for our children to grow up in the culture,” she said. Today, her 22-year-old is fluent in Creole, a testament to their commitment, but it didn’t come easily.

With her oldest son, they were fortunate to receive help from Joanne’s sister-in-law. However, things got harder when her daughter turned three. Joanne had to enroll her in daycare, but the logistics quickly became overwhelming. The hours didn’t align with her work schedule, forcing her to leave work early every day just to make pickup. For a year and a half, she and her husband paid $500 a week for childcare—a steep cost that strained their finances until their daughter was finally accepted into Boston Public Schools through the lottery system.

They were lucky, but Joanne knows many parents aren’t. “Not every child gets that opportunity,” she said. “No parent should have to jump through hoops for childcare. Life is already challenging enough. Parents are working two, three jobs just to survive. It shouldn’t be this way.”

For Joanne, childcare is not a luxury. It’s a basic human right. “As parents, meet us where we are. Getting a voucher right now feels almost impossible. And if it’s this hard for us in a two-parent household, I can’t imagine what it’s like for single parents.”

She reflects on those early years with disbelief: “I don’t even know how I did it.”

Her message is clear: “Let our legislators know—this is much needed, no matter our backgrounds or where we come from. Across the country, mothers are struggling. Give us more funding for childcare.”