Each year, the Child Care Aware national office hosts the Child Care Works Summit in Washington, D.C. as part of their ongoing work to mobilize individuals to advocate for child care policies that improve the lives of children and families. This spring, I was lucky enough to attend.

We spent the first day of the summit learning about the importance of advocacy and how to advocate. Although advocacy seems intimidating, the session presenters assured us that our personal stories and experiences make us experts in the field and that our voices are worth hearing. On the second day, we took our stories and experiences to Capitol Hill to discuss the future of child care with our state’s senators and representatives.

Speaking face-to-face with my elected representatives and their staff was a completely new experience for me. As the Communications Coordinator at Child Care Aware of Minnesota, it’s my job to draft messages emphasizing the importance of high-quality, accessible child care for our websites, print materials, and promotional campaigns. All this work is done behind a desk, so getting to share these messages directly with the people capable of changing policy was very empowering. I was able to share my experience as a professional working in the early education field, educate them on a cause I’m passionate about, and exercise my rights as a citizen.

If you would like to learn more about Child Care Aware® of America’s Child Care Works movement and how you can become a child care advocate, visit the Child Care Works website.