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The Collaborative is embracing narrative change as a powerful strategy to shift public perception and drive greater investment in the early care and education (ECE) workforce. In partnership with Community Change,, we’re launching a digital campaign that amplifies the voices of parents and providers—using storytelling and organizing to build support for fair compensation and long-term, systemic change.
At the heart of this effort is a simple but powerful idea: when we change the story, we can change the system.
In this initial phase of implementation, the goals are to increase understanding of the challenges faced by the ECE workforce among parents and guardians, increase collaboration between parents and early childhood educators, and to mobilize the ECE workforce to exert pressure on policy makers.
This initial implementation of the campaign builds on earlier research and conceptualization done by Purpose and Frameworks Institute. This earlier work, which we will refer to as Phase 1, resulted in significant planning assets for a campaign in the short-term and a longer-term narrative change strategy.
Key components of Phase 1 include:
The campaign concept and brand identity were co-created with focus groups, ECE experts and stakeholders as part of Phase 1.
In February 2025, Community Change officially launched its child care cohort for the In Our Hands narrative campaign. The cohort includes 12 grassroots partner groups and 11 parent and provider organizers from 17 states and Washington, DC, all working together to build public support for higher compensation through coordinated digital organizing strategies. This network of trusted messengers is helping to create a powerful moment of connection around this issue by collaborating with well-known organizers and using their platforms to amplify the message through shared media.
First Up (Pennsylvania)
WEPOWER (Missouri)
OLE’ (New Mexico)
SPACES in Action (Washington, DC)
ISAIAH (Minnesota)
Granite State Organizing Project (New Hampshire)
Brigitte Willis (GA)
Claudia Benjamin (GA)
Kelly Dawn Jones (IN)
Kayanna Jackson (NJ)
Emma Biggs (NC)
Lucy Rodriquez (NC)
Shineal Hunter (PA)
Loretta Johnson (TX)
Vernessa Gipson (TX)
Kate MacCrimmon (WI)
Melanie Call (UT)
Stay up-to-date with our latest research and insights. We do not share or sell email addresses to outside parties. We will use your email address only to send you relevant content, and you can unsubscribe at any time.