2019 Continuums of Service Conference

In the U.S today, over 6 million low-wage workers are parents with children under the age of 18. Over half of these low-wage worker parents are women and many are single mothers. People of color, African Americans, Latinos, and immigrant workers are overrepresented in nearly all low-wage sector jobs like domestic work, janitorial, child care, and garment production. Much of the research available on low-wage parents’ ability to engage in their children’s education has focused on inequitable workplace conditions (unpredictable schedules, wage theft, lack of workplace flexibility) and public policies that fail to support working mothers and fathers. Little public debate or community-based research, however, has positioned parent workers and their unions or workers centers from a vantage point of strength and as a resource to support working families in navigating the educational system for their public school learners. This workshop will highlight 3 parent-worker models and share how a first-generation service-learning mentorship project connected university students with low-wage families and their worker organizations. We intend to engage the audience in a dialogue focused on learner and parent-worker assets and success as well as program opportunities for educators. We will also view a newly released short video on the projects.