Parents, children and those who care for kids took to the streets of San Jose Monday to call attention to a child care crisis.
The action was part of an annual protest over ongoing cuts to key children's programs, including Head Start, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid.
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WATCH HERE"We are saying that providers should not be treated as dispensable and disposable, that low-income families deserve better," Parent Voices Oakland Executive Director Clarissa Doutherd said.
Speakers criticized both the Trump administration as well as Gov. Gavin Newsom for letting the child care industry erode.
"The child care system is collapsing," Benu's Preschool owner Benu Chhabra said. "Families can’t afford it. Providers can't sustain it. The workforce is disappearing. Federal investment is the only solution."
The San Jose event kicked off a series of protests, including a nationwide virtual rally Monday night, a rally at Stanford hospital later this week and a big demonstration planned at the state capitol on June 11.
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