Ep 199. Julie Kashen: Advocate for Change in Public Policy
Julie Kashen is the director for women’s economic justice and a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, a progressive independent think tank that fights for economic, racial, and gender equity in education, health care, and work. Julie has spent her career working for more just and equitable public policies -- including women’s economic justice issues -- in federal and state government, including as Labor Policy Advisor to the late Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy and as Deputy Policy Director for former New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine. She has helped to draft and build momentum for three major pieces of national legislation: the first national paid sick days bill (the Healthy Families Act), major child care legislation, and the national Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. Julie holds a master’s in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a bachelor’s with highest honors in political science from the University of Michigan. She also serves as a senior policy advisor to the National Domestic Workers Alliance.In this episode, Stew talks with Julie about the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue plan, also known as the American Rescue Plan, and its implications for strengthening our nation’s care infrastructure. They discuss the economic and social benefits of a more robust child care system and the ways by which such a system would reduce inequality and injustice suffered by women and people of color. Julie describes how ordinary citizens, and not just policy-makers, can and must get involved to affect needed change in our cultural values, to truly invest in children and families. Here then is an invitation, a challenge, for you, once you’ve listened to the conversation. Find an organization that advocates for the values you hold with respect to building a care infrastructure and sign up to support them. Share your reactions to this episode and ideas for future episodes with Stew by writing to him at friedman@wharton.upenn.edu or via LinkedIn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.