FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 23, 2024
CONTACT: Daniela Perez, [email protected]
Care Workers Celebrate Vice President Kamala Harris’s Historic Nomination
CHICAGO – Last night, Vice President Kamala Harris accepted the official Democratic Presidential nomination at the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC), becoming the first Black and first South Asian woman to accept the Presidential nomination. Care in Action, the political home for women of color who care, is energized by the Harris-Walz campaign’s commitment to supporting working families and fortifying the care infrastructure necessary for a thriving economy in 2025 and beyond and is looking forward to engaging with the growing care electorate to emphasize the importance of continuing to lead with care champions in the White House.
Hillary Holley, Executive Director of Care in Action, released the following statement:
“Last night, Vice President Harris reintroduced herself to the nation. While we have witnessed her historic firsts throughout her extensive career, we are proud to have witnessed the first Black and South Asian woman to accept the Presidential nomination.
In the audience, either in the United Center or in their homes, watching history closely on their television screens, women of color saw themselves on that stage when Vice President Harris accepted the nomination.
Vice President Harris reflected on her career and, most importantly, her family. She proudly represents a working-class family, and in her speech, she acknowledged the life of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, whom Vice President Harris cared for until she passed away in 2009.
Throughout her acceptance speech, Vice President Harris highlighted a forward-thinking future where every person in this nation can not just survive, but thrive, in an economy that works for them. And that economy includes a robust care agenda that includes paid family and medical leave, affordable childcare, aging and disability care, and good jobs with good wages for care workers.
Care in Action has said time and time again – investing in care will strengthen the economy. The care economy, including unpaid and paid caregiving, is valued at up to $6 trillion—nearly a quarter of the total U.S. GDP. This country is facing an ongoing care crisis in the U.S., which has only grown more severe since the pandemic revealed the fragility of our social safety net and as we face increasing turnover among care workers. By 2030, 14 million seniors and people with disabilities will need long-term care as the population ages. Meanwhile, childcare systems are at a breaking point, and the U.S. remains one of the only countries without a national paid family leave policy. Over 80% of Americans want policies that expand affordable home care options, and over 82% believe caregiving should be a legislative priority.
The Trump-Vance ticket, however, offers no such vision for the future. Their Project 2025 agenda is a blueprint for disaster. Instead of addressing the care crisis, Project 2025 would eliminate Head Start, severely restricting access to childcare in America. From cutting Medicaid benefits to eliminating the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and increasing Medicare prescription drug prices, Trump’s plan would have disastrous and deadly consequences for our country’s care.
Care in Action is proud to stand with leaders like Vice President Harris and Governor Tim Walz, who understand that care is a personal responsibility and a public priority that strengthens our economy, our communities, and our cared-for future.”
Throughout the week of August 19th, Care in Action was proud to participate in several opportunities at the DNC to highlight the critical role of care in our lives and the urgency of ensuring this nation’s care workers are recognized, protected, and well compensated. Care workers, caregivers, and care recipients are a growing care electorate. They saw themselves represented on last night’s stage, and they’ll take that representation to the ballot box.
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Care in Action is the policy and advocacy home for women who care, working on behalf of more than two million domestic workers and care workers across America. Among the fastest-growing sectors in our economy, domestic workers are also among the most vulnerable and undervalued. As a mostly women and majority women of color workforce, this growing constituency consistently and overwhelmingly supports progressive values in American political life. Learn more at
www.careinaction.us.