logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2023
52m 29s

How Tulsa’s Tackling Child Care Deserts ...

LEMONADA MEDIA
About this episode

On the first stop of the national tour, host Gloria Riviera is live in Tulsa to speak with members of a coalition that is supporting both families and childhood educators while working to stamp out Oklahoma’s expansive child care desert.

We meet panelists Cindy Decker, executive director of Tulsa Educare, an early childcare provider in Tulsa; Jackie Evans, owner of Aunt Jackie’s Family Childcare Home, one of six family child care programs in Tulsa Educare’s Partnerships program; and Jennifer Kirby who is the Cherokee Nation Human Services executive director.

All three speak with Gloria about  their experience in what it takes to train and retain educators  and make child care accessible for families across Oklahoma, including within the Cherokee Nation. 

Show Notes

Presented by Neighborhood Villages. Neighborhood Villages is a Massachusetts-based systems change non-profit. It envisions a transformed, equitable early childhood education system that lifts up educators and sets every child and family up to thrive. In pursuit of this vision, Neighborhood Villages designs, evaluates, and scales innovative solutions to the biggest challenges faced by early childhood education providers and the children and families who rely on them, and drives policy reform through advocacy, education, and research.

This season was made possible with generous support from Imaginable Futures, a global philanthropic investment firm working with partners to build more healthy and equitable systems, so that everyone has the opportunity to learn and realize the future they imagine. Learn more at www.imaginablefutures.com

We also thank the George Kaiser Family Foundation for their partnership and sponsorship of this live event. To learn more about GKFF and its work in Tulsa, visit gkff.org. We also thank our hosts the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa.

Check out these resources from today’s episode: 

Visit Tulsa Educare’s website to learn about efforts to expand families' access to high quality early childhood education.

Laugh, cry, be outraged, and hear solutions! Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nooneiscomingtosaveus

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Jul 2023
How Oakland Overcomes Racial Disparities in Child Care (Live at KDOL-TV)
This week Gloria Riviera is live at KDOL-TV with a trio of women who are fighting against racial inequities facing families in Oakland. They shine a light on how the struggle for racial justice and access to early childhood development go hand-in-hand. We meet panelists Clarissa ... Show More
58m 35s
Jul 2023
How D.C. Drove Support For Universal Child Care (Live at DCTV)
The tour stops in our nation's capital to speak with local advocates about lessons learned from their successful, years-long campaign to pass universal pre-k in D.C.; how cities can better retain early childhood educators; and how to garner lawmaker support for improving child ca ... Show More
53m 6s
Jul 2023
How Birmingham Built Bipartisan Support for Child Care
The tour makes a virtual stop in Birmingham, where host Gloria Riviera learns how local advocates successfully lobbied lawmakers to make a historic investment in funding for both voluntary pre-k as well as initiatives that bolster the quality of early childhood education. This we ... Show More
48m 14s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2025
One Rural Doctor on the Cuts to Medicaid
<p>When Republicans passed their big domestic policy bill just over a week ago, they kept making the same argument about sweeping changes to Medicaid: that the measures, including new work requirements, would encourage able-bodied adults to earn their health care, ultimately crea ... Show More
31m 2s
May 2025
A Life-or-Death Insurance Denial
Billions of health insurance claims are processed every year, and around 19% of them are denied. Very few people appeal, but those that do have a chance at a different outcome. Jessica Mendoza speaks to one family about the insurance denial that threw them into a life-or-death cr ... Show More
21m 13s
Dec 2023
Inside Florida’s home insurance meltdown
Florida owns a massive property insurance company that’s been gobbling up policies while rates rise and some private insurers leave the state. A deal struck by the state legislature last year aims to fix this insurance market meltdown. To understand what’s happening – and what’s ... Show More
36m 49s
Oct 2022
One Thing: Unpacking America’s Mental Health Crisis
A new survey from CNN in partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that nine out of 10 adults believe that there’s a mental health crisis in the US today. We explore what’s driving that sentiment, the possible solutions, and why an influential task force has recommended ... Show More
15m 51s
Dec 2024
S6E5: Season Recap and Turning Point
summaryIn this episode, we reflect on their podcast journey, sharing personal updates, discussing their experiences in Boston, and delving into the political landscape of the US. We explore the challenges of voting, the impact of elections, and the evolution of their podcast form ... Show More
45m 39s
Sep 2024
Can We Fix Healthcare in America?
Dr. Anish Koka, a cardiologist at Jefferson Health, returns to the show for the first time since the inaugural episode in October 2020. With a sharp focus on healthcare policy, he delves into the impact of the Affordable Care Act on his practice, critiques the influence of politi ... Show More
1h 8m
Sep 15
Hundreds of medical clinics shut in Afghanistan after US aid cut
BBC report finds tragic accounts of Afghan maternity deaths after US-backed clinics shut. More than 400 medical facilities closed down in the country after the Trump administration cut nearly all US aid earlier this year, in a drastic and abrupt move following the dismantling of ... Show More
27m 6s
Jul 2025
Medicaid Cuts, Red Tape, and What You Can Do About It
What Medicaid changes mean for providers—and how to support families without the drama. In this episode, Megan is unpacking the real story behind the recent Medicaid changes—without the noise, drama, or clickbait. There's a good chance you've heard about Trump's "Big Beautiful Bi ... Show More
9m 24s
Dec 2024
Even Doctors Are Frustrated With Health Insurance
The killing of a top health insurance executive outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel this month triggered an outpouring of public anger at private health insurance companies. WSJ’s Julie Wernau reports that many doctors are among the aggrieved. And two doctors explain how dealing wi ... Show More
20m 29s