Quality childcare is an elemental need. It allows parents to work at paid jobs, which in turn helps to support the economic well-being of our communities. Equally as crucial, it provides early childhood development for the next generation.

Anyone who has tried to find quality childcare, however, knows that it is not easy to find—or very affordable. In the past five years, Iowa has lost more than a third of its childcare providers, and the cost of child care amounts to 15.3% of the average Iowa family's household income.

In this conversation, we pair workforce development lobbyist Jennifer Banta with feminist philosopher Asha Bhandary. Banta is part of a cadre working across sectors to address Iowa’s childcare crisis, while Bhandary’s current research addresses the injustices baked into caregiving arrangements—for both the givers and receivers of care.

Panelists:
* Jennifer Banta, Vice President for Advocacy and Community Development, Iowa City Area Business Partnership
* Asha Bhandary, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy

This program is cosponsored by the Iowa City Public Library and the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies.