"In March, ChiAurelia Spencer started sketching out her 13-year-old daughter's summer. She had four options: Should she pay for a pricey dance camp, fly her to Texas to stay with family, enroll her in summer school or leave her home alone? For Spencer, each choice carried a cost for her family, from paying for summer programs and finding Black-led ones, to stretching her budget to cover basics like food and activities."
"Navigating child care during the summer for many Black families, including Spencer's, has become increasingly difficult as child care costs soar and affirming options for Black youth remain scarce. Summer child care is notoriously difficult to piece together, but for Black families, who also spend a larger percentage of their income on child care, it is even more difficult. When affordable and culturally sensitive camps are available, they offer far more than playtime: They can serve as community anchors for connection and support."
ChiAurelia Spencer faced four summer options for her 13-year-old: an expensive dance camp, a family stay in Texas, summer school, or leaving her daughter home alone. Each option imposed financial or cultural costs, including the search for Black-led programs and budget strains on essentials such as food and activities. Many Black families pay a larger share of income for child care while facing fewer affirming choices. When affordable, culturally sensitive camps exist, they provide more than activities by acting as community anchors for connection and support. Spencer ultimately combined multiple lower-cost options to create a workable plan.
Read at Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly
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