Real Talk Stand Up for Parents

Real Talk was founded by young mothers in 2010. Access to childcare is a key component of reproductive justice. Led by mothers and parents of color, Real Talk organizes parents in Atlanta communities to 1) advocate for policy changes that will increase access to opportunity for themselves and their families, and 2) build alternative infrastructures that support parents to make the best decisions for themselves and their families.

When women and community members combine access to childcare with access to educational choices, whether that means graduating from high school or attending higher educational institutions, long-term economic sustainability is possible.

Project South believes that without access to the resources necessary to parent healthy children, women are not allowed their full capacity of decision-making about their reproductive lives. An organized force of parents in combination with young people can directly impact local, state, and regional policies and re-direct resources to community-led efforts rather than to privatized, inaccessible childcare spaces. Project South's Real Talk Program provides a strong example of parent organizing in the South that emerged directly from youth organizing and shows the importance of organizing with the entire family system: parent, youth, and child.

One of the fifteen rights of the National Student Bill of Rights is the Right to Free Childcare for Youth and Students. Connecting the NSBR to a local campaign ensures youth participation and national amplification.