Jubilee JumpStart Voices at DC Council: Standing Up for Children, Families, and Educators
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Early childhood policy debates often happen far from the classrooms and families they affect. But today at the DC Council, the voices of our community were front and center.
JJS Executive Director Dr. Rosalina Burgos-Gil, Board Chair Lesley Chavkin, and JJS father and Board member Gustav Bande testified before the DC Council Committee of the Whole today to share their experiences, advocate for continued investment in early childhood education and family support programs, and highlight why these programs matter so deeply for families across the District.
Together, their voices reflect what we see every day at Jubilee JumpStart: when families, educators, and community leaders work together, children thrive.
A Provider’s Perspective
Dr. Rosalina Burgos-Gil spoke about the realities that early childhood providers face while working to deliver high-quality care and education for DC’s youngest learners.
As the Executive Director of Jubilee JumpStart, Rosalina sees firsthand how city policies affect classrooms, teachers, and families. Her testimony called on the Council to stabilize funding for the Child Care Subsidy Program and the Pay Equity Fund and to ensure providers are meaningfully included in policy decisions that affect their work.
As she shared with the Council:
“Behind every policy discussion are real children, their families, and dedicated educators. One foster family, who are about to become adoptive parents, often tell us how grateful they are for the stability and care their child receives from our teachers. That consistency is what allows children to heal, attach, and thrive.”
Jubilee JumpStart Board Chair Lesley Chavkin echoed this perspective, highlighting how investing in educators strengthens classrooms and supports children’s development:
“When we lose experienced educators, we lose institutional knowledge, classroom stability, and the trusted relationships that are fundamental to quality early childhood education.”
Together, their message to the Council was clear: strong early childhood programs depend on stable funding, respected educators, and policies that reflect the realities of caring for young children and their families.
A Father’s Voice
Jubilee JumpStart parent Gustav Bande knows firsthand how critical early childhood programs are for families. When his daughter Nia was born underweight, Gustav was navigating the challenges of single parenthood while trying to secure stable care and support.
After being referred by a neighborhood librarian, Gustav began visiting Jubilee JumpStart regularly—even before Nia joined the toddler classroom—asking questions, learning about child development, and building community. Six months later, after navigating custody paperwork and securing a child care subsidy, Nia finally started in our program.
Today, Nia is a cheerful two-year-old who loves her classroom, and Gustav has become one of our most passionate advocates. He has testified before the Council several times about his family's experience and the importance of investing in early childhood programs. He also recently joined the JJS Board of Directors as our parent representative.
In his testimony today, Gustav reminded Councilmembers that early childhood investments are about the future of the entire city:
“The children of this city will become the backbone of our workforce, our government, and our communities. If we do not invest in them now, we will all pay later.”
A Community Commitment
Jubilee JumpStart has always believed that advocacy is part of caring for children.
When educators are supported, families are heard, and communities come together, we can build a city where every child has access to high-quality early education and responsive care.
We’re grateful to Rosalina, Gustav, and Lesley for bringing the Jubilee JumpStart spirit—joyful, determined, and deeply committed to children—to the DC Council today.
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