At their best, high-quality child care settings are a place for young children to learn, thrive, and engage with their peers. Child care is also an essential service for families in an economy that often demands all adults in a household pursue outside employment. The gaping holes in our child care market hurt our city’s economy and our future. Without access to affordable, reliable child care, young families are leaving New York City. This is leading in particular to an exodus of Black families who can no longer afford to raise their children here. Losing families hurts our city’s future – there are economic impacts, like a decline in public school funding and a decreased tax base – but also more fundamental challenges, as New York becomes a city for the wealthy and no longer one for the middle and working class. (author abstract)