Miren Algorri One of Chicano Federation’s Everyday Heroes
Miren Algorri is an early childhood educator, small business owner and community advocate. Algorri has been operating Little Blossoms Child Care since 1997, shortly after completing the Chicano Federation Family Child Care Program focused on helping women of color start their own child care business. As an educator, she has been caring for and teaching young children in the South Bay community and has also had the opportunity to work with underserved children in Thailand and South Africa.
As a child care provider, Algorri has worked tirelessly so those children and their families receive the support required so they can thrive. Whether providing resources such as food pantries, diaper banks or rental assistance, or collaborating with local agencies to make parenting classes available in their primary language, and advocating for free or more access to child care services, Algorri has focused her efforts to make sure that the children and families she cares for have the tools they need to succeed.
Throughout the years, Algorri has mentored and guided other immigrant women on the process of also becoming small business owners by becoming licensed family child care providers running child development facilities out of their homes. Algorri’s efforts to support other child care providers and her own professional struggles led her to take on the role of leader in the Child Care Providers United union. As a union leader, she led other providers to organize and to grow support across the state amongst citizens and elected officials for the more than forty-five thousand providers she helps represent.
Some of the issues Algorri has been and continues to fight for are livable wages, healthcare, and sick days. As a union member, Algorri has had the opportunity to advocate for families and child care providers across California at the local, state and national level. She has met with representatives and legislators and brought to their attention the need for support for the most vulnerable population, our young children, especially the marginalized children who are underserved and underrepresented.
Last fall Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Algorri to the Early Childhood Policy Council Workforce Subcommittee. Through this platform Algorri has continued sharing her expertise in the early education field and voicing the concerns, feelings and needs of the families and child care providers across California. Algorri is currently a member of the San Diego County Child Care and Development Local Planning Council where, alongside other early childhood educators, parents and leaders of different organizations such as Chicano Federation, First 5, YMCA, and CDA, she continues her advocacy efforts.
Algorri continues to advocate for the future generation. Most recently, Algorri met with US Senator Elizabeth Warren to discuss essential worker and child care issues. Senator Warren said the following about Algorri: “She is an inspiration to parents and policymakers alike.”
