Three years ago, Home Grown convened its inaugural Policy Workgroup. Bringing together home-based child care providers from around the country, the Home Grown Policy Workgroup is a gathering place for home-based provider leaders to reflect on and share feedback about updates to federal and state legislation that will impact their caregiving work. Among the group’s first set of provider leaders was Maritza Manrique. Maritza sadly passed away on Monday, March 24, 2025.
Originally from Colombia, Maritza served as a family child care owner and operator in East Boston, Massachusetts. She was passionate about advocacy and was deeply involved in influencing policy positions around child care and other areas that impacted those around her. She also served as the chapter president at SEIU Local 509. Maritza was a vital contributor to the Home Grown Policy Workgroup and often brought updates from Boston about new bills and legislation that local advocates were pushing for.
Much of Maritza’s advocacy has been documented. When House bill HD.2794 and Senate bill SD.667 were introduced in the Massachusetts legislature to advance affordable, accessible, high-quality early education and child care, Maritza shared her support in this quote:
“Every day, family child care providers across Massachusetts go above and beyond to provide quality care for families in our communities. We are dedicated professionals who remain committed to supporting children in learning and thriving, but our work continues to be underfunded and unappreciated. Child care providers are resourceful and we have made the impossible happen – but we shouldn’t have to. It’s time the Commonwealth establishes a permanent funding system that invests in our work and addresses the child care workforce crisis.”
Janna Rodriguez, family child care provider, owner and operator of The Innovative Daycare Corp in Freeport, New York, and Policy Workgroup member, said about Maritza: “Maritza Manrique was a radiant light in the child care movement—a proud Latina provider from Massachusetts whose voice carried the hopes and struggles of so many Spanish-speaking providers across this country. Even from New York, I felt the impact of her courage, her grace, and her fierce advocacy for those whose first language wasn’t English. Today, we honor her legacy, her love for her community, and the powerful light she leaves behind in all of us who continue this fight.”
In every Policy Workgroup meeting, Maritza imparted an inspirational message to the group – spoken in Spanish, the language of her heart – that encouraged the group to keep fighting for the recognition and resources that home-based child care providers deserve.
Home Grown’s policy work is richer because of the many things we have learned from Maritza and we continue to be buoyed by her wise words. In one of her final messages to the Policy Workgroup, Maritza wrote:
“Fue de mucha Alegria y Aliciente estar hoy de nuevo con todo el Equipo … La Lucha y el Compromiso Continuan”/”It was a great joy and encouragement to be with the entire team again today … The fight and commitment continue.”
We are saddened by Maritza’s death, but we will continue the work of championing home-based child care issues with Maritza’s tenacious spirit as a reminder and as our inspiration.
