May 12th is the National Day without Childcare, an occasion to boldly show support for a robust and comprehensive childcare support system. To celebrate the occasion our team headed to New York City’s City Hall Park, joining childcare providers and parents to demand that Mayor Adams step up to solve the voucher crisis that could leave 62,000 kids without child care assistance. Coming into this year’s New York State budget negotiations there was a large funding gap for the state-funded Child Care Assistance Program. Last week after significant pressure from progressive groups including many being supported by The Action Lab, Governor Hochul made a concession of $350 million. However, this is a fraction of the overall need and would still leave tens of thousands of working class families without necessary support. Our Worker Power Initiative team will continue to pressure our leaders to get serious about fully funding the program and protecting the futures of our city’s young people.
More From This Initiative

2025 End of Year Report
2025 End of Year Report
2025 has been a jam-packed year at The Action Lab! To learn more about our year of sparking imaginations and driving change, check out our 2025 End of Year Report.
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Rally for Universal Child Care
Rally for Universal Child Care
On Thursday, November 20, the Empire State Campaign for Child Care, a partner of The Action Lab, held a press conference and rally on the steps of City Hall to release key recommendations for making Universal Child Care a reality in New York State.
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Making NYC Affordable: Housing
Making NYC Affordable: Housing
This October we worked with our partners at the Law and Political Economy Project NYC to organize the first session of a new series about what it means to make NYC affordable.
Who We Are
Who We Are
In this video, produced for our concert announcing Common as our 2025 Belafonte Fellow, we explore The Action Lab's history, mission, and vision for the future of movement and culture.
Social Housing Around the World - The Full Series
Social Housing Around the World - The Full Series
The Action Lab's Zoom series with global housing experts explores local solutions to inform the U.S. social housing crisis.
Social Housing Around the World - The Netherlands
Social Housing Around the World - The Netherlands
The Action Lab's Zoom series with global housing experts explores local solutions to inform the U.S. social housing crisis.
More Highlights

My Dying City Vol. II
My Dying City Vol. II
A new stage work by Dennis Leroy Kangalee, an Action Lab Artist in Action, explores grief, activism, and movement fracture under rising authoritarianism, using theater as a space to wrestle with the emotional and political costs of long-term organizing.

Brooklyn Mural Honors Immigrant Workers in NYC
Brooklyn Mural Honors Immigrant Workers in NYC
Community leaders in Bushwick unveiled a mural celebrating immigrant workers and launched a broader campaign for immigrant protection across the city.

Inauguran un mural gigante en NYC en defensa de los migrantes: “Los neoyorquinos no cederán ante el miedo”
Inauguran un mural gigante en NYC en defensa de los migrantes: “Los neoyorquinos no cederán ante el miedo”
La obra, en la esquina de las avenidas Gates e Irving, rinde homenaje a los vendedores ambulantes, que forman parte de la identidad cultural de Nueva York
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Pro-Immigrant Mural Unveiled in Bushwick
Pro-Immigrant Mural Unveiled in Bushwick
In the heart of Bushwick, community members, organizers, artists, and elected officials gathered to unveil a towering, multi-story pro-immigrant mural.
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Holiday Benefit & Mixer
Holiday Benefit & Mixer
On December 10th, we held a joyful Holiday Benefit & Mixer at El Santo in Brooklyn, which introduced the Evergreen Initiative, launching at The Action Lab in early 2026!

2025 End of Year Report
2025 End of Year Report
2025 has been a jam-packed year at The Action Lab! To learn more about our year of sparking imaginations and driving change, check out our 2025 End of Year Report.





