The Waging Love Podcast

Research meets reality. Data meets lived experience. A scholarly podcast about the people who care for our children — and the system that fails them.

About the Podcast

The Waging Love podcast extends the documentary’s investigation into a long-form audio series — exploring the ECE workforce crisis through data, policy analysis, and direct conversation with the people closest to the work.

Each episode connects research to practice: workforce compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and CSCCE, policy developments at the federal and state level, and the firsthand accounts of educators navigating a profession defined by the tension between purpose and poverty.

Hosted by Tim Harper — CDC Director, ECE professor, and EdD, with twenty years in the field.

What You Will Hear

Research Deep Dives — Analysis of the latest workforce data from CSCCE, BLS, NAEYC, NIEER, and other leading sources.

Educator Voices — Extended conversations with ECE professionals drawn from the 17 original interviews.

Policy Watch — Tracking federal and state policy developments that affect the ECE workforce.

The Sacrifice Economy — Exploring the structural forces that keep ECE workers in poverty.

Your Voice Matters

Are you an early childhood educator with a story to tell? Reach out — we want to hear from you.