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Cardi B pairs with City Hall to push applications for free NYC child care
By
Karen Yi
Published Apr 3, 2026
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By
Karen Yi
Published Apr 3, 2026
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Rapper and Bronx native Cardi B is teaming up with Mayor Zohran Mamdani to encourage parents of 2-year-olds to apply for the city’s free child care program starting in June.
To help spread the word, the city is launching a jingle contest, asking New Yorkers to submit a 15- or 30-second original jingle encouraging families to apply. Cardi B will help judge the submissions and the winner will become the official theme for the 2-K program.
“Child care is very important. Sometimes us women can’t really go forward because we don’t have nobody to help us take care of our kids,” Cardi B said in a video announcement alongside Mamdani on Friday.
Mamdani is rolling out free care for 2,000 2-year-olds this fall as child care costs become a driving affordability concern and continues to push young families out of the city. On average, parents pay $20,000 a year for care.
Only parents in school districts 6, 10, 18, 23 and 27 will be eligible to apply as the program will begin in those neighborhoods before expanding in 2027. Parents can apply beginning June 2-26 and will be informed of their placements by August.
New Yorkers can submit their jingles to nyc.gov/jingle by April 17.
Tagged
Zohran Mamdani
affordability
cardi b
child care
new york city
Karen Yi
Karen Yi covers homelessness and poverty. She joined the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom in 2020. Before that, Karen covered Newark for the Star-Ledger and spent almost a decade working for newspapers in New Jersey and Florida. She grew up in Miami and has a dog named Cashew. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-589-1460.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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