Marquez helped Tonia prepare breakfast and lunch for the kids, read to them, and engage them in playtime.

A typical morning at work for Tonia McMillian begins at 7:00 a.m., cooking breakfast for the 10+ children she currently cares for as a child care provider out of the Bellflower, CA family child care home she operates. From there, each day for the children Tonia cares for includes plenty of facilitated playtime, reading, and two hours of preschool curriculum. On February 11, Tonia had an extra hand to assist her with nurturing, teaching and caring for the kids--Luis Marquez, the Democratic Candidate for the California State Assembly in District 50.

Marquez spent time with Tonia as part of SEIU's "Walk a Day in My Shoes" campaign to get every elected official to experience firsthand what life is like for working people. More photos of their day spent together on Flickr here.

Photos © 2010 Slobodan Dimitrov