In Part 2: Shallow Soil, we dig into the World War II era—when the government opened nurseries to support white women entering the workforce, while Black women and other women of color were excluded from policy decisions. We explore how licensing systems grew from this moment, prioritizing centers and leaving family child care homes invisible until the 1970s and 80s. The episode uncovers how racism and exclusion shaped who received access to care and whose labor was taken for granted, setting up inequities that still define child care today. Our panelists reflect on how these shallow roots of policy continue to impact families, educators, and the fight for equity in early education.